Donate
Independent, objective, nonpartisan research
Image for

K–12 Education

Evaluating resources and policies that improve student outcomes

Dec 14
photo - Classroom with Empty Wooden Desks
Virtual Event

Factors and Future Projections for K–12 Declining Enrollment

Upcoming December 14, 2023 · 11:00 am - 11:40 am

Over the past five years, enrollment has fallen in nearly three-quarters of California school districts, a trend that is expected to continue into the next decade. In a presentation of a new report, PPIC researchers Emmanuel Prunty and Julien Lafortune will outline the regions and groups affected most by enrollment declines and discuss the fiscal impacts and policy implications for the state’s TK–12 system.

Learn More →
photo - Stack of Books
Fact Sheet · November 2023

Financing California’s Public Schools

photo - Preschool Age Children Interact with Teacher
Report · October 2023

Assessing Transitional Kindergarten’s Impact on Elementary School Trajectories

photo - Primary School Children Chasing Each Other in a School Playground
Report · September 2023

Examining the Reach of Targeted School Funding

View More Publications

Blog Posts

View More →
photo - California Wildfire Burns near Residential Area
December 6, 2023

Wildfire Smoke Is a Threat to Children’s Health

Shalini Mustala

photo - Elementary Age Girl Using Digital Tablet in Classroom
December 4, 2023

How Have California School Districts Used the Emergency Connectivity Fund?

Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao

photo - Student phot - Writing on Board with Teacher in Elementary School Math Class
December 1, 2023

Commentary: On California Funding Formula’s 10th Anniversary, Celebrate Progress but Double Down on Fairness

Julien Lafortune, Bruce Fuller

Events

View More →
Dec 14
Upcoming

Factors and Future Projections for K–12 Declining Enrollment

December 14, 2023 · 11:00 am - 11:40 am

Fact Sheet

View More →
photo - Stack of Books
November 2023

Financing California’s Public Schools

Julien Lafortune

photo - Electric Power Line Along a Rural Highway in Bridgeport, California
June 2023

California’s Digital Divide

Darriya Starr, Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao

photo - Young Girl at Home on Computer Doing Homework
June 2023

Student Achievement on California’s K–12 Assessments

Iwunze Ugo, Emmanuel Prunty

Featured Report · May 2022

Understanding the Effects of School Funding

Read More →

Fact Cards

More than 1/3 of California’s schoolchildren are either current or former English Learners.
→
Chronic absenteeism in California’s public K–12 schools nearly tripled from 2018–19 to 2021­–22 but has fallen slightly.
→
At 47% and 35%, the share of California students meeting state standards in reading and math is the lowest since 2016.
→
A majority of the nearly 6 million students in California’s public schools are “high need”—low-income, English Learner (EL), homeless, or foster youth.
→
Enrollment in California’s public K–12 schools fell nearly 3% in 2020–21 and another 2% in 2021–22.
→
Schools were a key source of food for low-income families despite closures during the pandemic.
→
California ranks near the bottom 50 states for share of high school graduates who directly enroll in four-year college
→

Meet the Team

Saayili Budhiraja

Project Assistant

Email
→

Tianyi Dong

Project Assistant

Email
→

Niu Gao

Senior Fellow

Email 415-291-4491
→

Brett Guinan

Research Associate

Email 415-291-4448
→

Joseph Hayes

Senior Research Associate

Email 415-291-4438
→

Laura Hill

Policy Director and Senior Fellow

Email 415-291-4424
→

Julien Lafortune

Research Fellow

Email 415-291-4473
→

Yoonseo Lee

Project Assistant

Email
→

Emmanuel Prunty

Research Associate

Email 415-291-4431
→

Iwunze Ugo

Research Fellow

Email 415-291-1122
→