California's Education System 100% Demystified

Find these slides: http://bit.ly/Ed100-BigDeck

Version 2024-02-21

What is Ed100.org?

What is�Ed100.org?

for individuals

It's the quickest way to learn California's education system. Starting from zero.

• 5-minute lessons
• Plainly worded
• In English and en Español
• Simple quizzes �reinforce main points

What is�Ed100.org?

for Parent Leaders�and Districts

It's a free website that helps you build a well-informed school community.

• Create school learning teams
• See team progress
• Sustain momentum
• Friendly competition (Leaderboard)
• Drawings (see our win page)

What is�Ed100.org?

for members of �School Boards and�Site Councils

Brief, clear explanations of California education issues.

• Virtually every issue. Not just the "hot" ones of the moment.
• Explains the jargon.
• Practical advice for school board discussions and actions.

What does Ed100 cover?

How does it fit together?

The Education system is big and complex

Yeah. It is.

But don't worry.

Image: Confused Molly CC Sangvalte

The Big Picture

In ten chapters that�tell a story...

1. Education is
2. Students
3. and Teachers
4. Spending Time
5. In Places for Learning
6. With the Right Stuff
7. In a System
8. With Resources
9. For Success.
10. So Now What?

Ed100.org demystifies the jargon

So it won't get �in your way

• LCFF
• LCAPs
• ESSA
• Charters
• Vouchers
• NAEP
• PISA
• IDEA
• DACA
• Certification

• Collaboration
• Unions
• Tenure
• Seniority
• Pensions
• Arts Education
• The Dashboard
• Oh, there's more

So YOU can make a difference

• Influence requires credibility.
• Credibility requires knowledge.
• Knowledge requires preparation.

Yes, you can. �Ed100 helps you.

​

Chapter 1

Overview: Education is...

Lesson 1.1

Results

Are California's schools behind?

How do we know?�Should we care?

Lesson 1.1

Results

Are California's schools behind?

How do we know?

Tip:

Arrows in this presentation link to lessons in Ed100.

Lesson 1.2

Are US schools behind?

Are America's �schools behind?

How do we know?�Should we care?

Lesson 1.3

The economic context of education

The wealthiest 1% of Americans earn more than the bottom __%.

Was it always so?�Does education hurt?

Lesson 1.4

The high costs of education failure

A year of prison costs more than...:

What’s the value of intervening if a kid is breaking bad?

Lesson 1.5

Wishful thinking

Test scores:

How much should parents care about their kids' standardized test scores?

Lesson 1.6

Progress in education

Big picture:

Are school results getting better or worse?

Lesson 1.7

The history of education change

When did the free school lunch program begin?

Why? Who pays for it?

Lesson 1.8

The purpose of education

Universal public education serves many purposes.

Can you name three?

Chapter 2

Students

Lesson 2.1

Diversity

About what fraction of California students speak a language other than English at home?

Lesson 2.2

Poverty and race

How closely does poverty predict test scores?

Lesson 2.3

Health

May students in California attend school without being vaccinated?

Lesson 2.4

Parents

Which helps kids more, academically -- talking with them or reading with them?

Lesson 2.6

Motivation

Incentives can motivate students. Why do teachers avoid using them?

Lesson 2.7

Special Needs

Do school districts get extra funds for special education students?

Lesson 2.8

Foster Youth

Over the last two decades, has the number of kids in foster care increased or decreased?

Lesson 2.9

Undocumented

Are undocumented students required to attend school?

Lesson 2.10

Student voice

Can students serve on school boards in California?

Chapter 3

Teachers

Lesson 3.1

Teacher Pay

Adjusted for inflation, is teacher pay higher now than it was in the 1970s?

Lesson 3.2

Teacher Credentials

Where do California teachers earn their credentials?

Lesson 3.3

Teacher retention

Do half of new teachers quit within five years, or is that a myth?

Lesson 3.4

Teacher placement

Aside from pay, how can school districts attract teachers to work in “difficult” schools?

Lesson 3.5

Teacher improvement

In California, is it legal for teachers to visit students at their homes?

