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Getting Down to Facts

In Getting Down to Facts, more than 100 leading California and national researchers produced three dozen studies examining a decade of sweeping changes and pressing education issues. EdSource will track the impact of the reports as state and local leaders continue to transform PreK-12 in California.

Teachers' Pensions: Who Pays?
March 27, 2019

School and Pension Costs in California: What Can Be Done?

How are pension costs creating a challenge for school districts? This EdSource video explains why pensions are consuming a growing share of school budgets and what could be done.

EdSource staff
School Finance
January 31, 2020

Quick Guide: What California voters need to know about proposed $15 billion school construction bond

The state bond will underwrite some construction costs of schools and universities, with extra help for low-income districts.

John Fensterwald
School Finance
October 7, 2019

$15 billion California school bond headed for March ballot with Newsom’s signature

Higher ed to get $6 billion and K-12 schools $9 billion, with most dollars earmarked for renovations; low-wealth, low-income districts would be favored.

John Fensterwald
Interactive Maps and Infographics
September 24, 2019

How much would it cost to adequately fund schools in California?

Use our interactive graphic to see what school districts are spending compared to how much researchers say it would take to provide adequate funding.

Yuxuan Xie, Daniel J. Willis, And John Fensterwald
School Finance
September 11, 2019

Gov. Newsom, lawmakers strike deal on $15 billion education construction bond

The proposed bond on the March 2020 ballot will include money for K-12 districts, including preschool, community colleges, UC and CSU.

John Fensterwald
School Finance
September 6, 2019

Gov. Newsom, lawmakers still negotiating K-14 construction bond

State officials have called for giving property-poor districts a bigger share of state funding.

John Fensterwald
School Finance
September 6, 2019

Achieving fair funding for school modernization in California: a case study [VIDEO]

California has run out of money to help school districts build and repair schools. View EdSource's video explainer to understand the choices facing legislators and voters.

John Fensterwald
Getting Down to Facts
June 20, 2019

$13 billion state bond for school construction targeted for 2020 California ballot

The author of the bill, Patrick O'Donnell, says he is open to examining the fairness of the school modernization program's funding.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
May 6, 2019

School districts must do more to manage costs of health benefits

When districts spend more money on health benefits, there’s less money for other priorities, like teacher salaries, researcher says.

Paul Bruno
State Education Policy
May 3, 2019

First on new California state superintendent’s long agenda: getting more men of color in the classroom

Tony Thurmond is creating work groups to focus on critical education issues while building a relationship with Gavin Newsom and building confidence in a state education department that’s been understaffed and underfunded.

John Fensterwald
California's Teacher Housing Crunch
April 27, 2019

Statewide survey: most Californians support teacher strikes for higher pay

Public Policy Institute asked about some of the most hotly debated issues in its annual Californians and Education statewide survey.

Diana Lambert
School Finance
April 12, 2019

California plan for school construction bonds sparks debate for reform

Advocates for more equitable state funding of school facilities see proposals for multi-billion dollar state construction bonds in 2020 and 2022 as a chance to make a case for changing the state formula for distributing money.

John Fensterwald
Teachers' Pensions: Who Pays?
March 21, 2019

New data detail soaring costs of California school pensions

Districts’ average payments to pension funds CalSTRS and CalPERS doubled to about $1,000 per student in 2017-18. But contributions varied among districts and will continue to rise for at least two more years.

John Fensterwald
Teachers' Pensions: Who Pays?
March 21, 2019

California school districts' rising employee pension costs

Look up per-student pension costs for districts across California with this interactive database, and see how much they've changed since a 2012 state law passed to rescue the state’s two pension systems.

Phillip Reese And Daniel J. Willis
Teachers' Pensions: Who Pays?
March 21, 2019

Interactive Map: Changes in pension costs for California school districts

View the changes in per-student pension costs across California school districts - Unified, Elementary and High school

Yuxuan Xie, Daniel J. Willis, And Phillip Reese