blog post Storms, Floods, and COVID-19 Have Worsened Long-standing Farmworker Housing Challenges By Paulette Cha Apr 12, 2023 High housing costs in California have long been a major challenge, especially for low-income residents. Recent crises have added to the housing woes facing California farmworkers.
Report Achieving Universal Broadband in California By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu Mar 29, 2023 In 2021, California invested over $6 billion to expand broadband infrastructure, address affordability, and promote digital literacy. This report examines barriers to installing broadband in underserved communities and offers recommendations as the state aims to close the digital divide.
Report The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville Mar 27, 2023 The Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Californians gain health insurance over the past decade. In addition to improving access to care, the ACA has increased financial well-being. This analysis focuses on the significant contribution of publicly funded health coverage—particularly Medi-Cal—to family resources across the state.
blog post Tackling “Forever Chemicals” in the Water Supply By Sarah Bardeen Jan 19, 2023 Much has been made of two drinking water pollutants recently: PFAS and microplastics. We spoke with Jason Dadakis of the Orange County Water District to learn more about these pollutants—and to find out how worried we should be.
Report English as a Second Language at California’s Community Colleges By Olga Rodriguez, Laura Hill, Daniel Payares-Montoya Nov 28, 2022 Colleges began implementing reforms aimed at improving English as a Second Language pathways in fall 2021—during a historic pandemic. We cannot yet disentangle the impact of reforms from the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, but an analysis of early implementation finds that colleges have made significant progress.
Report COVID-19 Emergency Funding and California’s Higher Education Systems By Jacob Jackson, Kevin Cook, Darriya Starr Nov 16, 2022 Federal dollars offered timely, substantial support to the state’s higher education systems during the worst of the pandemic. Funding for students, online instruction, and social distancing measures made up key spending allocations.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Economic Well-Being By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Nov 9, 2022 Amid rising prices and economic uncertainty, more than two in three Californians are pessimistic about how the state’s economy will do over the next year. An overwhelming majority of employed Californians are at least somewhat satisfied with their jobs, but satisfaction declines among lower-income residents.
press release More than Two-Thirds Expect Bad Economic Times for California in the Next Year Nov 9, 2022
blog post Steep Declines in Child Poverty Have Been Driven by Safety Net Programs By Caroline Danielson Oct 26, 2022 During the first two years of the pandemic, government interventions not only avoided an increase in poverty overall but also dramatically reduced poverty among children, according to the California Poverty Measure.
Report The Effects of COVID-19 on Transfer-Intending Students in California’s Community Colleges By Cesar Alesi Perez, Jacob Jackson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez ... Oct 19, 2022 The pandemic disrupted enrollment, persistence, and course success for many transfer-intending students at California community colleges, especially those from vulnerable and underrepresented groups. Yet critical pre-pandemic reforms as well as actions taken by colleges and faculty may have helped limit the pandemic’s impact for some who stayed enrolled.