Susanna Loeb opened the Getting Down to Facts III: A Comprehensive Review of California’s PreK-12 System conference with a keynote on one of California education’s central challenges: building a more coherent system that consistently supports student success across the state.
Drawing on findings from 55 research reports and the work of 112 researchers, the keynote highlighted both California’s major progress and the need to better align governance, accountability, and capacity across the education system.
Key takeaways:
- California has made major investments in TK, Universal Meals, Community Schools, and teacher development.
- Progress remains uneven, often depending on local leadership and capacity.
- Three major challenges emerged across the research: accountability and alignment, balancing state guidance with local control, and building system capacity.
- The research points toward reducing administrative burden, strengthening accountability systems, and supporting thoughtful innovation, including AI.
A powerful opening to an important statewide conversation about the future of education in California.
