3. Implement regional cost adjustments; 4. Provide more state aid to lower-wealth districts; and 5. Capture and redistribute some or all excess property tax revenues. (6/6)

The authors offer five potential pathways to funding fairness: 1. Require some districts to consolidate or share services; 2. Expand interdistrict transfer and related choice policies… (5/6)

The average excess advantage district generated $7,197 per pupil above LCFF targets, with more than a dozen such districts benefitting from $20,000+ per pupil in excess revenue. (4/6)

These “excess advantage” districts continue to gain more inflation-adjusted per-pupil General Fund revenue, widening the gap and contradicting the state’s school funding principles. (3/6)

139 districts—serving just 5.5 percent of California’s TK–12 students—are benefitting from growing funding advantages. Just 50 of these districts generated $1.15 billion in excess revenue (87% of the statewide total) in 2023–24. (2/6)

Access the full report here: rossier.usc.edu/documents/po...

Read the summary brief here: rossier.usc.edu/documents/po...

Research on chronic absenteeism finds that school-based strategies can have small positive effects but are in general not enough on their own. Coordinated, multisector investment addressing root causes is essential to improve school attendance at scale. (3/3)

Chronic absenteeism surged after COVID, rising in California from 12 percent prepandemic to 20 percent in 2023–24. Rates are high in all districts, but especially in schools with more socioeconomically disadvantaged students. (2/3)

Current professional development practices are flawed and lack alignment with instructional goals across states. Emerging strategies like micro-credentials show promise but require stronger regulation, alignment with standards, and infrastructure to be effective at scale. (4/4)

States should adopt research-backed features of effective professional development programs and create strategic plans to ensure consistent, impactful implementation. (3/4)

To ensure policy goals reach the classroom, states need sustained, standards-aligned system that supports educators throughout their careers. (2/4)