California is experiencing the lowest birth rate in more than 100 years, warning of a slowdown of population growth that will certainly impact schools, according to a recent blog post from the Public Policy Institute of California.

The number of births in the state peaked in 1992 at 613,000 and has fallen to 420,000 in 2021, according to the post. A total fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman is necessary to maintain the population.

While California and the nation had a replacement level fertility rate as recently as 2008, “California has fallen faster than most, dropping from 2.15 to 1.52 — that’s from 17th highest to 43rd highest,” according to the post.

The blog post points to a decline in young adults getting married as one of the main factors driving down the birth rate. Other factors — such as housing costs, a decline in the teen birth rate and the pandemic — “matter less than one might expect,” the authors state.

As deaths outnumber births, the population losses will lessen demand for transportation, housing and schools.

“Fewer children will mean declining K–12 enrollment and more school closures,” according to the blog post. “However, lower birth rates could also allow for more investment per child and may spur environmental gains that accrue from a lower population. As California’s population declines, it is essential to keep these longer-term effects in mind to create better outcomes for the future of our state.”

Read the full blog post with this story at at www.ppic.org.

The California Department of Education has released a new report to help educators create early childhood environments where Black and Brown boys thrive.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced the release of “Creating Equitable Early Learning Environments for Young Boys of Color: Disrupting Disproportionate Outcomes” on Feb. 28. This report was created by the CDE’s Early Education Division.

The Young Boys of Color report highlights the critical need to disrupt disproportionate discipline patterns and create strength-based and equity-oriented early childhood environments. Educators and program leaders are provided with a helpful roadmap for improving racial equity through strengthening racial awareness, addressing implicit bias, and creating culturally responsive environments that are safe, affirming, and engaging for boys of color and their families.

“This groundbreaking report provides an honest and comprehensive look at the inequitable experiences our youngest boys of color have in early learning programs, including disproportionate rates of exclusionary discipline such as pushouts, suspensions and expulsions,” Thurmond said in a news release. “The report highlights the critical need to disrupt these patterns and create strength-based and equity-oriented early childhood environments that support boys of color to thrive.”

Read the report at content.acsa.org.