Special Reports

Special Report

Rural California: An Education Divide

From chronic absenteeism and high suspensions to a lack of internet service and barriers to going to college, California’s rural school districts face extraordinary challenges. For many, these barriers are similar to those in urban areas but with far less public awareness. Through the multi-media reporting and visualizations below, EdSource describes this education divide and the efforts underway to help students earn college degrees.

December 20, 2019

The long road to college from California’s small towns

Rural students are less prepared for college than their urban peers. Here’s how some districts are trying to change that.

Carolyn Jones

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 19, 2019

Too Far Away: Distance is a barrier to bachelor’s degrees for rural community college students

Transportation challenges keep many community college students from going to college. Barstow commuter students face long, mountain drives to university.

Larry Gordon

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 6, 2019

Disconnected: Internet stops once school ends for many rural California students

Only about a third of California households in rural areas are subscribed to internet service, compared with 78 percent in urban areas.

Sydney Johnson

Rural California: An Education Divide

July 21, 2020

Project on rural education in California garners awards for EdSource

"Rural California: An Education Divide," a mini-doc on the deep needs in California's rural areas, won first place national and statewide awards.

Rose Ciotta

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 30, 2019

Rural California: An Education Divide | Documentary

More than half a million students live in California’s rural areas. The challenges they face at home often spill over to school: chronic absenteeism, lack of college preparation and college isolation, and limited access to technology.

Jennifer Molina

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 20, 2019

The long road to college from California's small towns [VIDEO]

"The long road to college from California's small towns" tells the story of helping more students get college degrees in Shasta County in the state's northern region.

Jennifer Molina

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 20, 2019

Interactive Map: Rate of high school seniors enrolled in UC/CSU

View EdSource's interactive map showing how many seniors from each California high school enrolled in fall 2018 in the University of California or California State University.

Yuxuan Xie

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 20, 2019

Interactive Map: Percentage of California students eligible for a 4-year state university

See how many students in rural school districts took the courses required for admission to the University of California or California State University.

Yuxuan Xie

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 20, 2019

San Joaquin Valley students set their sights on college

Find out how some San Joaquin Valley schools have made college prep a priority.

Carolyn Jones

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 19, 2019

California considers building new CSU campus

Population centers have an edge, despite hopes of rural students.

Larry Gordon

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 19, 2019

Interactive Map: The path from California community colleges to bachelor's degrees

This map shows what percentage of each community college’s students transfer for a bachelor's degree within six years. Each dot represents one of the state’s 114 community college campuses.

Yuxuan Xie And Daniel J. Willis

Rural California: An Education Divide

December 6, 2019

Disconnected: When rural students lack the internet at home [VIDEO]

Disconnected: When rural students lack the internet at home tells how two Central Valley school districts are trying to help many of their students overcome the hardship of not having Internet access at home.