blog post California Remains on Track to Close the Degree Gap By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia May 18, 2021 Six years ago, PPIC projected a shortage of 1.1 million highly educated workers in California by 2030. Today—despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic—the state is on track to close this gap.
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: Distance Learning Strategies in California Schools By Stephanie Barton Apr 30, 2021 An expert panel discusses new PPIC research on how K–12 districts across the state have handled distance learning amid the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.