blog post How Have California School Districts Used the Emergency Connectivity Fund? By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao Dec 4, 2023 The state's school districts have received about $859 million from the federal Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), which supports access to internet connectivity and digital devices. Most of these funds have gone to districts with large proportions of Black, Latino, or low-income students, and the ECF dollars have been used more for connectivity than for devices.
blog post Commentary: How Rural Schools Survived the Pandemic By Niu Gao Oct 12, 2022 Educational disruptions caused by the pandemic presented unique challenges for rural schools in California. Still, some rural districts and schools have made significant strides in bridging the digital divide, addressing teacher shortages, and supporting English learners.
blog post The Pandemic’s Effects on Higher Education By Hans Johnson, Kevin Cook, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jacob Jackson Mar 15, 2022 COVID-19 has created wide-ranging disruptions for college students and the institutions they attend. Looking ahead, a focus on student-centered policies and programs that improve access, completion, and equity will be critical.
blog post Broad Support for Job Training and Child Care to Boost Recovery By Dean Bonner, Vicki Hsieh Dec 11, 2020 In the latest PPIC Statewide Survey, most Californians support key policy proposals to increase economic well-being and broaden opportunity.
Explainer Making Sense of California’s Economy By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune, Vicki Hsieh Jan 16, 2024 We take a look at where California's economy has been, where it might be headed, and how we can better insulate Californians against future upheavals.
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.
blog post Many Students Enrolled in Learning Programs Last Summer By Emmanuel Prunty, Niu Gao, Laura Hill Oct 20, 2021 About one in four California families say their children participated in summer learning programs in 2021, with enrollment especially high among students from low-income and Latino families.
Report Community College English in California’s New Era of Student Access By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez Aug 15, 2022 Major assessment and placement reforms at the state's community colleges have all but eliminated remedial prerequisites. As a result, students are much more likely to complete college composition—the “gateway” transfer-level English course. However, more work is needed to address persistent racial equity gaps and pandemic challenges.
Report Priorities for California’s Water By Jeffrey Mount, Letitia Grenier, Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson ... Nov 1, 2023 California has made great strides in preparing for a drier, hotter future, but it remains a challenge to harness the bounty of wet years while also reducing flood risk. How did California’s water sector manage the unusually wet 2023 water year—and what lessons can we glean for the future?
blog post More California Students Are Getting Live Instruction, but Gaps Remain By Niu Gao, Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune Nov 20, 2020 The share of K-12 students receiving live instruction this fall is slightly higher than in the spring. However, notable equity gaps—by income, parental education, and race/ethnicity—persist.