Lesson 3.6

Collaboration

What is the main obstacle that blocks teachers from collaborating more?

Lesson 3.7

Benefits

Who provides teachers' health insurance? �The state, the district, the union, or the teachers themselves?

Lesson 3.8

Teacher pay

What factors mainly determine a �teacher's pay?

Lesson 3.9

Teacher evaluation

Are California schools required to include student test scores in teacher evaluations?

Lesson 3.10

Tenure and Seniority

In bad budget years, which teachers are generally laid off first?

Lesson 3.11

Teacher Pensions

Do teacher pensions improve if the stock market goes up?

Chapter 4

Time

Lesson 4.1

Early Education

At what age do most children in California begin school?

Lesson 4.2

Time per Student

How are class sizes related to educational time?

Lesson 4.3

School Hours

About how many hours are there in a school year?

Lesson 4.4

Time Management

About how much does an hour of school cost, per student?

Lesson 4.5

Extra Time

Why do many schools avoid "tracking" students by ability?

Lesson 4.6

Summer

Why do schools take a summer break?

Hmm. Are you sure about that?

Lesson 4.7

After School

Where does funding for after-school programs come from?

Lesson 4.8

Missing School

What portion of students are chronically absent?

Chapter 5

Places for Learning

Lesson 5.1

Where you Live

Is it legal to enroll your child in a school other than the one down the street?

Lesson 5.2

School Choice

When given a choice, what schools do families usually choose?

Lesson 5.3

Selective Schools

Do girls tend to learn better at schools without boys ?

Lesson 5.4

Continuation Schools

How does school work for kids who fall really behind, or get in serious trouble?

Lesson 5.5

Charter Schools

About 1 in 10 students in California attends a charter school.

Are they learning more?

Lesson 5.6

Private Schools

Most private schools are affiliated with a religion.

Is tuition at private schools tax-deductible?

Lesson 5.7

Community Schools

How can schools support families in poverty in order to help their children to succeed in school?

Lesson 5.8

Principals

How many years does the average principal stay at a school?

Lesson 5.9

Facilities

What percentage vote is required to pass a tax for a school facilities bond?

Lesson 5.10

School Climate

How common is bullying? �Is it becoming more common?

Lesson 5.11

Small Schools

Do smaller schools get better results?

Lesson 5.12

Home Schools

What percentage of students are home-schooled?

Lesson 5.13

Discipline

May students legally bring a gun to school?

Chapter 6

The Right Stuff

(curriculum, materials, and so on)

Lesson 6.1

Standards

Who created the Common Core Standards?

Lesson 6.2

Academic Rigor

(a-g)

To qualify for a California four-year college, do students have to take an art class?

Lesson 6.3

English

By law, must California schools conduct lessons in English?

Lesson 6.4

STEM and STEAM

Most states require 2 years of science in high school. �Does California?

Lesson 6.5

Assessment

Are bubble tests still a thing for state testing?

Lesson 6.6

Ed Tech

Are schools allowed to assign homework that requires access to a computer?

Lesson 6.7

Relevance

Students learn a lot from projects.

Does Common Core support project-based learning?

Lesson 6.8

The Arts

Where does funding for arts education come from?

Lesson 6.9

Physical Health

How much P.E. time are kids required to get in grade 8?

Lesson 6.10

Field Trips

Where does funding for field trips come from?

Lesson 6.11

Learning for a Career

What is the most common kind of career-oriented high school course in California?

Lesson 6.12

Service Learning

Are high school students in California required to participate in public service?

Lesson 6.13

Social-emotional learning

Can emotional intelligence be taught in school?

Lesson 6.14

Character

What is restorative justice, and does it work?

Lesson 6.15

Geography, History and Civics

At what age can you register to vote? �(Are you sure?)

Lesson 6.16

Language learning

How many years of foreign language learning are required in California elementary schools?

Lesson 6.17

Financial Literacy

Several states require students to take a test of financial literacy.

Does California?

Chapter 7

The System

​

Lesson 7.1

The State

Does the State Superintendent of Public Instruction create the education budget?

Lesson 7.2

The Feds

How much of California's education budget comes from the Federal government?

