blog post College Gender Gap Starts Early and Extends across Races By Hans Johnson, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Marisol Cuellar Mejia May 23, 2023 Along every step of the educational pathway from 9th grade to college completion, women fare better than men. The college gender gap has far-reaching consequences for young men’s economic prospects, especially for those from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups.
blog post Kindergarten Enrollment Declines Mask Differences by Age By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty May 18, 2023 Kindergarten enrollment at California’s public schools fell dramatically in 2020–21. Examining the trends for specific kindergarten ages—as well as the impact of transitional kindergarten (TK)—is key to understanding the broader decline in public school enrollment.
blog post Public School Enrollment across California’s Regions, Past and Future By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty May 10, 2023 While California public school enrollment has fallen for the sixth straight year, the trend varies across regions. Coastal areas have seen some of the largest drops in enrollment and are likely to experience continued declines.
blog post Public School Enrollment Declines Vary across Grade Levels By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty May 4, 2023 California’s public school enrollment decreased slightly in 2022–23 and has now fallen for six years in a row. While the latest enrollment levels in grades 2 through 12 were close to projections, enrollment in earlier grades fell short.
Report Achieving Universal Broadband in California By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu Mar 29, 2023 In 2021, California invested over $6 billion to expand broadband infrastructure, address affordability, and promote digital literacy. This report examines barriers to installing broadband in underserved communities and offers recommendations as the state aims to close the digital divide.
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.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Achieving Universal Broadband in California By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu Mar 29, 2023 The COVID-19 pandemic spurred historic federal and state investments in broadband. Achieving universal broadband in California will require coordinated efforts among service providers, municipalities, and community organizations to overcome existing barriers and leverage funding opportunities.
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 Homeless Populations Are Rising around California By Jennifer Paluch, Joseph Herrera Feb 21, 2023 Between 2020 and 2022, California’s homeless population increased by 6%. While this growth was largely concentrated in urban areas, the number of people experiencing homelessness declined in San Francisco and Orange County.
