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Briefs


Brief
Middle school student having a friendly discussion with classmates.
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| In 2013, California implemented an ambitious school funding reform, the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which allocates funding by the proportion of high-need students in the district. LCFF-induced funding increases improved students’ academic achievement, reduced grade repetition, and enhanced the likelihood of students graduating from high school and being college-ready.
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| California has invested billions in community schools strategies in the past several years. In addition to leveraging these state funds, blending and braiding local, state, and federal funding sources may help to sustainably finance a community schools strategy in the long term.
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Guidance Counselor speaking with three students.
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| Across the country, many schools have adopted restorative practices in an effort to improve school climate and student outcomes while reducing exclusionary discipline. Restorative practices improve students’ academic achievement and decreases suspension rates and disparities.
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Two elementary students using a marble activity maze.
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| Infrastructure at Oakland Unified School District helped to successfully implement a community schools approach by centralizing processes and systems and providing support for family engagement and professional learning and development.
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Two elementary students using a marble activity maze.
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| Examining how Oakland Unified School District successfully implemented a community schools approach, researchers found structures that support effective partnerships, Coordination of Services Teams, community school managers, professional learning and development, and family engagement.
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Child talking to an adult.
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| While federal funding to support the more than 1 million students experiencing homelessness has increased over the past several years, the level of funding remains meager relative to the need. Policy changes concerning funding amounts, distribution, and data collection may improve educational opportunities for these students.
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Teacher checking the microscope of a student in a science lab.
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| The Every Student Succeeds Act presented new possibilities for innovative state assessments that support deeper learning; however, constraints have limited states’ abilities to fully realize such opportunities. Federal executive actions that offer time, support, and permission to innovate could encourage assessment systems that bolster high-quality teaching and learning.
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Teacher helping preschool students with a project.
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| As states expand access to public preschool, most must do so across a variety of settings, such as schools, Head Start agencies, child care centers, and family child care homes. To examine what policies support high-quality preschool at scale, experts look at five states and the unique approaches they have taken.
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Teacher talking with young students while seated on the grass.
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| Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are a low-cost, evidence-based educational intervention that improves outcomes for all students at all grade levels. As SEL programming grows across schools and districts, research points to policies and infrastructures that teachers, principals, and policymakers can adopt to support successful implementation.
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Two teachers talking in a classroom.
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| Survey results from almost 60,000 people who completed California‘s new teacher accreditation program show an increasingly diverse pool of teacher graduates and those who experience student teaching or residencies feel more prepared; however, Black, and Native American candidates report less access to these supports.