Framing
Education is essential for all Californians to be able to fruitfully engage with their communities and create a thriving society. Quality education also provides people with the skills necessary to participate in the workplace and be involved in the democratic process. California holds one of the worst literacy rates in the United States, ranking 49th out of all states in 2020. In addition, pursuing higher education in the United States often requires taking on significant debt. This places a financial burden on millions of Californians who pursue further studies. The steep cost of education is a factor in people delaying other life goals such as marriage, starting families, and home ownership. California uses a combination of federal, state, and institutional funding schemes to lower tuition costs. However, high non-tuition costs, such as housing, can deter attendance, increase inequities, and lead to significant financial burden on students who do pursue higher education. 3.8 million Californians still owe a combined total of over $142 billion in student loan debt. Overall, California experiences a significant shortfall in providing Californians with a sufficient level of education.
Policy spotlight
* Approved in 2023, California Senate Bill 114 introduced Education Code Section 53008, which outlines new requirements for assessing students from kindergarten to grade two for reading difficulties. Intervention in early education helps provide a solid educational foundation for students, increasing engagement and morale while reducing behavioral problems. * California Senate Bill 153, Section 113 allows one-time funds totaling $25 million for administering assessment screenings for reading difficulties. * California Assembly Bill 1454 advances evidence-based literacy instruction in the state's schools. * The 2020 California Assembly Bill 376 expands the rights of student loan borrowers by prohibiting loan service providers from providing inaccurate information or taking advantage of borrowers.
Justice lens
* Race and ethnicity are crucial to consider in the context of education in California. Black students are more likely to be suspended or expelled from schools, leading to greater interaction with law enforcement and perpetuating the school-to-prison pipeline. Black and Pacific Islander students are also most likely to graduate college with student loan debt. * Native and Indigenous students face additional disparities, with the highest levels of absenteeism among racial and ethnic groups and high rates of students in the foster care system or with a disability. It is important to consider the painful history of boarding schools that functioned to assimilate Native and Indigenous students into the broader US culture. There is mixed progress in overcoming disparities in education access, but further changes must be made in close collaboration with tribal communities. * Students who are English language learners lag behind their peers in displaying grade-level proficiency and literacy rates. English learners need access to high-quality language learning services and culturally affirming multilingual opportunities to improve outcomes. * Students with disabilities face disproportionate issues in accessing education when compared to other students. This is due in part to a shortage in the number of special education teachers active in the state.
Source & citation
Content on this page draws from The California Doughnut Snapshot and Report, used under CC-BY 4.0.
Aritza, A. and Kraus-Polk, J. et al. (2025). The California Doughnut Snapshot and Report. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17540639