A map shows which counties in California have the highest percentage of high school dropouts.

To determine which counties had the highest percentage of dropouts, Newsweek analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau which tracked the number of residents 25 and over with at least a high school diploma.

The analysis found that Monterey County had the highest percentage of high school dropouts, at 27.3 percent.

That was followed by Colusa County with 26.7 percent, Madera County with 26.4 percent and Merced County with 25.7 percent. Imperial County has 25.5 percent.

The counties with the highest number of high school graduates were all in northern California. Placer County had the lowest dropout rate, with just 4.4 percent. Other counties—including Trinity, Nevada, Shasta and Plumas—all had fewer than 6 percent.

Newsweek previously reported that California, the nation’s most populous state, ranks at the very bottom of U.S. states when it comes to the number of high school diploma holders. Just 84.7 percent of California residents aged 25 or over have graduated from high school, according to 2022 Census data.

However, the latest data from the California Department of Education has shown that students are graduating from high school at higher levels than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 86.2 percent—down about a percentage point from the previous year, but still higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The data was “encouraging,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in December, but “our work is not complete.”

“We have made an unprecedented investment in services that address the needs of the whole child,” Thurmond said. “We can see that those efforts are paying off, but this is only the beginning. We need to continue providing students with the tools they need to excel, especially now that we are successfully reengaging our students and families, so we can close gaps in achievement in the same way that we have begun to close the equity gaps in attendance and absenteeism.”

Students across the country have been absent at record rates since schools reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding further challenges as schools work to help students recover from huge learning setbacks.

Those who end up dropping out of high school could face adverse consequences well into adulthood, according to Jennifer Lansford, a research professor of public policy at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University.

“The long-term consequences of dropping out of high school can be very negative for individuals who drop out, their families, and society as a whole,” Lansford told Newsweek.

She pointed to research that she and colleagues carried out using data from children that were followed from the age of 5 until 27.

That research found that individuals who dropped out of high school were nearly four times more likely to be receiving government assistance, were twice as likely to have been fired two or more times, and were more than three times more likely to have been arrested since the age of 18.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A state Senate committee held an initial hearing on a first-of-its-kind proposed law in the U.S. concerning airport security.

If passed, the law would mandate that private companies like Clear either establish and finance their own dedicated TSA-staffed security lanes or face a ban from all nine California airports utilizing the service.

As air travel increases, so do crowds and tensions, unless travelers can afford a shortcut service. Clear members pay $189 for a service that verifies their identity using facial, iris, and fingerprint biometrics unique to each traveler.

Fullerton Democrat Senator Josh Newman criticized Clear, stating it fails to deliver on its promises.

“This service, as part of the larger system, would enhance the efficiency of airports and also improve security. And in fact, neither of those things is actually the case. What your membership does, is it gives you the right to to cut the line,” said Newman.

Rapper Guapdad 4000 said his Clear membership often determines whether he catches his flight.

“I do a lot of traveling in the summer and my team has to come with me, photographer, manager and, if we’re all late for the flight, or if we all need to be moving at a faster pace, it’s cool to have that access,” he said.

During non-busy times, TSA PreCheck, Clear, or the general security line don’t make much difference, as travelers pass through TSA quickly. However, during peak travel seasons, it makes quite a difference.

Newman likened Clear to an extra-cost theme park pass, allowing holders to bypass waits at popular rides but in a public facility.

“Do we want all of us taxpayers who paid for a public asset, like TSA, to have unequal access?”questioned Newman.

A Southwest passenger said, “I think for those who can afford it, it would be a nice luxury, but not everybody can afford that.”

Newman wants Clear to finance an additional dedicated TSA security lane at each airport, similar tp Delta Airlines with its Delta One service at Los Angeles International Airport.

Clear said it is improving conditions by “creating hundreds of jobs, sharing more than $13 million in annual revenue with our California airport partners, and serving nearly 1 million Californians to ensure all travelers have a safer, easier checkpoint experience.”

Newsom raised concerns about security breaches.

“There’s lots of cases, over the last couple years, where unauthorized travelers have used Clear as a way of breaching TSA security,” he said.

Several airlines, including Southwest, United, and JetBlue are pushing back against the bill, saying that the revenue lost from Clear could result in increased airfares. 

By Robert Burnson

Tesla Inc. was sued by a former employee who claims the company’s decision to lay off about 10% of its workforce in a global retrenchment violated the law by failing to provide required advance notice.

Tesla “acted intentionally and with deliberate indifference and conscious disregard to the rights of its employees” by not giving a warning 60 days ahead as mandated by California law, according to the complaint filed in state court in San Jose.

Is Musk controversy responsible for Tesla’s struggles?

Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk revealed the job cuts last week in an email to staff, citing duplication of roles and the need to reduce costs. It was projected that if the dismissals apply company-wide, they would amount to more than 14,000 employees.

The electric-car maker faced similar claims when it laid off more than 500 employees at its battery factory near Reno, Nevada, in 2022. The company won a ruling  that pushed the dispute out of federal court in Austin, Texas, and into arbitration.