Education

WhatMatters

Public school enrollment hits 20-year low: Biggest dip in youngest grades

California’s public schools lost more than 160,000 students amid the pandemic, the largest enrollment drop in two decades and a likely harbinger of serious educational and financial challenges. The sharp 2.6% decline, announced Thursday by the California Department of Education, doesn’t capture the full effects of the pandemic. The enrollment tally comes from a one-day […]

By Emily Hoeven • April 23, 2021

WhatMatters

Newsom overstates school reopening progress

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, April 15. Minimal in-person learning Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday touted the state’s progress in reopening schools, even as California continues to offer its students the least amount of in-person learning in the country. At a press conference at a Sonoma County elementary school that had reopened two days before, […]

By Emily Hoeven • April 15, 2021

Commentary

Quality online education for higher ed requires public investment

Getting online education right at our public universities will require infrastructure and human resource investment.

By Guest Commentary • April 15, 2021

CalMatters en Español

Opinión: La educación en línea de calidad para la educación superior requiere inversión pública

Para que la educación en línea sea adecuada en nuestras universidades públicas, necesitaremos inversiones en infraestructura y recursos humanos.

By Guest Commentary • April 15, 2021

California Divide

Almost two months later, child care providers still waiting for relief checks

It could be mid-May or later before some child care providers get state stipends promised to them as part of a coronavirus relief package. Providers worry they may not be able to hold out that long.

By Elizabeth Aguilera • April 13, 2021

Commentary

Pandemic has damaged California’s school children

A new report on Los Angeles schools reveals how California's public school students have suffered during the pandemic.

By Dan Walters • April 11, 2021

Commentary

Abolishing school police should be part of reopening plans

It is time to reimagine school safety: end police on campus and instead focus on supporting all students to learn and thrive.

By Guest Commentary • April 9, 2021

Coronavirus

California sets June 15 goal for full reopening

Vaccine supply must be sufficient for anyone 16 and older who wants a shot and hospitalization rates must remain low and stable. The mask mandate would remain.

By Ana B. Ibarra and Barbara Feder Ostrov • April 6, 2021

WhatMatters

A fresh start for California

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, April 2. Note: My colleague Ben Christopher will take over the newsletter next week while I’m on vacation. See you on April 12! Baseball season off with a swing The Golden State seemed to turn a corner on Thursday. Fans were in the stands in Oakland, San Diego and Anaheim […]

By Emily Hoeven • April 2, 2021

Commentary

Sharing narratives through ethnic studies strengthens democracy

As a longtime rabbi and activist for the poor, I have seen how testimony of the human experience changes minds and makes for a better society.  I’ve seen women experiencing homelessness call for city leaders to effect change; veterans tell of harrowing times in war, pleading for mental health treatment; and children convey how they […]

By Guest Commentary • April 2, 2021