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 Higher Education: The Economic Engine of California By Mark Baldassare Jul 21, 2022 An overwhelming majority of Californians say having a four-year college degree is important for economic and financial success. How do residents view education funding and other investments in helping students prepare for and complete college?
blog post Lessons in Innovation from Lindsay Unified School District By Mary Severance, Niu Gao Jul 6, 2022 Lindsay Unified, a rural district in the Central Valley, has seen dramatic improvements in students outcomes. Superintendent Tom Rooney talks about the ongoing transformation.
blog post Addressing Inequities in Reopening Schools during COVID By Joseph Herrera, Darriya Starr, Emmanuel Prunty, Niu Gao Jun 23, 2022 While nearly all California schools switched to remote learning early in the pandemic, the return to in-person instruction varied across the state—potentially worsening educational inequities.
Report The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education By Niu Gao, Kathy DiRanna, Maria T. Chang Fay Jun 21, 2022 COVID-19 school shutdowns were especially disruptive for science education, which has long been a lower priority than math and English language arts. But as California schools recover from the pandemic, state policymakers can take steps to promote equitable investments in science literacy.
Fact Sheet The Digital Divide in Education By Darriya Starr, Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao Jun 15, 2022 The pandemic spurred efforts to close longstanding gaps in digital access that affect African American, Latino, and lower-income students.
blog post California’s AAPI Community By Eric McGhee May 24, 2022 California is home to one-third of the nation’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) residents, and the state’s AAPI population is growing and highly diverse.
Report Understanding the Effects of School Funding By Julien Lafortune May 18, 2022 Funding for California’s K–12 public schools has reached record highs, but gaps in student outcomes remain. Understanding the benefits of additional funds, and how to distribute those funds, are key concerns for policymakers. This report offers insights from a robust body of research on the extent to which higher spending improves outcomes.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Understanding the Effects of School Funding By Julien Lafortune, Stephanie Barton May 18, 2022 A wide body of recent research offers insights into how and where additional dollars to fund K–12 public schools can improve student outcomes such as test scores and graduation rates. Estimates also reveal how long it may take to close gaps by race and income, based on current trends in funding.
blog post Concerned about Costs, Most Californians Support Universal Preschool By Dean Bonner May 11, 2022 An overwhelming majority of Californians say that the affordability of preschool is at least somewhat of a problem. A similar share says the state should fund voluntary preschool programs for all four-year-olds, though views vary across party lines.