PACE

PACE is hiring! We’re seeking a dynamic, strategic, and collaborative research associate to support district partnerships while advancing education policy and systems change in PK–12 education across California. Learn more and apply today! edpolicyinca.org/careers/educat… @StanfordEd

More than 30 percent of California’s approximately 30,000 school-aged youth in foster care regularly experience some of the highest rates of chronic absence and exclusionary discipline. A new brief from @edpolicyinca details how changes in foster youth classification status impacted attendance and discipline rates in four of California’s CORE school districts — a group of several of the state’s larger school districts that test improvement theories at the school and district levels to provide the infrastructure for multi-district collaborations. Read more insights: blog.csba.org/foster-youth-t…

Join us for a Civic Engagement Festival from 4:00 to 5:30pm, followed by the youth-led gubernatorial forum from 5:30 to 7:00pm. The event is free and open to the public; or catch the livestream on @cmactv. RSVP today to attend! zeffy.com/en-US/ticketin… (3/3)

CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will participate as candidates—joining young leaders and community members from across the state for a dynamic evening of civic engagement, designed and led by young people. (2/3)

(4) This elevated disciplinary risk is consistent across subgroups (gender, race/ethnicity, grade level), indicating that it is not linked to any demographic but rather is broadly shared by all students in foster care. (5/5)

(3) Overall, youth in foster care face increased rates of out-of-school suspension; this elevated disciplinary risk is highest when students enter foster care. (4/5)

A new PACE policy brief by Kevin A. Gee, S. Colby Woods, and Michael A. Gottfried examines the effects of transitioning into and out of foster care on students’ school absences and the discipline they received in 4 California school districts. edpolicyinca.org/publications/h… (1/5)

Policy recommendations: eliminate the basic skills criterion, reform accountability systems, and reduce districts’ administrative burden by providing clearer guidance and streamlining data systems. (5/5)

Study districts aligned leader mindsets, streamlined processes, and broadened pathways to reclassification, leading to increased reclassification rates and reduced disparities. (4/5)

New report from PACE by Diana Mercado-Garcia, Amy Gerstein, Laurel Sipes, Sebastian Castrechini, and Guillermo Solano-Flores examines how California’s complex reclassification system creates barriers for students exiting English learner status. edpolicyinca.org/publications/c… (1/5)

Early lessons identified in the case study for improving intersegmental partnerships include: (1) allow time for planning and support, (2) remain flexible to unexpected changes, (3) and build relationships through in-person meetings. (3/3)

The authors examine UC Davis’s activities as a Collaborative partner through the lens of a collective impact framework to identify support for aligning regional goals, sharing data, coordinating activities, building relationships, and maintaining the partnership. (2/3)

New PACE brief by Alexandria Hurtt, Sherrie Reed, and Casey Duyan presents a case study of @ucdavis’s role as a Regional K–16 Education Collaborative partner in three California regions, considering critical components of intersegmental partnerships. edpolicyinca.org/publications/k… (1/3)

PACE Faculty Director Michal Kurlaender on expanding access and support to increase students completing A–G courses required for UC/CSU admission: “A certain bar of reading, writing and mathematical ability is good no matter what career field you go into.” sfchronicle.com/college-admiss…

PACE's Alix Gallagher: “You could launch a very high quality study at a tiny percentage of total funding for CA's TK program, that would help people figure out what we are actually offering our families, and how to improve it—that seems really important.” laist.com/news/education…

While the numbers continue to move in the right direction overall, the slower rate of progress in 2024–25 reveals the need for a still more intentional data-informed approach to addressing barriers that keep students from showing up to class. (10/10)

8. While chronic absence is a major challenge across the state, bright spots can be found in every type of locale in California. (9/10)

NEW PACE infographic by Hedy Chang of @attendanceworks and Belen Chavez at PACE examines trends in CA chronic absence through 2024–25. Eight key facts are a call to action for sustained and increased attention to student attendance and engagement. edpolicyinca.org/publications/u… (1/10)