Designing a School Finance System to Support Student Learning Lawrence O. Picus USC Rossier School of Education Testimony before the California Assembly Education Committee May 13, 2009

Lawrence O. Picus Our Approach To School Funding Doubling student performance in five years Without doubling costs

Lawrence O. Picus Evidence-Based Approach Not just a funding model Core academics Electives including art and music Teacher professional Development All aspects of schools Resources to produce large improvements in student learning

Lawrence O. Picus

What We Do We link state policy with what works in schools We know what works from studying schools/districts that have doubled performance, reviewing existing research on individual programs, assessing the most effective use of resources in schools, and turning that into a school funding model

Lawrence O. Picus States that have used the EB Model to Align Resources with Student Learning Arkansas Wyoming North Dakota Pending in: Ohio Washington Wisconsin

Lawrence O. Picus What Does the Evidence-Based Model Cost? Compared to current expenditures Model costs are 2-9 percent above national average Exceeds current costs in low spending states Less than current costs in high spending states In California this could be as much as $17 billion

Lawrence O. Picus So What Do We Do? Determine what a California education system “should” be Estimate the resource needs and cost of that system Establish priorities for initial investment Strategies for struggling students Professional development

Lawrence O. Picus How Do We Do That? Based on our experience in other states Reform must come from a Legislative Committee Process includes the professional judgment of members of the education community Establish priorities and the will to pay for the services needed If the will to spend all that is needed for the system we desire does not exist, we must make clear, research based decisions about our priorities

Lawrence O. Picus Contact Information Lawrence O. Picus, Professor USC Rossier School of Education Division of Administration and Policy WPH 904C University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Voice or