The budget crises will have far reaching impacts on education in California. This CenterView focuses on the critical issues of equity and teaching quality now beginning to emerge for Californians as they struggle to offer students instruction necessary to meet the state's rigorous academic standards. It is absolutely essential for educators and…

A modified Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) allocation formula has been recommended for implementation in the California community colleges by the end of 1982-83. The modified formula has been designed to shift funding policy toward performance outputs as distinct from inputs. The current formula is based upon four weighted…

In 1980 four state assemblies were convened by the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (AACJC) to evaluate state education policies and to recommend changes that would enhance opportunities for lifelong learning. This monograph presents the final reports and accompanying background papers of these assemblies. After Edmund…

In a series of reforms started in 1998 and formalized with the 2000 introduction of the Blueprint for Student Success, the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) implemented a wide-ranging series of reforms designed to boost the literacy skills of students. This article provides an overview of the reforms, assesses the contributions made by the…

Developmental courses in English, math, and reading have an important purpose in higher education, especially in the open-access world of community colleges. These classes--also referred to as "remedial"--are intended to give less-prepared students a chance to catch up and meet the challenges of college-level coursework. However,…

The experience of California's community colleges in coping with the crisis created by Proposition 13 suggests that there are elements in institutional finance, mission, governance, planning, decision making, and information systems that can be monitored and manipulated to avoid administrative chaos in times of change. (MSE)

The recent economic downturn has had a serious effect on public higher education, and problems will linger for some years hence. The impact of this disinvestment has been particularly severe for the University of California. The dramatic decrease in state funding has necessitated large relative increases in education and registration fees for our…

If the notion of public and private spheres seems somehow quaint or old-fashioned, the distinction between public and private corporations will be that much more obscure. Yet Channel One broadcasts in a public school classroom are indisputably the result of a contract between a private corporation (Alloy Media + Marketing) and a public corporation…

This report proposes a model accountability system for the California community colleges to comply with the directives of Assembly Bill 1725 (AB 1725). The purpose of the accountability system is to provide colleges and districts, the board of governors, and the California legislature with information that will allow for the continued improvement…

California's budget crisis jeopardizes the progress made in strengthening the teaching workforce. The threat of impending teacher layoffs will weaken the teacher preparation pipeline and affect the state's ability to attract and retain thousands of teachers it can't afford to lose. If California is to remain committed to strengthening student…

Because current fiscal constraints call for inexpensive approaches to achieving equity, school finance research should, in addition to engaging in traditional analysis, address the relationship of curriculum and instruction to equity and economic efficiency. Problems of equity are posed by curriculum decisions and classroom management techniques…

The move of the University of Southern California to eliminate its German department in order to shift resources to Asian languages has sparked a debate about the relative importance of learning European languages. College administrators seem to assume that global shifts in economic power call for changes in the distribution of their budget for…

This is an executive summary of two long-range higher education planning reports completed at the outset of the 21st century by the California Postsecondary Education Commission. They are "Providing for Progress: California Higher Education Enrollment Demand and Resources into the 21st Century" and the companion "Policy for…

Any plan to institute student fees for California community colleges should address public concerns about budgetary matters, course repetitions, avocational courses, and courses that are not clearly lower division, while at the same time protecting districts from unanticipated enrollment losses and preserving the right of access to education by…

More than ever before, Californians recognize that preschool provides young children with a strong start in school and life. Research confirms that effective preschool not only prepares children for kindergarten, but benefits them in the long-term. Despite the benefits, only 48% of 3- and 4-year-old children attend preschool in California. While…