John Fensterwald | Piedmont Exedra

Study: California’s K-12 funding overhaul worked as designed

Equity-based funding caused big jumps in student performance in the highest-poverty school districts, says UC Berkeley economist Rucker Johnson.

The decision for Alameda Unified gives school districts and community colleges statewide more latitude to design a parcel tax.

At issue is whether researchers can analyze nonpublic California student data and also testify against the state in related and even unrelated cases.

Unanimous approval follows hours of comments by a public split over accelerating algebra.

State Board of Education expected to pass latest, clearer version, though critics are still not mollified.

Still on the table: where to make cuts and how much more to spend for child care.

Governor would pare back one-time funding by $2 billion for schools while preserving promised 8.2% cost-of-living adjustment.

As they did for math and reading, eighth grade scores dropped in 2022 for U.S. history and civics; impact of COVID may be just one factor.

Educator pay raises would still have to be negotiated at the district level.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, advocacy groups would make big changes to accounting for LCAP spending.