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Video: Tom Steyer on the Issues

By Linda Strean

Tom Steyer says the most important issues for California are addressing income inequality, rebuilding the state for the 21st century, and protecting democracy.

blog post

Our Experts Weigh In on the Drought

By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount, Alvar Escriva-Bou, Sarah Bardeen

The water news in California has been grim: We’re in year three of a miserable drought—and “miserable” is the operative word. Our experts discuss how the drought is evolving, how the state is responding, and what might be coming next.

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The Colorado River’s Hydrology is Changing. Can We Adapt?

By Letitia Grenier, Sarah Bardeen

The Colorado River’s hydrology is changing—and the dwindling water supplies are hitting Southern California hard. We sat down with Colorado River Board of California’s chairman JB Hamby and Metropolitan Water District’s Bill Hasencamp to find out what’s next for the river.

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Improving College Graduation Rates: A Closer Look at California State University

By Kevin Cook, Jacob Jackson

Low college graduation rates come at a high cost—lower salaries, lower tax revenue, and fewer college graduates in the workforce. At California State University (CSU), the nation's largest university system, graduation rates have an outsized financial and economic impact on students and the state.

CSU has made strides in improving graduation rates, but there is more work to be done. The system continues to struggle with graduation gaps—underrepresented students are much less likely to complete their degree compared to their peers, and these gaps have not narrowed over time. Also, CSU's on-time (four-year) graduation rates still lag behind those of similar universities nationwide.

By 2025, CSU aims to further increase graduation rates while cutting graduation gaps in half. To assist campus planning for this goal, we identify several promising programs and policies. More broadly, the CSU Chancellor's Office must work with campuses to evaluate and expand successful efforts, and the state must play a role in supporting new policies to move the needle on graduation gaps and on-time graduation.

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Video: A Conversation with Chief Justice of California Patricia Guerrero

By Mary Severance

Patricia Guerrero became California's 29th Chief Justice in January 2023, succeeding current PPIC president and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye as head of the state's judiciary. At an event in Sacramento, they discussed Chief Justice Guerrero's priorities and goals for the state's judicial branch.

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Upgrading High School Math Requirements

By Niu Gao

California has not updated its math graduation requirements for 30 years and now lags behind other states in ensuring students’ success.

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