Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Apr 28, 2021 Key findings from the current survey include: More than eight in ten Californians think K–12 students are falling behind academically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most Californians approve of Governor Newsom’s handling of the K–12 education system; most also approve of the way he is handling school reopening. Most say that the state’s public schools should be at least partially open now, and six in ten are concerned that schools will not be open for full-time in-person instruction this fall. Majorities say their local public schools do an excellent or good job of preparing students for college and for the workforce, but four in ten parents would opt for private school if cost and location were not at issue.
blog post Video: A Conversation with Secretary of State Shirley Weber By Mary Severance Apr 14, 2021 Secretary of State Weber discusses her longstanding commitment to broadening voter participation and talks about how California can continue to boost turnout.
Report Distance Learning Strategies in California Schools By Niu Gao, Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune Apr 14, 2021 Learning gaps are a growing concern after a year of online instruction. During the pandemic, uneven distribution of resources may have widened gaps and led to learning loss for some students. Our survey outlines how California school districts addressed remote learning and their strategies to improve instruction in the 2020–21 school year.
Report Building California’s Cradle-to-Career Data System By Jacob Jackson Apr 7, 2021 A yearlong collaboration among educational institutions, state agencies, advocates, and researchers has led to a plan for a statewide system that connects K–12, higher education, workforce, and social services data. This report outlines how this shared knowledge base can benefit California—and key considerations for ensuring the system’s long-term success.
Fact Sheet Immigrants and Education in California By Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Mar 24, 2021 Educational attainment among California’s recent immigrants has risen markedly. Immigrants now make up 31% of California workers with at least a bachelor’s degree. However, immigrants also comprise an outsized share of workers with little formal education.
blog post Multiple Challenges for Women in the COVID-19 Economy By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Mar 11, 2021 The pandemic and resulting economic downturn have had a disproportionate effect on women, many of whom must balance work, caregiving responsibilities, and health concerns.
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 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.
Report Does Raising High School Graduation Requirements Improve Student Outcomes? By Niu Gao Feb 23, 2021 The shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis exacerbated inequities in California’s K–12 system, adding urgency to an ongoing discussion about the role of high school graduation policy in improving student outcomes. This report shows that more-rigorous graduation requirements can have a positive and equitable impact on college readiness.
Report Surveying the Landscape of California’s English Learner Reclassification Policy By Laura Hill, Andrew Lee, Joseph Hayes Feb 10, 2021 Measuring the progress of English Learners grew more complex after California schools switched to online learning, as some tools to assess students became unavailable. This report shares results from our survey of district policies and offers recommendations for standardizing reclassification criteria.
