Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) is an independent, non-partisan research center based at the University of California – Berkeley, the University of Southern California, and Stanford University. PACE seeks to define and sustain a long-term strategy for comprehensive policy reform and continuous improvement in performance at all levels of California’s education system, from early childhood to post-secondary education and training. PACE bridges the gap between research and policy, working with scholars from California’s leading universities and with state and local policymakers to increase the impact of academic research on educational policy in California.
Latest News
The American Diploma Project in California: Findings and Policy Implications
November 19, 2009
Comments (0)
December 11, 2009
The American Diploma Project in California: Findings and Policy Implications
Herb Fischer, retired San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
Marc Frazer, partner with Education First Consulting
Scott Hill, Vice President at School Innovations & Advocacy
Jorge Ruiz-de-Velasco, Associate Director of the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute
Christine Tell, Director of State Services with Achieve
The ADP has sought to strengthen alignment between standards and expectations in K-12 schools and post-secondary education and training. In the first year the ADP has worked toward agreement on a common standard of readiness for non-remedial college coursework across the three segments of California’s higher education system, with a particular focus on the augmented CST that students take as part of CSU’s Early Assessment Program (EAP). Members of the ADP team will discuss progress to date and next steps in the effort to ensure that more California students are prepared for success in college and careers.
November 6 Seminar Podcast
November 18, 2009
Comments (0)
An audio broadcast of our recent seminar International Teachers in California Schools by Lora Bartlett, Assistant Professor of Education at the University of California – Santa Cruz is now available for download.
Increasing the percentage of highly qualified teachers in public schools is a priority for California. In this seminar, Bartlett highlights the role overseas trained teachers have played in addressing this goal. She presents data on the number and distribution of overseas trained K-12 teachers in California public schools, highlighting their concentration in high poverty districts and schools. She also examines the implications of different definitions of teacher qualification, and traces connections between education and immigration policy.
Listen to the audio of this seminar:
California Diploma Project
November 5, 2009
Comments (0)
The California Diploma Project convened its final Alignment Institute in San Francisco at the end of October, to discuss the technical analyses of the EAP assessment conducted by Achieve and to plan for next steps on the project.
Materials from this meeting are available here.
International Teachers in California Schools
November 3, 2009
Comments (0)
November 6, 2009
International Teachers in California Schools
Lora Bartlett, Assistant Professor of Education at the University of California – Santa Cruz
Increasing the percentage of highly qualified teachers in public schools is a priority for California. In this seminar, Bartlett highlights the role overseas trained teachers have played in addressing this goal. She presents data on the number and distribution of overseas trained K-12 teachers in California public schools, highlighting their concentration in high poverty districts and schools. She also examines the implications of different definitions of teacher qualification, and traces connections between education and immigration policy.
October 29th Seminar Materials
November 2, 2009
Comments (0)
Our recent seminar The Future of Early Education Systems in California (PreK-3rd) featuring Brad Strong, Director of Education, Children Now, Lisa Guernsey, Director, Early Education Initiative, New America Foundation and Loretta Burns, Director, Santa Clara County Partnership for School Readiness, took place last week but no audio is available.
California’s education system continues to struggle to close persistent achievement gaps that often exist at school entry, and the state’s dire fiscal situation certainly doesn’t help. But real progress is possible, even now, as new strategies to build seamless early learning systems are being developed and supported through federal efforts. Presenters discussed the critical components of PreK-3rd systems, provided specific examples of how these systems are working locally to improve school readiness in California, and offered up new opportunities for statewide leadership that are outlined in a New America Foundation report on California’s early education system.
Please see the following links for more information:
Children Now, Kindergarten Readiness Data: Improving Children’s Success in School
Santa Clara County Partnership for School Readiness, School Readiness Assessment – 2008
New America Foundation, On the Cusp in California: How PreK-3rd Strategies Could Improve Education in the Golden State
The Future of Early Education Systems in California (PreK-3rd)
October 13, 2009
Comments (0)
October 29, 2009
The Future of Early Education Systems in California (PreK-3rd)
Brad Strong, Director of Education, Children Now
Lisa Guernsey, Director, Early Education Initiative, New America Foundation
Loretta Burns, Director, Santa Clara County Partnership for School Readiness
California’s education system continues to struggle to close persistent achievement gaps that often exist at school entry, and the state’s dire fiscal situation certainly doesn’t help. But real progress is possible, even now, as new strategies to build seamless early learning systems are being developed and supported through federal efforts. Presenters will discuss the critical components of PreK-3rd systems, provide specific examples of how these systems are working locally to improve school readiness in California, and offer up new opportunities for statewide leadership that are outlined in a New America Foundation report on California’s early education system.
Seminars for Education Policymakers and Scholars 2009-2010
October 2, 2009
Comments (0)
Despite the unprecedented fiscal crisis now battering California’s schools and universities, the urgency of comprehensive reform in California’s education system has not diminished. California had fallen behind other states on many key indicators of educational performance before the current crisis arrived. Doing the same things in the same way with dramatically reduced resources will not produce success for the state’s students and schools.
As the Governor’s Committee on Educational Excellence and others have made clear, California will ultimately have to spend more—not less—on our education system if we hope to achieve the ambitious goals we have set for our students, and ensure the future prosperity of our state. For now, though, California will have to use the resources we have more efficiently and effectively to sustain recent improvements in the performance of our schools.
The need for new thinking and policy innovation is therefore greater than ever. PACE’s Sacramento seminar series brings California’s leading researchers together with policy makers for an informed discussion of the many issues facing California’s education system, and for thoughtful analysis of the difficult policy choices facing our state.
Our 2009-2010 Seminar Series begins this month, for a complete list please see our Upcoming Seminars page!
Leaders for California’s Schools
September 28, 2009
Comments (0)
A new PACE policy brief presents an overview of the current state of school leadership in California. Susanna Loeb and Jon Valant from Stanford University examine the challenges that California must overcome to recruit, hire, train, and retain strong and talented principals, with a particular focus on the limitations of current state and district policies. Loeb and Valant note that California principals are underpaid relative to their colleagues nationwide, and many report feeling overworked, constrained by state policies, and doubtful that they will remain in the principalship until retirement. The authors propose a set of actions that policymakers can take in order to ensure that great principals are providing leadership in all of California’s schools.
