There are a lot of things other than education that students rely on their schools for: access to adults they can talk to, free and reduced-cost lunch, socialization and so on. But one might not think of menstrual products.

When the state’s Assembly Bill 10 went into effect in 2018, California middle and high schools that meet the 40 percent threshold for pupils in poverty were mandated to stock at least half of their restrooms with feminine hygiene products.

But with many schools closed to in-person instruction because of the coronavirus pandemic, those items aren’t as readily available.

So students from The Bishop’s School in La Jolla partnered with students from Scripps Ranch High School — with help from San Diego’s Francis Parker and Our Lady of Peace schools — to hold a drive for menstrual products to donate to the San Diego Unified School District, where campuses are closed.

Scripps Ranch High is a public school and part of San Diego Unified. Bishop’s, Francis Parker and Our Lady of Peace are private schools.

In 10 days in November, they collected more than 20,000 pads and tampons and will distribute them this month. Some California school districts have added menstrual products to the items being offered to students and families at their food distribution sites, and San Diego Unified has that option.