California’s education system is at a pivotal moment, facing challenges such as teacher shortages and rising class sizes. Meanwhile, education outcomes are heavily impacted by external factors such as socioeconomic standing, health disparities, and discrimination.
At Pacific Oaks College, we’re committed to addressing these issues head-on, equipping future educators with the tools and experience they need to make a lasting impact. Through our hands-on training, inclusive pedagogy, and deep community connections, we are not just preparing teachers; we are shaping the future of education in California.
Learn more about factors impacting education outcomes—and how Pacific Oaks College is helping to address these disparities.
Understanding the Education Achievement Gap in California
Disparities in our education system result in achievement gaps. Achievement gaps occur when a group of students (distinguished by race, ethnicity, or gender) have significantly lower academic outcomes than their counterparts. This gap includes test scores, graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment.
This is particularly significant for California, which experiences a high level of achievement gaps. Just a few examples follow.
School Funding and Its Role in Educational Equity
District funding plays a critical role in determining the availability of qualified teachers and other essential resources.
- When schools have adequate financial support, they can offer competitive salaries to attract and retain experienced teachers.
- Well-funded districts can also invest in updated technology, learning materials, extracurricular programs, and smaller class sizes, all of which contribute to a higher-quality education.
- In contrast, districts with limited funding often struggle to fill teaching positions, especially in specialized subjects, and may lack the resources necessary to create an enriching learning environment, widening the educational inequities.
For example, the more affluent Newport-Mesa Unified School District received 84.7% of its funding from the locals while Sacramento County receives only 43.6% of funding from the local community, causing them to rely heavily on federal and state funding.
Pacific Oaks works to address this disparity directly at the source. We have partnered with the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) to provide much-needed support in the classroom, assigning education students to Sacramento schools for their clinical hours. The result is a win-win: teachers receive relief while students gain hands-on classroom experience, preparing them for their future careers.
Marsha Swindler, Ph.D., Special Education lead faculty, says, “With flexible on-ground and online programs available, students are provided the opportunity to grow, strengthen, and advance to align with the awareness goals of the college.”
During the last accreditation cycle, the state of California has recognized the Education Specialist and Elementary Education programs at Pacific Oaks as an exceptional model in teacher preparation.
Socioeconomic Barriers to Student Success
Poverty has far-reaching consequences on students and their communities, affecting academic performance, social development, and long-term opportunities. Students from low-income families often face barriers to learning, such as inadequate access to necessities such as nutritious food, health care, and stable housing.
All of these barriers can lead to chronic absenteeism and difficulty concentrating in class. These students may also experience higher levels of stress and trauma, impeding their emotional development and behavior.
Over time, these challenges can contribute to lower graduation rates and diminished career prospects, perpetuating cycles of poverty and limiting social mobility. The ripple effect of students’ socioeconomic status extends beyond the classroom, as communities with a high concentration of impoverished students may struggle with fewer economic opportunities, higher crime rates, and reduced public services, reinforcing systemic inequities.
Pacific Oaks works to address this inequity both in and out of the classroom. Student residents and adjunct professors work within the school systems making a difference today by supporting the next generation of learners. We also encourage the discussion and action of solutions for educational disparities within the classroom.
“Through rich and engaging collaborative meetings in the 1:1 Course Buddy requirement, teacher candidates share how they support their community by incorporating course learnings,” Dr. Swindler explains. “They then continue the cycle of making a difference by creating continuing education programs for parents and families in their communities.”
Community Schools: A ‘Whole Child’ Approach to Education in California
In February 2023, the state of California invested $4.1 billion to make one out of every three schools a community school. Community schools are public schools that focus on the “whole child” agenda, providing students and their families with counseling, nutrition programs, tutoring, transportation, health care services, and other social assistance.
First Partner of California Jennifer Siebel Newsom says, “These schools take a holistic approach to education by offering students and families a variety of services that meet the needs of the community, such as free meals twice a day, physical health screenings and mental health counseling, free before, after, and summer school programs, transitional kindergarten, and more.”
Research shows that community schools can result in better education outcomes such as attendance, improved grades and test scores, and behavior.
“Children learn best when they are healthy, happy, and deeply engaged in learning,” says Linda Darling-Hammond, Ed.D., California State Board of Education president. “And schools operate at their best when families are connected and empowered to work toward common goals.” Dr. Darling-Hammond emphasizes the need to continue prioritizing family partnerships, equity, and a “whole child” approach to public education.
Pacific Oaks College strongly embraces holistic learning, even at the college level. Our Student Success Center, for example, provides free current student and alumni support as a lending library for textbooks, loan of laptop computers, tutoring services, and English as a second language (ESL) support.
Bridging the Belief Gap: Empowering Students at Pacific Oaks College
Though it is the largest allocation of money for education in the state, is the $4.1 billion enough?
Californians for Justice—a statewide youth organization advocating on behalf of marginalized communities—is hesitant. They claim schools cannot address the achievement gap without also addressing the belief gap.
The belief gap refers to the disparity between the expectations and beliefs that educators, parents, and society hold about the potential and capabilities of different groups of students, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. This gap can manifest in several ways, often leading to significant impacts on students’ educational experiences and outcomes. It is heavily influenced by societal expectations, racial/gender bias, and socioeconomic status. These biases may be unconscious, but they can have a significant impact on a student’s self-image, images, and consequently their outcomes.
Pacific Oaks College cultivates an environment where students learn the importance of democratic classrooms. A democratic classroom is a space where a student’s capability is recognized through humanization, personalization, and socialization. Having experienced this environment firsthand, graduates carry that lesson with them into their own classrooms, respecting the lived experience of others and improving the perception of education overall.
Dr. Swindler says, “There are intrinsic rewards in the fields of teaching that surround us every day. At Pacific Oaks College we guide our students to reach out as transformational leaders to give back to the communities and to fill the gaps where better leaders are needed. A Pacific Oaks College graduate recognizes how to make the world a better place, and then goes out to find and build the teams to achieve success!”
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