Why Funding California Schools Is Crucial to the State's COVID-19 Recovery

Guest Heather Hough, executive director of Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), joins us to highlight research and perspectives related to the fundamental importance of public education, school funding levels and policies, and proactive approaches that should be on the table as California plans its recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

Heather emphasizes that significant investment in California education must be a priority. "Schools are essential to the economy thriving."

We're looking at a situation in which our students are going to need even more support than they got before in order to thrive when they re-enter schools, she says. "So now is really the time to invest in education as a way both of raising up what that level was before, but also supporting students, supporting families and over the medium-term supporting the economy."

Even before the pandemic, research shows school districts were already underfunded and in a financially delicate place. "What's happening now with COVID-19 might be the straw that breaks the camel's back, if we're not really proactive in helping to solve it."

We also discuss inequities the COVID-19 crisis has made even more apparent -- and opportunities the recovery may present to address those inequities in a more assertive way. Heather shares recent polling data that demonstrates voters are highly supportive of efforts to close racial achievement gaps.

And, Heather highlights the imperative for us to better understand student needs once schools do re-open, especially since state assessments and California School Dashboard data have been suspended for the year.

Resources

About Heather

Prior to her current role at PACE, Heather led the partnership between PACE and the CORE Districts. Her recent work has focused on using research to strengthen state structures supporting continuous improvement and advance policies that support the whole child. Dr. Hough has worked in a variety of capacities to support policy and practice in education, including as an Improvement Advisor at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and a researcher at the Public Policy Institute of California, the Center for Education Policy Analysis at Stanford University, and the Center for Education Policy at SRI International. Dr. Hough holds a PhD in Education Policy and a BA in Public Policy from Stanford.

PACE is an independent, nonpartisan research partnership among five CA higher education institutions that seeks to make research accessible and bring evidence to bear on the most critical issues facing our state.

About CASBO: The California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders.

Your guide:  Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at [email protected]