The limited impact but substantial importance of Cal Fire v. CalPERS

On March 4, 2019, the California Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the appellate court’s decision in Cal Fire 2881 v. California Public Employees’ Retirement System, upholding the 2012 elimination of a pension benefit for public employees. The narrow decision in favor of the State will not […]

Enthusiastic Capitol crowd calls for Full and Fair Funding of California’s public schools

From Humboldt County, Monterey, San Diego and beyond, school leaders converged on Sacramento by the busload on May 22 to make their voices heard and to fight for Full and Fair Funding of California’s public schools. About 200 school board members took that fight to […]

CEO’s Note: The ‘big short’ in California school funding

by Vernon M. Billy This past January, educators across the state (and nation) were fixated on the Los Angeles Unified School District’s six-day teacher’s strike. The LAUSD strike was followed almost immediately by a seven-day work stoppage in Oakland and a highly publicized one-day walkout […]

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 […]