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Report

The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education

By Niu Gao, Kathy DiRanna, Maria T. Chang Fay

COVID-19 school shutdowns were especially disruptive for science education, which has long been a lower priority than math and English language arts. But as California schools recover from the pandemic, state policymakers can take steps to promote equitable investments in science literacy.

Fact Sheet

The Digital Divide in Education

By Darriya Starr, Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao

The pandemic spurred efforts to close longstanding gaps in digital access that affect African American, Latino, and lower-income students.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey Californians and Higher Education

By Mark Baldassare, Lunna Lopes, Dean Bonner, David Kordus

Californians give the state’s public higher education system high marks, but see affordability as a big problem. Most say higher education funding is inadequate but also believe that existing funds need to be used more wisely. While nearly all see the system as important to the state’s future, Californians are divided on whether a college education is necessary for individual success in today’s economy.

Crosstabs:
All Adults [PDF]
Likely Voters [PDF]

Time Trends:
All Adults [PDF]
Likely Voters [PDF]

The survey was supported with funding from the Arjay and Frances Miller Foundation, the Flora Family Foundation, John and Louise Bryson, Walter Hewlett, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Report

California’s Future: Education

By Laura Hill, Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Niu Gao ...

California has begun moving toward a “cradle to career” approach that connects early childhood, K–12, and higher education more closely. But COVID-19 has disrupted learning, funding, and progress toward improving student outcomes and has exacerbated racial and economic equity gaps.

Report

Higher Education in California: Strengthening Career Education

By Sarah Bohn, Shannon McConville

About 30 percent of California’s future jobs will require some training beyond high school but less than a four-year college degree. Career education prepares students for these “middle-skill” jobs by providing occupation- and industry-specific training.

Report

Higher Education in California: Improving College Completion

By Hans Johnson, Kevin Cook, Jacob Jackson

California needs more college graduates. The state is projected to fall 1.1 million bachelor’s degrees short of economic demand by 2030. Expanding access to higher education could help shrink the gap, but California also needs to help students stay on track to earn degrees.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Higher Education

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lunna Lopes, Alyssa Dykman

Key findings: Most Californians think public higher education should be a high priority for the next governor; many are ready for a change in policies. A majority see affordability as a big problem and are concerned about students at public colleges and universities taking on too much debt.More than half say the level of state funding for higher education is inadequate; many think a state spending guarantee for the California State University and University of California systems is a good idea.

blog post

Higher Education: The Economic Engine of California

By Mark Baldassare

An overwhelming majority of Californians say having a four-year college degree is important for economic and financial success. How do residents view education funding and other investments in helping students prepare for and complete college?

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman, Rachel Lawler

Key findings from the current survey include most Californians say charter schools are an important option for parents in low-income areas—but many express concern that charters divert funding from traditional public schools. More than half of residents across regions say teacher salaries in their community are too low. Majorities support Governor Newsom’s spending plans to expand preschool and full-day kindergarten.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Education

By Mark Baldassare

Some findings of the current survey

  • The vast majority of Californians (82%) believe that the quality of education in the state’s K-12 public schools is at least somewhat of a problem.
  • 59% of public school parents say that their local public schools do not receive enough state funding.
  • Most Californians are more likely to say that private schools (60%) rather than public schools (24%) provide the best education.
  • 78% of Californians say parents who fail to pay attention to how their children are doing is a big problem in K-12 public education.
  • Parental hopes for their children’s future education are stunning. Nine in 10 aspire to college graduation for their children, and 41 percent hope that their children will earn a postgraduate degree.

This special edition of the PPIC Statewide Survey—a survey on education—is the first in a three-year PPIC survey series made possible with funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The intent of this special series is to inform state, local, and federal policymakers; encourage discussion; and raise public awareness about a variety of education, environment, and population issues facing the state.

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