All Publications

With significant state investment, teacher residencies are spreading throughout California. Vignettes on Humboldt County and Fresno Unified School District highlight examples of California teacher residencies and how they are helping to address shortages and support both students and teachers.

High-quality teacher residencies have the potential to address workforce challenges, including teacher shortages, underprepared educators, and, when adequately funded, workforce diversity. In 2018-19, California provided seed funding to jump-start or scale such programs. Recognizing that state funding may not always be reliable, programs are also working toward greater financial sustainability. This report examines the current state of teacher residencies in California and strategies these programs use to sustain funding, particularly in the wake of COVID-19.

“Positive outlier” districts in California have excelled at helping African American, Latino/a, and White students achieve at high levels on assessments of academic standards in English language arts and mathematics. Case studies of seven of these districts indicate that districts can develop leaders by identifying leadership talent from among teachers and cultivating their talent to enable some to move into principalships and central office positions.

Research has found that high-quality professional learning opportunities for principals can build leadership capacity. This study reports on findings from a survey of elementary school principals on access to high-quality professional learning. The survey showed that, while most had access to professional development, far fewer were able to participate in authentic learning opportunities addressing deeper learning, student well-being, and equity.

San Francisco's Gateway Public Schools is a public charter organization with a lottery entrance system prioritizing local residents and students from low-income families. They emphasize positive school climates with a focus on inclusivity, restorative practices, and high expectations that meet students where they are—research-based practices shown to foster success for all students.

Some districts in California are beating the odds when it comes to supporting student success across all demographics. Developing and retaining high-quality teachers is one strategy these districts use. This brief looks at lessons learned from the strategies these districts use.

The entire country is grappling with educational access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Persistent shortages of well-prepared teachers remain a dire concern, and are distinctly worse in districts serving the highest numbers of students from low income families. California has taken steps to address shortages in recent years—this report highlights the primary factors driving shortages and shares research on eight key strategies that can attract and retain well-prepared teachers.

When used effectively, performance assessments support the development of students’ higher-order thinking skills, help improve teachers’ instructional practices, and ultimately allow students to demonstrate college and career readiness through a culminating assessment. This study examines the role districts can play in fostering their effective use and looks at lessons learned in three California districts.

To chart a path forward as the nation grapples with the impact of a global pandemic and systemic racism, federal policymakers can advance research-based policies that have been shown to foster equity and opportunity. This resource describes key policies that can help accelerate efforts to ensure that all young people have equal access to a high-quality, world-class education.

The disruption to education caused by the pandemic presents an opportunity for policymakers and educators to seize the moment to reimagine schooling using safe, equitable, and student-centered approaches. This framework provides research, state and local examples, and policy recommendations for 10 key areas of education.