Policy Brief Policy Brief: Achieving Digital Equity for California’s Students By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Vicki Hsieh Oct 25, 2021 Unprecedented investments during the pandemic led to great strides in digital access for California’s students. But progress stalled in spring 2021 and major equity gaps remain for low-income, Black, and Latino households. Learn what steps the state can take to achieve the goal of affordable broadband and devices for all.
Report Achieving Digital Equity for California’s Students By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao Oct 25, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of digital connectivity for learning—while highlighting serious inequities in access to broadband and computing devices. Learn about the progress California made last year and the steps the state can take to achieve the goal of affordable broadband and devices for all California students.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Dual Enrollment in California By Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao, Mary Severance Oct 18, 2021 Key takeaways from a report on promoting the equitable expansion of dual enrollment, which provides opportunities for high school students to take college courses and earn college credit.
Report Dual Enrollment in California By Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao Oct 18, 2021 Dual enrollment provides opportunities for high school students to take college courses and earn college credit. The pandemic has fueled a nationwide surge in participation, and equity-centered legislation has raised dual enrollment’s profile in California. As dual enrollment expands, state leaders can take steps to promote equitable access and outcomes.
Report Targeted K–12 Funding and Student Outcomes By Julien Lafortune Oct 6, 2021 As students return to the classroom, record-high funding through the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) will help California districts address gaps after a year of remote learning. In this report, we examine school and district spending against trends in student outcomes to offer insight into whether the LCFF is meeting its goal of improving equity in education.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Targeted K–12 Funding and Student Outcomes By Julien Lafortune, Stephanie Barton Oct 6, 2021 Under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), more money now reaches high-need districts, and these districts spend most of that money on schools with greater need. Students are seeing some benefits from the LCFF, as seen in higher test scores, though disparities by student income, race, and language status remain large.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Apr 28, 2021 Key findings from the current survey include: More than eight in ten Californians think K–12 students are falling behind academically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most Californians approve of Governor Newsom’s handling of the K–12 education system; most also approve of the way he is handling school reopening. Most say that the state’s public schools should be at least partially open now, and six in ten are concerned that schools will not be open for full-time in-person instruction this fall. Majorities say their local public schools do an excellent or good job of preparing students for college and for the workforce, but four in ten parents would opt for private school if cost and location were not at issue.
Report Building California’s Cradle-to-Career Data System By Jacob Jackson Apr 7, 2021 A yearlong collaboration among educational institutions, state agencies, advocates, and researchers has led to a plan for a statewide system that connects K–12, higher education, workforce, and social services data. This report outlines how this shared knowledge base can benefit California—and key considerations for ensuring the system’s long-term success.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Mar 30, 2021 Key findings from the current survey include: As approval of Governor Newsom holds steady, four in ten likely voters would vote to remove the governor in a recall election. Overwhelming majorities support the $7.6 billion COVID-19 relief package signed by Governor Newsom as well as the $1.9 trillion federal relief package. Most Democrats, independents, and Republicans support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Ninety percent of Californians say housing affordability is a problem in their part of the state, and some residents are seriously considering moving.
Report Does Raising High School Graduation Requirements Improve Student Outcomes? By Niu Gao Feb 23, 2021 The shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis exacerbated inequities in California’s K–12 system, adding urgency to an ongoing discussion about the role of high school graduation policy in improving student outcomes. This report shows that more-rigorous graduation requirements can have a positive and equitable impact on college readiness.
