School attendance may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the impact of the drought on California. But it is affected. Less water means fewer crops, which means fewer farm jobs. And when the jobs disappear, families of migrant workers move on, taking their school age children with them.
Nathan Quevedo is with the Merced County Office of Education. He says falling attendance is a concern, especially for smaller districts in the Central Valley.
“For every state that goes to school, the school, in a sense, makes money off those students," he says. "So, if there’s less students at the school, the school and the school district ultimately are going to lose money.”
Superintendent Tom Torlakson will visit schools and take part in drought-related discussions in several Central Valley cities, including Bakersfield and Fresno.
Quevedo says he’s expecting a big crowd to turn out for the Superintendent’s visit.
Related Stories
Sacramento City schools superintendent discusses vaccine mandate for the district
October 21, 2021Superintendent Jorge Aguilar called the vaccine requirement “a path forward to keeping our schools open.” The mandate takes effect Nov. 30, seven months before the state requirement begins.
California education leaders discuss Black student disparities
October 15, 2021The state superintendent, other officials look at challenges, solutions to creating equity for all students and families.
Sacramento City Unified Parents Frustrated With District’s Independent Study Program
September 13, 2021Roughly 1,600 students at Sacramento City Unified schools have chosen to continue learning at home through the pandemic. But most of the kids remain without teacher assignments, and parents say the district has left many questions unanswered.
California To Require Teachers, Staff Be Vaccinated Or Tested For COVID-19
August 11, 2021California will require that all teachers and school staff be vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19, becoming the first state to impose such measures ahead of the new school year.
Sacramento City Teacher’s Use Of N-Word Sparks Debate About Anti-Racist Training
July 15, 2021A Sacramento City school teacher was recorded using racial slurs in the classroom. But one question from organizers still lingers: In a district that has mandatory anti-bias training for teachers, how could this incident happen?
CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you. As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.
