Higher education experts expect Newsom to be more generous to academia than Gov. Brown. New funding and expansion of free community college tuition are anticipated.
While overall scores rose, only 48 percent of California students did well enough on the SAT to be considered fully college ready. Ethnic disparities remain as well.
Colleges are looking at ways to help students who work long hours at jobs. Studies show grades slip and graduation is at risk when students work more than 15 hours, but the students say they have few alternatives when financial aid is not enough.
The USC report weighed black students' enrollment and graduation rates, among other factors. California ranked third highest in the nation, although author said results are actually mediocre and should be not celebrated.
