The release of the 2019 California School Dashboard came with the encouraging news that fewer local educational agencies will require differentiated assistance than in 2018. The number of districts and county offices of education eligible for support dropped from 374 to 333, and the state […]
Category: Closing the Achievement Gap
Closing the Achievement Gap
College forum shines spotlight on equitable admissions, college/career preparation
The convergence of new research on standardized testing, a controversial proposed entrance requirement at California State University and the recent “Varsity Blues” admission scandal served as the backdrop for a wide-ranging Nov. 22 forum at UC Berkeley Law School. The Policy Analysis for California Education […]
Financial aid report illustrates need for schools to boost student participation
With financial aid critical to many of California’s low-income youth and students of color seeking to attend college, a new report from the Education Trust–West finds that the students who would benefit the most are attending high schools with some of the lowest application completion […]
Study finds California’s rural students falling behind in college readiness
Close to 9.3 million students were enrolled in rural schools last year — nearly one in five public school students in the U.S. — and too few of those students have the educational resources that they need to succeed, according to a recent report by […]
Audit finds state, LEAs not doing enough to identify and support students experiencing homelessness
A new report from the State Auditor finds local educational agencies are not doing enough to identify youths experiencing homelessness, in turn limiting the opportunities to support these students. The report cites that many of these shortcomings stem from the California Department of Education’s inadequate […]
State Board focuses on System of Support’s local impacts, ESSA compliance issues
The Nov. 6 State Board of Education meeting featured presentations from two county offices of education involved in the State System of Support that explored how the connection between the work of lead agencies, COEs and local educational agencies can lead to positive outcomes for […]
Leaders call for increased funding and K-14 partnerships to promote equity in schools
A recent Public Policy Institute of California event brought together two of the state’s education heavyweights, State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond and California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley, for a discussion on improving opportunities and enhancing outcomes for all students, and how […]
Oakland Unified program for black males leads to positive results, key lessons
A decade-old program that provides targeted educational supports for African American males in the Oakland Unified School District has lowered dropout rates and increased graduation rates, new research finds. With a meaningful reduction of dropouts — 3.6 percentage points — My Brother’s Keeper? The Impact […]
Study shows importance of helping children understand different social identities
The results of a recent nationwide survey show that many teachers believe different social and demographic identities have an impact on children’s success in school, but far fewer feel comfortable discussing these in the classroom. Researchers from NORC at the University of Chicago and Sesame […]
October President’s Message: The importance of equity-driven leadership
By CSBA President Dr. Emma Turner One of the greatest responsibilities of school district and county office of education board members is to support the achievement of all students by providing them with the educational opportunities that will promote student success. This work begins by […]











