Story perspectives

Power Outages Disrupt Schools, Impact Low-Income Families

2/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

Southern California Edison planned power outages in the 2024–2025 school year to prevent wildfires.
The outages disrupted California schools, causing closures and reduced attendance, especially for low-income families.
Orange Vista High School and Perris Elementary School reported inadequate outage notice, risking attendance-based state funding.
Districts redirected funds to backup power, yet many still lack sufficient resources.
Critics argue utilities prioritize wildfire risk over community impact.

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Story summary

Southern California Edison planned power outages in the 2024–2025 school year to prevent wildfires.
The outages disrupted California schools, causing closures and reduced attendance, especially for low-income families.
Orange Vista High School and Perris Elementary School reported inadequate outage notice, risking attendance-based state funding.
Districts redirected funds to backup power, yet many still lack sufficient resources.
Critics argue utilities prioritize wildfire risk over community impact.