Reports

June 12, 2025 | California is expanding universal prekindergarten (UPK) to all 4-year-olds and eligible 3-year-olds. Survey data show that local educational agencies have expanded UPK quickly; however, they continue to face challenges related to UPK facilities, staffing, developmentally appropriate practices, resources, and funding, making continued state investment and targeted support critical for success.

June 6, 2025 | Students have more positive and productive math learning experiences in classrooms that provide them with supportive relationships, a strong sense of belonging within the classroom and broader math community, and a firm conviction in their capacity to grow their mathematical abilities through experience and practice.

May 6, 2025 | Teacher residencies offer an approach to address teacher shortages while improving teacher preparation. Through robust financial and educational support, residencies attract diverse candidates who stay in teaching. Five effective California programs yield policy recommendations, including strategies for designing and funding sustainable, affordable programs that support candidates.

March 10, 2025 | Claremont Graduate University’s residency program, which offers 100% online coursework, is built around a social justice approach and a classroom framework that centers relationships and interactions between and among students and teachers. Program participants have diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds and include a high proportion of first-generation college graduates.

March 3, 2025 | Alder Teacher Residency has evolved from an in-house program into California’s largest independent, residency-based educator preparation pathway, partnering with 47 local education agencies. With 97% of graduates rating the program effective and 95% securing full-time teaching positions, Alder maintains high standards by prioritizing equity, collaboration, and data-driven improvement.

February 13, 2025 | From strengthening early learning systems and tackling teacher shortages to advancing equitable school finance, LPI staff harness the power of research, collaboration, and communication to build an education system that serves every learner and transforms the ideals of equity and excellence into enduring realities for all.

February 11, 2025 | California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), enacted in 2013, created a simpler and more equitable K-12 education finance system. Research indicates it has helped to improve student outcomes and points to challenges in its fiscal design and opportunities to strengthen it.

January 28, 2025 | Equitable funding is vital to meet the needs of all students including English learners and low-income students, enabling targeted supports like bilingual education and social services. Understanding funding approaches and the resources needed to ensure meaningful learning opportunities is key to assessing whether states provide adequate support for student success.

January 15, 2025 | Summer learning plays a vital role in supporting students year-round. Recognized by the federal government as a key strategy for recovering from pandemic-related learning disruptions, it was supported through ESSR funds, which have now been spent or committed. Moving forward, lessons can be learned from states that have sustained their efforts.

December 31, 2024 | California's strategies to address teacher shortages and strengthen the teacher workforce include the Teacher Residency Grant Program, Golden State Teacher Grant Program, and National Board Certified Teacher Incentive Program. Data on these strategies show early signs of improvement, but consistent and reliable funding is needed to continue the momentum.