TK-12 Education Policy

TK-12 Education Policy program

For impactful learning, this program pairs a flexibly paced e-learning course on the fundamentals of California’s TK-12 policy framework with complementary in-person convenings.

The Road Ahead

Independent Study

Course participants will have access to an online course consisting of five learning sections using the LearnDash Learning Management System (LMS).

In preparation for each sections’ corresponding in-person convenings participants will have the flexibility to determine when they access the course content using the LMS.

The course sections are intended to build foundational California TK-12 policy knowledge and support related skill development.

The five sections in the pilot year include:

Delve into the diversity of California’s student population, demographic trends, and student outcomes, including emerging information on the impact of the pandemic – and the implications of these data for understanding and planning effective policy.

Learning Objectives for this Section

To develop:

  • A clear understanding of California’s historic, current, and future child demographic trends, as well as what the implications are for public education and California’s economy, society, and democracy
  • An understanding of student outcomes in California, including variation across subgroups, and in comparison to students’ outcomes in other states
  • The ability to identify and use related tools and resources to learn more and apply this knowledge and skill set to achieve your legislative objectives

Learn how the State has approached its role and responsibilities regarding public education over time, including setting expectations for the education students receive and allocating authority to support meeting those expectations.

Learning Objectives for this Section

To develop:

  • An emerging understanding of the federal and state laws, court decisions, and California initiatives that have influenced local school policy and practices over time.
  • An ability to leverage your understanding of the historic and current federal, State, and local relationships in education into effective State policymaking.
  • Further knowledge of the critical skills necessary for effectively staffing a TK-12 bill to maximize the likelihood of success, including developing key materials, communicating with committee staff, and understanding and meeting applicable deadlines.

Discover more about how public schools are financed and some of the driving factors that have led to the overall amount invested and how it is distributed among local education agencies – and within them.

Learning Objectives for this Section

To develop:

  •  An understanding of the mechanisms that drive Proposition 98 and local education agency funding levels
  • A working knowledge of how the Local Control Funding Formula is calculated and the distributional impact of the formula
  • Awareness of additional ways the State distributes funding to schools, including special education funding
  • An ability to leverage your understanding of these funding dynamics as you pursue legislation and budget requests

Investigate the State’s role in teaching and learning, including the connection between content standards, curriculum frameworks, assessment, teacher credentialing, and training.

Learning Objectives for this Section

To develop:

  • An understanding of California’s State adopted academic content standards for what students should know and be able to do at each grade level
  • Awareness of the connection between state standards and curriculum frameworks, assessment systems and teacher credentialing standards and teacher training
  • Working knowledge of educator supply, demand, and distribution throughout the state
  • An ability to determine and articulate the balance between the State and local roles and responsibilities with respect to teaching and learning via effective State policymaking

Explore the multiple mechanisms the State uses to promote accountability, including those that shape inputs, processes, and desired outcomes.

Learning Objectives for this Section

To develop:

  • An understanding of the different policy levers the State uses for accountability purposes, including funding allocation requirements via grants or State mandates, process requirements, and outcome-based accountability requirements
  • A working knowledge of the State adopted Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) template and the California School Dashboard
  • The ability to apply this knowledge of State accountability levers via effective State policymaking

Social Events

These convenings will provide an opportunity to meet with other cohort participants and senior staff in the Legislature to build relationships and further explore the concepts and issues introduced in the course curriculum. These events are organized to support relationship building and open lines of inquiry.

Engagement with Experts

Interactive, inquiry-based activities and meetings with leading experts in the field, including fellow policy staff, researchers, practitioners and community stakeholders will create space to examine relevant data and practice in concert with policy expertise and the communities most affected by the policy decisions being made.

Participant Eligibility

Who is Eligible to Participate?

Legislative Staff

Legislative staff working in the Capitol, particularly those who staff members on education policy.

Passionate About TK-12 Education Policy

Staff passionate about shaping Transitional Kindergarten-through-12th-grade education policy for future generations in California.

Willing to provide Feedback

Participant feedback at the section’s conclusion will shape the future of the California Policy Collaborative and future interactive policy learning cohorts.

Can Participate 2 days a month for 5 months

Those who can devote some time 2 days a month for 5 months during the legislative recess (between September 2022 – January 2023), with a culminating event early in 2023.

Program Schedule

September 2022 to January 2023

This course was structured with the busy schedule of legislative staff in mind! The scheduled pilot will respect the legislative calendar and be structured around autumn and winter cohort meetings.

Participants will be required to dedicate some time 2 days each month during the 5-month program–each month will include:

½ Day

Independent Study

½ Day

Social Events with 
Peers and Colleagues

1 Day

Engage with Experts

Evaluation & Feedback

The experience of members of the inaugural CPC cohort will shape the future of the California Policy Collaborative and future interactive policy learning cohorts.

Participants will provide candid feedback in post-convening surveys and one focus group to help strengthen the approach in 2022-23 and beyond. Supported by a pilot reflection and evaluation process, this approach allows the program to deliver immediate value for legislative staff during the pilot process while creating an opportunity to assess and improve its overall design and implementation.

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