Topic

Policy & Finance

California, under Gov. Jerry Brown, has shifted control over budgeting and decision-making from the state to local districts. But Sacramento – through the State Board of Education and the Legislature – and Washington, D.C., still retain authority over setting broad education and school finance policies. EdSource Today is tracking the development of the Local Control Funding Formula, California’s new school finance system, and how districts are implementing this reform.

December 13, 2018

What California can learn from universal preschool in other states

Some states have successfully expanded both access and the quality of their preschool programs. Here’s what some early learning advocates and researchers say California could learn from them.

Zaidee Stavely

December 11, 2018

School suspensions continue downward trend in California, new data show

About half as many students were sent home for disciplinary reasons during the 2017-18 school year as had been at the beginning of the decade.

David Washburn And Daniel J. Willis

December 11, 2018

In push for universal preschool, lessons to heed from California's class size reduction program

The $1 billion program was implemented in less than two months.

Louis Freedberg

December 10, 2018

Public education must promote participation in democratic process

Civic engagement by young people strengthens the social fabric and our democracy, authors say.

Henry A. J. Ramos and Eric C. Abrams

December 9, 2018

Final count shows Thurmond winner of California schools chief race by 187,000 votes

Over 4.5 million more Californians cast a vote for state superintendent for public instruction in mid-term elections than did in 2014, the last time the position was on the ballot.

Louis Freedberg

December 6, 2018

Ratings in updated California School Dashboard target more districts for assistance

Two near indicators – chronic absenteeism and college/career readiness – debut and reemphasize the need to boost attendance of younger students and better prepare high schoolers for post-graduation.

John Fensterwald

December 6, 2018

Search and compare data from the California School Dashboard, 2018

Search and compare all California public schools, districts, cities and counties for data from the state's new school accountability dashboard.

Justin Allen, Daniel J. Willis, And Yuxuan Xie

December 4, 2018

New push underway to expand preschool for low-income children in California

Assemblyman Kevin McCarty introduced three bills this week, one to expand spaces for public preschool for low-income 4-year-olds, one to improve preschool facilities and one to increase reimbursement for preschool programs.

Zaidee Stavely

December 4, 2018

Latinas for the first time make up majority of Bay Area school board

The West Contra Costa Unified School Board for the first time in its history has a Latina majority who will now join in the tough task of making $12 million in budget cuts to help pay for salary increases for teachers and other employees in a region with soaring housing costs.

Theresa Harrington

November 29, 2018

In limbo, DACA students look to Congress again for help

A court decision this month requires the government to keep accepting DACA renewal applications, but the Trump administration is calling for the Supreme Court to step in. In the meantime, some young immigrants look to the newly elected House of Representatives.

Zaidee Stavely

November 28, 2018

California school districts to get ‘wake-up call’ with new absenteeism measures

At least 40 percent of California school districts and charter schools have rates of chronic absence in grades K-8 that are high or very high based on new performance measures that will be unveiled next month.

David Washburn

November 28, 2018

Plans come into focus for California schools ravaged by wildfires

Officials have identified three elementary schools that will take Paradise Unified students displaced by the deadly Camp Fire and are close to securing a site for middle and high schoolers.

David Washburn And Diana Lambert

November 26, 2018

Measuring growth in test scores is key to understanding student progress

School communities need actionable data and a complete picture of progress to support meaningful changes for students.

Steve Martinez and Rick Miller

November 21, 2018

Tony Thurmond names second in command at California Department of Education

Lupita Cortez Alcalá, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission, will return to the state's department of education where she held key positions for a dozen years.

John Fensterwald

November 19, 2018

'Blue wave' helps push Thurmond to victory in California schools chief race

Outcome of race a major victory for California Teachers Association and allies, and a major defeat for leading charter school advocates.