blog post Exploring the Spike in Chronic Absenteeism among K–12 Students By Laura Hill, Emmanuel Prunty Mar 29, 2023 Nearly one in three California public school students were chronically absent in 2021–22, a share that is almost triple that in 2018–19. Rates of chronic absenteeism were highest among Black, Native American, and Pacific Islander students.
blog post Testimony: Assessing the Pandemic’s Effects on Student Learning, Absenteeism, and Graduation By Iwunze Ugo Mar 15, 2023 At an Assembly budget subcommittee hearing, PPIC’s Iwunze Ugo discusses how K–12 students are faring as California emerges from the pandemic. His testimony focuses in part on test scores from 2022, the first full administration of state standards tests in nearly three years.
Explainer Is College Worth It? By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson Mar 8, 2023 Rising college costs and a reluctance to take on debt lead many students and families to wonder if college will actually yield a brighter future with higher earnings and better jobs. In this explainer, we explore whether the benefits of a college degree outweigh the costs.
blog post Are Summer School Programs Reaching Students Who Need Them Most? By Darriya Starr, Niu Gao Mar 3, 2023 Nearly three in ten California students attended summer programs in 2022, on par with the national average. In light of significant disparities in how the pandemic affected learning, we look at participation in these programs and the role new federal and state investments might play in expanding educational opportunities.
blog post Investing in Schools to Address COVID-19’s Toll on Youth Mental Health By Shalini Mustala, Paulette Cha Dec 5, 2022 The pandemic had a devastating effect on the mental health of children and adolescents. Recent state investments to support schools’ efforts in early detection and intervention promise to play a critical role in countering this crisis.
Report English as a Second Language at California’s Community Colleges By Olga Rodriguez, Laura Hill, Daniel Payares-Montoya Nov 28, 2022 Colleges began implementing reforms aimed at improving English as a Second Language pathways in fall 2021—during a historic pandemic. We cannot yet disentangle the impact of reforms from the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, but an analysis of early implementation finds that colleges have made significant progress.
blog post Testimony: Enrollment Declines in California Community Colleges By Olga Rodriguez Nov 14, 2022 For a hearing of Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance, PPIC’s Olga Rodriguez presented research on pandemic-induced enrollment declines at community colleges—with the largest decreases among Asian, Black, and Latino students—and discussed strategies for boosting student access and educational attainment.
blog post Video: The Effects of COVID-19 on Transfer-Intending Students in California’s Community Colleges By Stephanie Barton Nov 10, 2022 PPIC’s Cesar Alesi Perez presents new research on how the pandemic affected enrollment and persistence among transfer-intending students, and an expert panel discusses community colleges’ efforts to attract, retain, and support these learners.
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 Commentary: California Must Prioritize Science Education to Stay Competitive By Niu Gao, Kathy DiRanna Sep 13, 2022 The pandemic derailed science education in California, stalling the state’s progress in implementing new science standards. California’s continuing recovery from COVID is an opportunity to reprioritize science education.
