blog post Learning Recovery for Homeless Students Lags behind Other High-Need Groups By Brett Guinan, Julien Lafortune Mar 13, 2024 In the last in a series on K–12 students who have experienced homelessness, we look at how these youth are faring academically. While learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic affected all student groups, students experiencing homeless are falling behind other high-need learners as California emerges from the pandemic.
blog post Testimony: Most Californians Are “Pretty Happy” but a Growing Share Are “Not Too Happy” By Mark Baldassare Mar 12, 2024 Mark Baldassare, PPIC Statewide Survey director and Miller Chair in Public Policy, testified at a hearing of the Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes. He discussed Californians' overall happiness as well as their level of satisfaction with work, household finances, and other aspects of life.
blog post Student Homelessness Reaches 10% or Higher in Some Counties By Brett Guinan, Julien Lafortune Mar 5, 2024 Student homelessness is most concentrated on the central and north coasts and in the Sierra region, while living arrangements for homeless students differ widely across counties. This is the second in a series on homelessness among California K–12 students.
blog post Student Homelessness Rises to Pre-Pandemic Levels By Brett Guinan, Julien Lafortune Feb 26, 2024 Nearly a quarter million K–12 students in California experienced homelessness at some point during the 2022–23 school year. After three years of declines, the state's homeless student population has returned to pre-COVID levels.
blog post Testimony: California’s K–12 Digital Divide Has Narrowed, but Access Gaps Persist By Niu Gao Feb 21, 2024 At an Assembly Education Committee hearing on addressing students’ post-pandemic needs, PPIC senior fellow Niu Gao discussed the role that federal, state, and local efforts have played in increasing digital connectivity and outlined key challenges that remain.
blog post Chronic Absenteeism in K–12 Schools Remains Troublingly High By Emmanuel Prunty, Laura Hill Feb 20, 2024 The rate of chronic absenteeism in California schools declined slightly during the 2022-23 school year but is still double what it was prior to the pandemic. Districts that have conducted student outreach in partnership with community organizations have had promising results in bringing down absenteeism.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Labor Force Participation in California By Julien Lafortune, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan ... Feb 14, 2024 California’s labor force participation is shrinking, mainly because of an aging population. But significant gaps across demographic groups are also a concern. How can California remove barriers to work, boost participation, and build a strong workforce for years to come?
