San Francisco State Enrollment Plummets 22% — A Warning Sign for California’s Failing Policies San Francisco’s economic “doom loop” continues to deepen — and now it’s reaching higher education. Over the last five years, San Francisco State University (SFSU) has lost 22% of its student enrollment, falling to just under 20,700 students for Fall 2025, according to official California State University data. Meanwhile, just 50 miles away, San Jose State University (SJSU) is booming. With nearly 40,000 students enrolled — an 8% increase from the prior year — SJSU has hit record highs and become one of the system’s most vibrant campuses. A Tale of Two Cities — and Two Policies The difference between these two schools mirrors the broader divide between San Francisco and the rest of California. Once a symbol of innovation and culture, San Francisco is now defined by high taxes, out-of-control costs, and public disorder. Families, businesses, and now students…

Stephen Frank From a comment to this article found in the comment section of this Fleischman article: “These state governments spend per resident: $7,615 CA       $5,161 TX        $5,043 FL So, CA govt spend 52% more per resident than FL and 48% more than Texas. CA roads, schools, and infrastructure are not superior to the other states, demonstrating that when it comes to government, you don’t get what you pay for.” Texas and Florida have massive surpluses and are cutting taxes.  California, per the LAO, is going to have deficits of $20-30 billion a year for many years in the future.  When the Feds cut funding for the State, cities, school districts and counties for violations of Federal laws, approximately $40 billion will be lost.  You are watching in real time the collapse of a once great State. Issue Toolbox: California’s Tax Burden Compared to Florida and Texas Golden State’s High Taxes Dwarf Texas and Florida,…

As you know the teachers’ unions and the education blob are ferociously fighting back against school choice. They say choice schools don’t improve education performance or test scores, they hurt public schools, and hurt minorities. (That last one is laughable since minority families are almost always first in line for vouchers or scholarships or ESAs.) Anyway, we thought this would be a good time to set the record straight. We consulted with our friends at EducationChoice and they have summarized the results from scores of studies on the real-world impact of vouchers, charter schools, ESAs, and scholarship programs.  As you can see, with a few exceptions the results are mostly positive. We were struck by the fact that six of the seven studies examining the impact of racial integration found that schools are LESS segregated by race with school choice. School choice also has well over 90% parental satisfaction. We’d say that parents are the…

The Unifying Power of Ballot Initiatives in a Free Society In the complex and often contentious landscape of American politics, one democratic tool consistently transcends party lines, garners broad support, and translates grassroots energy into tangible policy changes: ballot initiatives. These initiatives empower citizens to propose and vote directly on specific laws, bypassing the traditional legislative process dominated by partisan politics. This mechanism not only amplifies the voice of the people but also demonstrates the potential of collective action to create policies that improve lives across the political spectrum. Transcending Party Lines Ballot initiatives frequently receive higher vote percentages than individual political candidates, a testament to their broad appeal. While candidates often represent specific parties and platforms, ballot initiatives focus on single issues, allowing voters to make decisions based on their personal convictions rather than party allegiance. This focus on issues over ideology enables initiatives to attract support from…