California student academic achievement report

Recent performance trends in California’s education system
Imazeki shows that California students have generally held steady or improved their academic performance across grades and subject areas in recent years, in spite of growing financial and demographic challenges in the state’s schools. Per pupil spending in California is well below the national average, and the ratio of adults to children in the system is lower than in almost any other state. A majority of California’s students are poor, and nearly one quarter are English learners. Despite these challenges, scores on state and national assessments have been rising, not only on average but for poor and minority students as well.
Imazeki, J. (2008). Meeting the Challenge: Performance Trends in California Schools. Berkeley, CA: PACE.
http://pace.berkeley.edu/pace_publications.html#pb0801