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State Education Policy

In passing the Local Control Funding Formula in 2013, the Legislature shifted decision-making back to local districts and steered more money to districts with higher proportions of low-income children and English learners. Proposition 98, adopted in 1988, sets the overall yearly level of K-12 and community college spending through a complex formula tied to the growth in the state economy.

April 19, 2018

Voting for young people explained: a quick guide

It’s never been better to be a young voter in California. Here’s a look at a number of new laws aimed at increasing young voter education and participation.

David Washburn
April 19, 2018

Will 2018 be the year of the young voter in California?

Students throughout the state are showing more interest in “high school voter education weeks” than ever before.

David Washburn
April 17, 2018

Discovering gold in California’s schools

Educators across the state are hard at work creating a brighter future for all those kids who historically have been underserved.

Carl Cohn
April 16, 2018

Big money from charter backers has potential to reshape governor's race

Contributions come at a time of slowing expansion of charter school sector in California and nationally

Louis Freedberg
April 12, 2018

Campaign underway in California to elect a 'children's governor'

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation-initiated campaign hopes the next governor will focus on children beginning at birth, and implement child-friendly programs within the first 100 days.

Louis Freedberg
April 5, 2018

Unlike California, many states have umbrella agency for early childhood programs

California could learn from the experience of other states that have established separate departments or divisions to oversee early childhood programs.

Louis Freedberg
March 29, 2018

Federal funding for after-school programs intact, despite threatened budget cuts

The federal budget includes $1.21 billion for programs to help children in high-poverty areas with reading, math and science homework after school.

Ashley Hopkinson
March 29, 2018

Districts must do more to reduce low-income schools' share of inexperienced, ineffective teachers under new federal law

Effectiveness has nothing to do with teachers' impact or performance, as California defines it under the new federal law.

John Fensterwald
March 20, 2018

Candidates for California's top school chief post call for more transparency in spending of state funds

During the debate, they also called for substantially increasing education funding.

John Fensterwald and Louis Freedberg
March 15, 2018

Don’t swap state tests like Smarter Balanced for SAT or ACT, report cautions

State Superintendent Torlakson and some superintendents are at odds on the issue. An analysis by the prominent nonprofit Achieve will add fuel to the debate.

John Fensterwald
March 14, 2018

Community engagement is the key to making California's school funding formula work

Report says district focus on community engagement is vital for successful implementation.

Daniel Humphrey
March 13, 2018

Gov. Brown’s plan to change community college funding to promote student success faces scrutiny

The Legislative Analyst’s Office is recommending that Brown tie funding to the academic outcomes of low-income students.

Mikhail Zinshteyn
March 12, 2018

Teacher shortage, lack of supplies hinder rollout of new science standards, report finds

Low-income and low-performing schools are facing the most obstacles in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards.

Carolyn Jones
March 12, 2018

California should stay the course with its education plan

The State Board of Education should approve the revised Every Student Succeeds Act state plan without delay.

Linda Darling-Hammond
March 7, 2018

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos praises California governor on local control of schools

The state is currently negotiating with federal officials over its plan to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Louis Freedberg