Research Briefs - Governance

"Continuous Improvement" as an approach is a dramatic departure from business as usual, and requires a significant investment in capacity building and data infrastructure.

Successful implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula and California's new academic standards hinges on how well diverse agencies and local school districts can work together.

School district leaders say that the Local Control Funding Formula has led to improved services, but they are concerned about inadequate base funding, challenges related to stakeholder engagement, and the state's mechanisms for accountability.

Educators are generally positive about California's new academic standards, but making the shift requires professional learning that many school districts struggle to provide and the state does not have the capacity to support.

Good data is essential for schools, districts, and the whole system to improve student outcomes, but California lags far behind other states in the quality and availability of data.