TK-12 Policy & Research

If we want California to be a land of opportunity for all — regardless of race, class, or region — we have to start with an education system that prepares every student for success in college, career, and life. Yet, according to the state’s own data, fewer than half of California students graduate high school fully ready for what comes next, with Black and Latinx students and English learners even less likely to have access to an adequate education.

Recent reforms to the public education system in California have aimed to increase equity in school funding, improve curriculum standards to increase rigor, and help better prepare students to enter the workforce or pursue higher education after high school graduation. But equity gaps persist in California’s public education system that disproportionately affect students from low-income communities and underserved communities of color, as well as Dual and English language learners. And while graduation rates have increased, some student populations remain severely disadvantaged.

At EdTrust-West, our work centers on identifying disparities within the K-12 education system, developing research-based policy and practice proposals to address these disparities, and advocating for evidence-based and innovative approaches and solutions. We’re committed to promoting equitable funding, improving educational standards and cultural relevance, strengthening supports for multilingual learners, and ensuring more students from marginalized communities are graduating from high school ready to enter the workforce or pursue higher education.

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