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: Californians and Education By Vicki Hsieh May 7, 2021 PPIC’s Rachel Lawler and Mark Baldassare discuss new survey findings about Californians’ views on student learning during the pandemic, Governor Newsom’s handling of K–12 education, and other topics.
blog post Seven in Ten Californians Support State-Funded Preschool By Deja Thomas May 6, 2021 With most Californians saying preschool education is important but expensive, a strong majority believe the state government should fund voluntary preschool programs for all four-year olds.
blog post Reading the Tea Leaves on the Governor’s Recall By Mark Baldassare Apr 28, 2021 Views on Governor Newsom’s handling of K–12 education and the state’s economy—critical policy areas during the pandemic—could determine the fate of the recall effort.
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 Video: Reopening California’s Schools By Mary Severance Mar 9, 2021 An expert panel discusses reopening K–12 schools across the state for in-person instruction amid concerns about equity, learning loss, and physical and mental health.
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.
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.
