event Reopening K–12 Schools: A Conversation with Linda Darling-Hammond Aug 10, 2021 As fall approaches, California’s public schools continue to grapple with a myriad of challenges. What does reopening look like, and how do educators address issues such as declining enrollment, learning loss, and the health and safety of students and staff?
blog post The Digital Divide Has Narrowed but Still Affects California’s Children By Paulette Cha, Niu Gao Aug 10, 2021 California has made progress over the past year, but many children—particularly those in low-income families—still lag behind their peers in technology access.
blog post Digging into Enrollment Drops at California Public Schools By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty May 14, 2021 Statewide, public K–12 enrollment declined nearly 3%—or over 160,000 students—in 2020–21, with kindergarten numbers falling the most.
blog post A Year into Distance Learning, California’s Digital Divide Persists By Niu Gao, Julien Lafortune, Laura Hill May 13, 2021 Although more K–12 students now have access to computer devices compared to last spring, disparities in internet access generally have not narrowed in the past year.
blog post Video: Californians and Education By Vicki Hsieh May 7, 2021 PPIC’s Rachel Lawler and Mark Baldassare discuss new survey findings about Californians’ views on student learning during the pandemic, Governor Newsom’s handling of K–12 education, and other topics.
blog post Seven in Ten Californians Support State-Funded Preschool By Deja Thomas May 6, 2021 With most Californians saying preschool education is important but expensive, a strong majority believe the state government should fund voluntary preschool programs for all four-year olds.
event Statewide Survey: Californians and Education Apr 29, 2021 PPIC’s annual statewide survey on Californians and education examines views on school reopenings and student learning during the pandemic, as well as overall perceptions of school quality and diversity. It also tracks opinions on public school funding, private schools, preschool, and career education.
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.
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 Distance Learning Strategies in California Schools By Niu Gao, Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune Apr 14, 2021 Learning gaps are a growing concern after a year of online instruction. During the pandemic, uneven distribution of resources may have widened gaps and led to learning loss for some students. Our survey outlines how California school districts addressed remote learning and their strategies to improve instruction in the 2020–21 school year.
