blog post Reading the Tea Leaves on the Governor’s Recall By Mark Baldassare Apr 28, 2021 Views on Governor Newsom’s handling of K–12 education and the state’s economy—critical policy areas during the pandemic—could determine the fate of the recall effort.
blog post California Sees Steep Decline in Financial Aid Applications By Kevin Cook Mar 12, 2021 Far fewer California high school seniors completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) this year, reducing the number who may receive funding that helps provide access to higher education.
blog post How Did California Schools Assess Student Learning in Fall 2020? By Niu Gao, Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune Mar 10, 2021 K–12 school districts used a variety of tools this past fall to measure student learning, with assessments developed locally—by teachers or districts—being the most common.
blog post Video: Reopening California’s Schools By Mary Severance Mar 9, 2021 An expert panel discusses reopening K–12 schools across the state for in-person instruction amid concerns about equity, learning loss, and physical and mental health.
blog post Pandemic or Not, Teen Mental Health Is Fragile By Paulette Cha Mar 4, 2021 Teen mental health in California had been declining prior to COVID-19. Stressors from the pandemic may be making things worse.
blog post How Many Districts Have Been Providing In-person Instruction? By Laura Hill, Niu Gao, Julien Lafortune Feb 18, 2021 More than half of California districts are open for some in-person instruction amid the pandemic, but there are notable disparities by race/ethnicity and income.
blog post Newsom’s Budget Advances Long-Overdue Education Data System By Jacob Jackson Jan 29, 2021 The governor’s proposed state budget includes $18.8 million in funds to move forward with a “cradle to career” data system that would provide valuable information for educators, policymakers, students, and parents.
blog post Are Students Spending Enough Time on School during the Pandemic? By Niu Gao, Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune Jan 26, 2021 Most K–12 students in California are spending less time on educational activities during the pandemic, with significant racial and socioeconomic disparities.
blog post Commentary: An Equitable Recovery for California Requires Two Key Strategies By Sarah Bohn, Dean Bonner, Vicki Hsieh Jan 25, 2021 The current economic downturn has had an outsized impact on low-wage workers, communities of color, and women, and threatens to widen inequality. The right short- and long-term policies could help those most affected while broadening economic opportunity.
blog post Testimony: A New Era of Student Access at California’s Community Colleges By Olga Rodriguez Jan 19, 2021 In testimony for the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, PPIC’s Olga Rodriguez presents research showing that expanded access to transfer-level English and math courses improves student outcomes and narrows—but does not erase—racial inequities.