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California's revenue system critically shapes TK-12 funding for nearly six million students. State and local revenue constraints create instability and limit adequate support. This report examines where education funding comes from, why it fluctuates, how it is allocated, and how it can be improved.
Melanie Leung-GagnéDesiree Carver-ThomasLucy SorensenTara KiniSusan Kemper PatrickTiffany S. TanLinda Darling-Hammond
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California's teacher shortage crisis has tripled the number of teachers practicing with substandard credentials since 2012–13, disproportionately impacting students of color and low-income communities. While recent state investments have increased well-prepared teachers significantly, many programs are sunsetting. Sustained, coordinated policy action is needed to stabilize the state’s workforce.
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American schools spend over $4 billion annually on physical security technologies like AI weapons detection and surveillance, yet evidence for their effectiveness is thin and some have caused student harm. Research consistently shows that safety is better achieved through trusting relationships, positive school climates, and mental health supports — not hardware.
Susan Kemper PatrickChazz HigginbothamRyan SaundersTiffany S. TanSteve Wojcikiewicz
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Texas is navigating high teacher attrition and relying on uncertified teachers who can fill vacancies quickly. While the share of uncertified teachers tripled across the state between 2019–20 and 2024–25, some districts maintained high rates of certified teachers. This study sought to identify those districts and understand the local contexts that might encourage hiring and retention of certified teachers. These findings are especially relevant in the context of newly passed state legislation enabling a significant financial investment in retaining and recruiting credentialed teachers.
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Oakland High School has reimagined learning by integrating a community schools model, Linked Learning pathways, dual enrollment, and comprehensive student supports. Grounded in strong relationships and community connections, this approach has expanded engaging, real-world learning opportunities while improving student achievement, graduation rates, and teacher retention.
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Lynwood Unified's deep community roots, existing network of health partners, emphasis on social emotional learning, and focus on building coordinator capacity enabled rapid districtwide implementation. Within two years, all 17 schools became community schools, yielding significant gains in student achievement, attendance, school climate, and family engagement.
Sarah KlevanLaura E. HernándezNatalie SpitzerCassandra RubinsteinWalker Swain
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Los Angeles Unified School District successfully implemented its Community Schools Initiative through a robust support structure that centers inclusive environments enabled by restorative practices, project-based learning, and Linked Learning pathways. While all low-income schools in the district are recovering from pandemic-era lows, these schools are improving at substantially higher rates in achievement and attendance.
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California’s expansion of universal prekindergarten (PreK) has helped increase access to early childhood education (ECE) programs. This brief examines the impact of investments in universal PreK by calculating how many 3- and 4-year-olds have enrolled in publicly funded ECE programs across the state.
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This practice brief from EdPrepLab examines how the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has taken a systemwide approach to supporting educator well-being through social and emotional learning (SEL). Grounded in the science of learning and development, the brief makes a clear case that educator well-being is not an individual responsibility but a shared, organizational priority.
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The most recent data from NCES’ national teacher and principal surveys highlight persistently high teacher turnover and widespread dissatisfaction. The data also point to strategies for decreasing turnover, including competitive salaries, effective school leadership, improved working conditions, and supports for early-career teachers.
