blog post Video: Californians and Education By Vicki Hsieh May 6, 2022 PPIC’s Rachel Lawler and Dean Bonner discuss key takeaways from our latest statewide survey, which examines Californians’ views on public K–12 education, school funding, and more.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Apr 27, 2022 More than four in ten parents say their children have fallen behind academically during the pandemic. While most Californians approve of the way Governor Newsom is handling public K–12 education, many believe its quality has declined over the past few years.
blog post Likely Voters Are Uneasy as California Shifts from Pandemic to Endemic By Mark Baldassare Apr 27, 2022 As California gears up for its third statewide election in three years, the political landscape is shaped by changing views on COVID-19, education, and the economy.
blog post California K–12 Enrollment Declines Continue to Exceed Expectations By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty Apr 21, 2022 K–12 public school enrollment statewide has fallen for five straight years, with a decrease of more than 270,000 students over the past two years alone. Examining the variation across regions provides insights into this enrollment decline.
blog post How Has California Narrowed Its K–12 Digital Divide? By Niu Gao, Joseph Hayes, Darriya Starr Apr 5, 2022 Since the onset of the pandemic, educators and policymakers have made substantial strides in addressing two key barriers to universal digital access—affordability and infrastructure.
Report Equitable State Funding for School Facilities By Julien Lafortune, Niu Gao Mar 14, 2022 Most funding for California’s K–12 facilities comes from local tax revenues, which depend on property wealth. State funding could potentially address wealth disparities, but it has disproportionately benefited more-affluent districts. Policymakers should prioritize equity in facility funding so that all students have access to safe and effective learning environments.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Equitable State Funding for School Facilities By Julien Lafortune, Niu Gao, Mary Severance Mar 14, 2022 Funding for school facilities comes mostly from local sources and depends on local property wealth. California provides some funding through the School Facility Program (SFP), but many have noted that SFP privileges wealthier districts. Policymakers will need to identify equitable funding streams that give all students access to safe and effective learning environments
blog post Helping K–12 Students Recover from the Pandemic By Laura Hill, Niu Gao, Julien Lafortune Mar 10, 2022 Increased state and federal resources will play a key role as California helps students overcome learning disruptions of the past two years, though longer-term challenges remain.
blog post Who Stands to Gain from Changes in School Enrollment Funding? By Julien Lafortune, Joseph Herrera Jan 31, 2022 The state legislature is considering a change in how California K–12 schools are funded. Examining how attendance varies across districts—and how this relates to student demographics—sheds light on which districts might see the largest funding increases.
blog post Building a Community-Owned Broadband Network in Imperial County By Joseph Hayes, Mary Severance, Niu Gao Jan 28, 2022 We talked with Luis Wong, chief technology officer with the Imperial County Office of Education, about efforts in this largely rural area to bridge the digital divide.