Category: Research

Research

Latine students, families share what they want from California schools

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.

Study examines breakdowns in communication between schools and the public, offers suggestions for improvement

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.

Examining the effectiveness of outcomes-based contracting in school districts

Between August 2024 and March 2026, WestEd, in collaboration with The Center for Outcomes Based Contracting, carried out a mixed methods evaluation of eight early adopter school districts located in California, Florida, Mississippi and Texas that implemented tutoring or educational technology interventions under outcomes-based contracting (OBC) agreements. The findings, detailed in a report published in July, cover associated student outcomes, district spending, the impact of OBC on district-provider relationships and more.

New brief details the current landscape of public education in California

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) released its latest snapshot of the state of California’s TK-12 education system in August. The brief examines current enrollment trends, student achievement, funding and other factors in an effort to help guide local and state policymakers in better supporting and educating California’s youth.

Report looks at districts’ implementation of LGBTQ+ inclusive programs and policies

With roughly half a million LGBTQ+ students served by the state’s public schools, the Equality California Institute’s 2026 Safe & Supportive Schools Report Card offers a glimpse at school climate, policy, curriculum adoption and other measures as well as recommendations for improving conditions for this population.

Report highlights experiences of military-connected teens

In the past six months, 29 percent of military-connected teenagers and young adults who participated in a recent survey reported thoughts of self-harm and 16 percent harmed themselves at least once, according to The Military Teen Experience in 2026: A Data-Driven Understanding of Our Military-Connected Teens and How We Can Help. Seventeen percent reported some level of suicidal ideation.

Study finds school districts spend more on high-poverty districts on average

A June report from Brookings Institute reviews how school funding has changed through the decades using school district level data from1976 to 2021. Researchers aimed to answer two key questions: Do high-poverty and predominantly non-white districts spend less than their lower-poverty or predominantly white counterparts? […]

Cellphone ownership linked to worse reading scores in elementary school, with one caveat

Children who own cellphones tend to have lower reading comprehension scores regardless of what age they were when they first got one or whether or not they take it to school, according to new research from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).