Ricardo Cano
Ricardo Cano covers California education for CalMatters. Cano joined CalMatters in September 2018 from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, where he spent three years as the education reporter. Cano has been a finalist for three awards, a Livingston Award for Young Journalists honoring outstanding achievement by professionals under the age of 35, an Education Writers Association award for data journalism and two consecutive Arizona Press Club awards for public service journalism.
The wires may be there, but the dollars aren't: Analysis shows why millions of California students lack broadband
April 28, 2021 at 9:56 a.m.
Depending on a student's access to reliable internet, the last year of virtual school has ranged from enriching to impossibly discouraging.
California students in richer areas far more likely to be back in classrooms
A CalMatters data analysis reveals a wealth gap between students more likely to receive in-person instruction and those less likely to have that option.
Lawmakers blitz governor on school reopenings
Members of the Legislature put forward a bill today that would require schools to reopen by mid-April and guarantee that teachers get offered a COVID-19 vaccine beforehand. The lawmakers have...
Teacher vaccines in California determined by location, luck
Vaccinating teachers has become a central sticking point in talks between districts and unions for returning students in person. Limited vaccine supply and a rapidly approaching end of the school...
California public schools suffer record enrollment drop
January 27, 2021 at 6:58 a.m.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a record one-year enrollment drop of 155,000 students, according to state projections.
Newsom's school reopening plan puts tight deadlines on districts, legislature
Schools would have to offer in-person learning for primary students starting Feb. 16 in order to get the full funds under the governor's $89.5 billion education budget. Lawmakers would need...
Legislators increase pressure to open schools as most stay closed this fall
December 10, 2020 at 6:33 a.m.
A phalanx of assemblymembers have co-authored a bill that would require schools to at least partially physically reopen next Spring if their county escapes the state's purple tier.
What we know so far about school reopenings in California
November 4, 2020 at 6:14 a.m.
Despite limited testing requirements, California schools that have reopened for in-person instruction have largely avoided COVID-19 outbreaks. Still, some teachers and legislators say large scale surveillance testing is necessary to...
On the verge: Pending legislation for 2020
It's up to Gov. Gavin Newsom to decide if these ideas, generated during a session impacted by an unprecedented two-month pause during the spring because of COVID-19, should become law.
Behind the 'Wild West' of school reopenings
An academic year in which public education will intersect with public health has created back-to-school shopping lists unlike any other for California's schools as they attempt to transition toward in-person...