blog post Operating Dams to Better Manage Big Storms Can Build Resiliency to Climate Extremes By Lori Pottinger Mar 8, 2021 California’s reservoirs are operated using outdated assumptions about climate. Advances in weather forecasting can improve how they manage big storms. We talked to Martin Ralph of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography about this approach.
blog post Improving the Vote-by-Mail System By Eric McGhee Sep 9, 2014 For the first time in eight years, there is no incumbent running for California secretary of state. This offers a great opportunity to step back and consider where California’s elections are, and where they ought to go next.
Report School Finance By Margaret Weston Nov 14, 2012 There is broad consensus that California's school finance system is inequitable, inadequate, and overly complex. In response to these critiques, this year Governor Jerry Brown proposed an overhaul of our school finance system. Also, two initiatives on the November ballot asked voters to increase education funding through tax increases: voters approved Proposition 30, which was integral to the governor's budget plan, and rejected Proposition 38, a citizens' initiative. Despite the passage of Proposition 30, California faces many school finance challenges. This report provides an overview of the state's school finance system and outlines some longstanding school finance issues that may be in play next year.
blog post COVID-19 Alters College Admissions By Jacob Jackson, Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao May 5, 2020 UC and CSU are allowing greater flexibility in requirements for fall 2021 admission, but disadvantaged students may still face unique barriers to access.
blog post Can Mandatory College Entrance Exams Boost College Access? By Jacob Jackson Mar 27, 2017 Mandatory college entrance exams could remove a barrier to college entry for California students.
blog post Widespread Political Disaffection among California’s Likely Voters By Mark Baldassare Feb 9, 2022 A record-high share of California’s likely voters say they’re pessimistic about Americans of different political views coming together and working out their differences.
blog post A Look Back at the Year in Water Policy By Ellen Hanak Jan 9, 2018 California’s year of extremes demonstrated the impact of our variable climate on water management. The PPIC Water Policy Center responded.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Community College Math in California’s New Era of Student Access By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez Dec 7, 2021 After AB 705 expanded access to courses needed for transfer, the rate of students passing introductory math shot up. Racial equity gaps in access have narrowed, but some students are still enrolling in courses that don’t count for transfer.
