Belief Statement

EdSource believes that access to a quality education is an important right of all children. We further believe that an informed, involved public is necessary to strengthen California’s schools for the benefit of the state’s children as well as the civic and economic quality of life in California.

Mission

Independent and impartial, EdSource strives to advance the common good by developing and widely distributing trustworthy, useful information that clarifies complex K–14 issues and promotes thoughtful decisions about California’s public education system.

EdSource History

EdSource is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to clarify complex education issues and to promote thoughtful policy decisions about public school improvement. For more than three decades, we have developed a solid reputation as a credible and respected source of K–12 education information, research, analysis, and data. The expertise of EdSource’s small staff of policy analysts, researchers, writers, and communication and outreach specialists is strengthened by a top-notch, diverse, statewide board of 18 directors.

EdSource was originally established in 1977 by three well-known and respected community service organizations: the California State Parent Teacher Association, the League of Women Voters of California, and the American Association of University Women—California chapter. Initially, the agency was called the California Coalition for Fair School Finance, because the goal was to establish a neutral, balanced, reliable source of information to explain California’s controversial court decision on school funding known as Serrano v. Priest. This high-profile decision addressed funding equalization issues and affected all the state’s school districts.

Since that time, EdSource has kept a unique, core competency in reporting on California school finance, while also broadening the education policy and school reform topics it researches. We have also widened our audiences to include policymakers, researchers, K–12 and college educators, education media, and parent and community leaders. 

Our Program and Deliverables

• A wide range of publications, including an average of six original full-length single-topic reports each year on California’s most important public education policy issues.
• An annual Information Service subscription to those publications, with various levels of service.
• An annual Forum on California Education Policy open to the public and held each spring as a single daylong statewide event. 
• The Education Data Partnership web site.
• Collaborating selectively with individuals and other impartial research and policy organizations on original research, publications, or convenings related to important K–14 education issues.
• Periodic presentations at statewide or national meetings; serving as a neutral convener of advisory or policy groups.
• Email bulletins about new publications, upcoming events, or important information.
• A free hard-copy newsletter mailed three times a year for anyone who wants to be on the general mailing list.