The current policy terrain is primed for schools to absorb new discipline strategies and address bias-based beliefs. Over the past 10 years, numerous policy changes regarding discipline have emerged at the federal and state levels. I argue these policy shifts, primarily at the state level, are using two of four value levers (quality, efficiency,…

This Spotlight explores key aspects of MTSS implementation, including its relationship to special education and effectiveness in improving student outcomes. Discover how MTSS can be used to support social-emotional learning, address discipline disparities, and ensure equitable access to resources and support. By combining data-driven…

Social and emotional learning (SEL) plays a critical role in preparing young people for success in college, careers, and life. In general education settings, high quality SEL programs have been shown to reduce behavioral problems, improve students' sense of belonging, increase school attendance, and promote academic achievement. Recent…

Offering "Early Start" programs in the summer before students start their first year of college is one of the strategies that the California State University (CSU) system has used to support incoming students who may not be ready for college-level work in mathematics or written communication. In 2017, the CSU system began implementing a…

This report is part of a series focusing on studies intended to inform the California State University (CSU) system about the implementation of Executive Order 1110 (EO 1110). A major policy adopted by the CSU Chancellor's Office in 2017, EO 1110 requires CSU campuses to eliminate noncredit developmental courses -- often known as…

Children should develop literacy skills that progress from learning to read to reading to learn as they move from kindergarten through early elementary. These skills support reading proficiency and build knowledge in all subject areas. Students who struggle with literacy skills as early as kindergarten often continue to read below grade level…

The California Community Colleges serves 2.2 million students among its 115 colleges, and is a key driver in ensuring educational opportunity and success for all Californians. About 29% of University of California graduates and 51% of California State University graduates start their higher education at a community college. The system is also the…

WestEd is undertaking a multiyear series of implementation studies intended to inform the California State University (CSU) system about the implementation of Executive Order 1110 (EO 1110). A major policy adopted by the CSU Chancellor's Office in 2017, EO 1110 requires CSU campuses to eliminate non-credit developmental courses in Written…

Equity is the consistent thread that runs through major California education policies of the last decade, which have focused on providing access and opportunity tailored to students' needs in order to reduce disparities in learning outcomes. Equity challenges, already significant prior to COVID-19, have been exacerbated by the pandemic's education…

With the national spotlight on community colleges, the sector has a unique opportunity to seize the moment and collaborate with K-12 to increase student success. Efforts to increase community college access and open doors to more students must include a complementary focus on improving readiness. Otherwise, remediation rates will remain…

Most of the students who set out to earn degrees in community colleges never do. Interventions that simplify the complex organizational structures of these schools are promising solutions to this problem. This article is the first to provide rigorous evidence of the effects of structured transfer programs, one such intervention. Leveraging the…

Community college transfer students often experience "transfer shock" at receiving four-year institutions, which includes a variety of academic, social, and institutional challenges associated with the first-year transfer experience. Research has demonstrated that first-year program interventions can facilitate the transition of…

Large-scale efforts to address the need for data sharing and communication have surfaced in recent years. While these efforts have expanded data sharing and data use opportunities for educational institutions at all levels, the comprehensive educational and workforce data across California that are necessary to effectively inform efforts aimed at…

English Learners (ELs) represent critical mass of K-12 students in public schools across the nation. However, states have failed to improve EL student academic outcomes, including college readiness. In 2013, California altered its school funding policy, providing additional support for English learners. Drawing on Vertical Equity and a Critical…

Purpose: The purpose of this grounded theory qualitative study was to discover the perceptions of special education directors regarding the changes in special education at the policy level, teacher practice level, and student support level necessary to improve the academic achievement of students with disabilities in California. Methodology: The…