Lesson 7.3

School Districts

What is the role of a mayor in the education system?

Lesson 7.4

Counties

Who holds school districts accountable for results?

Lesson 7.5

Teacher Unions

Are teachers in California required to pay union dues?

Lesson 7.6

Initiatives

Initiatives have driven California education policy.

About what % of signatures are collected by paid gatherers?

Lesson 7.7

Power Players

Is the California Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) partisan or nonpartisan?

Lesson 7.8

Accountability

If a school is in crisis, who is on the hook for making sure it improves?

Lesson 7.9

Interventions

If a school district is in crisis, who is on the hook for making sure it improves?

Lesson 7.10

Local Control�and the LCAP

How often must a district's 3-year plan be revised �(with feedback from parents)

Chapter 8

Resources

​

Lesson 8.1

Yes, California Skimps on Education

Compared to other states, California's funding for education is about average, and also far below average. How is that possible?

Lesson 8.2

Education Dollars:�What they Buy

Do California school districts spend more on administration relative to other states?

Lesson 8.3

Who Pays?

About what fraction of the costs of K-12 are covered by property taxes?

How much does the lottery cover?

Lesson 8.4

Prop 13 �and Prop 98

Did Prop 13 increase the property tax burden for businesses?

Lesson 8.5

LCFF

Does California's school funding formula provide the same base funding per student for all grade levels?

Lesson 8.6

Non-LCFF

On average, it costs more to educate a special ed student. How much more?

Lesson 8.7

Allocations

The state budget for education must be passed by June 30.

By when must school districts set their budgets?

Lesson 8.8

Effectiveness

California has about 1,000 school districts.

How many were taken over by the state in the Great Recession?

Lesson 8.9

Other Funding

How much money does a typical school raise through donations?

Lesson 8.10

Parcel Taxes

Parcel taxes are hard to pass.

About what fraction of students attend a school supported by a parcel tax?

Lesson 8.11

Volunteers

Do parents tend to volunteer more at higher-wealth schools or at lower-wealth schools?

Chapter 9

Success

​

Lesson 9.1

Measures of Success

Grades. Test scores. �Teacher comments:

Which indicator of a student's academic success should parents trust to be most objective?

Lesson 9.2

Academic Milestones

On average, graduation rates have risen.

Have they been rising for all groups?

Lesson 9.3

Standardized Tests

Which better predicts a student's success in college:

High school grades, or SAT/ACT scores?

Lesson 9.4

College-ready

Based on test scores, about what fraction of high school graduates are college-ready?

Lesson 9.5

Data Systems

Does the state automatically collect data from reports like the LCAP, SARC and SPSA?

Lesson 9.6

Achievement Gaps

Over the long term, are student test scores rising, falling, or staying about the same?

Lesson 9.7

Measuring Schools

Can schools with the same test scores have different "performance" on the Dashboard?

Lesson 9.8

After High School

What is the biggest part of California's college system:

UC, CSU, or the community colleges?

Lesson 9.9

Paying for College

Are California's colleges more expensive than those in other states, or less expensive?

Chapter 10

So Now What?

​

Lesson 10.1

What if we "blew up" the education system?

About what % of the US population is currently enrolled in school?

Lesson 10.2

Go Big

If communities have plenty of money, how do they spend it on their schools?

Lesson 10.3

Go Lean

As a percentage of all economic activity, has education grown since 1970 or decreased?

Lesson 10.4

Change

In good economic times, does systemic change tend to be easier or harder?

Lesson 10.5

Keep Learning

What free website is the news source of record for California education?

How much does Ed100 cost?

That's easy: it's FREE

Free? How can�Ed100.org be free?

Who supports it?

• It's volunteer-powered. �(Want to help?)
• Thanks to our Funders:

​

How can I encourage people in my school to read Ed100?

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• Each Lesson takes about five minutes.
• Self-paced.
• On computer, �tablet, �or phone.
• One quiz question�per lesson

5

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​

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State PTA Leaders�

"Ed100 is a guide no parent should be without. It's an opportunity to understand education in California and a parent's role, which we know is crucial to a student's success."

Shereen Walter�President, �California State PTA

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