California’s PreK-12 education system: 19 research briefs

Getting Down To Facts II (GDTFII) is an in-depth research report that serves as a “state of the state"about education in California today.

The Getting Down to Facts II project distilled the findings from 36 technical reports on California’s PreK-12 education system into 19 research briefs that highlight the key findings and conclusions from the research studies.

Key Findings

What are the most important things to know about

• California’s education system is moving in the right direction but is still in need of capacity building to support a decade of reforms. Over the past decade a multitude of reforms have resulted in some improvement. But, the system still must ensure that educators and other practitioners have the skills, information and materials they need to put major reforms more fully into practice.
   
• Large achievement gaps persist in California by race, ethnicity, income, and English learner (EL) status.
   
• California’s children are behind before they enter kindergarten. The system needs a continued focus on closing achievement gaps through multiple approaches including enhanced early childhood education.
   
• Funding levels remain short of adequate for schools in California given the goals of state policies.
   
• Untouched critical funding issues could destabilize the system. Pensions, special education, and facilities each have the potential to worsen inequities if not addressed.
   
• California produces very little information on what makes an excellent education for its own students. Despite investments in data systems in California, the state still falls short of what other states have developed.