Research
On Oct. 15, the California Department of Education released updates for the California School Dashboard and the results of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). The Dashboard and CAASPP results paint a picture similar to the past several years: incremental progress and vast disparities between student groups.
The percentage of students with disabilities served by California schools has increased 4 percentage points in the last decade — even as overall enrollment has declined — making up a total of roughly 15 percent of the population (more than 880,000 students) in 2025–26, according to the Public Policy Institute of California’s October fact sheet on the subject.
The National Council on Teacher Quality’s (NCTQ) September report on teacher pay found that in California, nearly $28 billion went toward teacher salaries in 2024–25.
Considering internationally comparable data, 9.1 percent of primary and secondary teachers in the dozens of countries tracked by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) were not fully qualified in 2024–25, according to its Education at a Glance 2026 report.
There were minimal changes in the rates of high school seniors who enrolled in college immediately after graduation (the following fall) between 2024 and 2025, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s 14th annual High School Benchmarks report.
A recent research paper by the National Demographics Corporation, a CSBA Business Affiliate, outlines best practices for closing schools in response to factors like declining enrollment, underused facilities, staffing challenges, aging campuses and tight budgets. “Closing Schools Without Breaking Trust: Best Practices for California School […]
During the 2025–26 academic year, just 17.4 percent of the country’s 500 largest school districts experienced superintendent turnover, the lowest level observed by the ILO Group since before the pandemic, according to an analysis on the subject.
Latine students make up more than half of California’s K-12 public school population, but the perspectives of this group and their families are underrepresented in research and policy conversations. The report What California’s Latine Students, Families and Communities Want From and For Their Schools, published under the umbrella of Stanford University’s Getting Down to Facts research project, takes a qualitative approach to the subject.
A report released this summer by FutureEd examines the disconnect between new career pathways being offered in U.S. high schools and the lack of guidance provided to students to take advantage of these opportunities.
The experience a parent or community member has when they call the main office, complete a registration form, ask a transportation question, navigate a website or portal, raise a concern, request language access or any number of other interactions shapes the way they feel about their school or district.
