Commentary: Fighting for students, rallying for public schools

“Every student should graduate high school prepared for success in college, career and civic life. Unfortunately, our ability to deliver on this promise has been compromised by 40 years of underinvestment in public schools,” write Burbank Unified School District leaders in a new commentary published […]

Expansive research provides further evidence of need for Full and Fair Funding

To adequately educate every student, California needed to spend $16,890 per pupil in the 2016–17 school year. The state spent $12,204. The vast funding gap was the highlight of Getting Down to Facts II research presented by Policy Analysis for California Education at an April […]

New study shows California schools critically underfunded in quest to close achievement gap

A new report released by the Albert Shanker Institute and co-authored by Bruce Baker, a top school finance expert from Rutgers University, points to the importance of increased school funding in bridging the achievement gap. “The Adequacy and Fairness of State School Finance Systems” examines […]

Coalition rallies at Capitol with funding message of ‘Our students deserve more!’

Alameda County school board members, teachers, administrators, other staff members, students and parents rallied at the Capitol steps in Sacramento on April 3 behind a unified call for increased state education funding. More than 300 people attended the event organized by the East Bay Coalition […]

Experts share insights on future of Prop 64 funds for youth health programs

Experts from Washington and Colorado, two states which legalized recreational marijuana before California, weighed in at a Capitol briefing on the best ways to design youth drug prevention and health programs using cannabis tax revenue. The March 26 event was hosted by Assemblymember Reginald Byron […]

Record number of board members advocate for education on Legislative Action Day

More than 260 board members and superintendents representing more than 150 school districts and county offices of education across California met at the Capitol on March 12 to advocate for the state’s K-12 public schools and its more than 6 million students — with Full […]

Full-day kindergarten facilities applications greatly outpace available funds

School district interest is overwhelming the funds available for projects through the state’s new full-day kindergarten facilities program. Seventy districts filed 261 project applications totaling $324.3 million in the first filing round ending Jan. 31, staff told State Allocation Board members at their Feb. 27 […]