Riverside school trustees hear grim budget report

[ilbegone]

Comparing California with other states has some inherent difficulties.

Comparing California with other states has some inherent difficulties. The data are not always consistent from one state to another. Differences can occur in what numbers are collected, how they are collected, and variations in their interpretations and reporting. States are dramatically different in size, ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics, cost of living, and in how they set policy, fund public education, and govern their schools. Teachers’ salaries can reflect the changing characteristics of the workforce over time, particularly the addition of new teachers. In addition, averages and aggregates, while often illuminating, can mask variations that are informative and important to the accuracy of the picture they paint.

Still, in the absence of a robust data system capable of tracking inputs and outputs, comparison data offer valuable information to California’s citizens: California schools are attempting to educate the most diverse and challenging school population in the country and doing it with substantially fewer human resources than almost any other state. The state has the most students, a diverse group of students, more English learners than any other state, and substantial numbers of students from low-income backgrounds. It will also soon again face increasing enrollment. At the same time, the state has fewer school staff per pupil than all other states and spends less than the national average per pupil.