Report Equitable State Funding for School Facilities By Julien Lafortune, Niu Gao Mar 14, 2022 Most funding for California’s K–12 facilities comes from local tax revenues, which depend on property wealth. State funding could potentially address wealth disparities, but it has disproportionately benefited more-affluent districts. Policymakers should prioritize equity in facility funding so that all students have access to safe and effective learning environments.
blog post Helping K–12 Students Recover from the Pandemic By Laura Hill, Niu Gao, Julien Lafortune Mar 10, 2022 Increased state and federal resources will play a key role as California helps students overcome learning disruptions of the past two years, though longer-term challenges remain.
blog post Job Openings Are Harder to Fill in the COVID Recovery By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Mar 4, 2022 Rising job openings, falling unemployment, and a smaller workforce mean fewer job seekers per opening than in typical recoveries—and fewer than in good economic times
Report Equity in Voter Turnout after Pandemic Election Policy Changes By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Mindy Romero Mar 1, 2022 To maintain voting access during the pandemic, California shifted to universal vote-by-mail for the 2020 general election, while some counties consolidated their polling places. In this new report, we examine the sometimes-contradictory impact of these reforms on turnout, especially among young voters and voters of color.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Feb 2, 2022 Californians say that COVID-19, homelessness, and jobs, the economy, and inflation are the top issues for the governor and legislature to work on this year.
blog post Who Stands to Gain from Changes in School Enrollment Funding? By Julien Lafortune, Joseph Herrera Jan 31, 2022 The state legislature is considering a change in how California K–12 schools are funded. Examining how attendance varies across districts—and how this relates to student demographics—sheds light on which districts might see the largest funding increases.
blog post Mixed Signals in California’s Labor Market Recovery By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Oct 28, 2021 California’s jobs recovery slowed substantially in September. At the same time, historically high levels of turnover—sometimes called the “Great Resignation”—along with high levels of job openings and wage growth complicate the picture of the state’s economic recovery.
Report Police Use of Force and Misconduct in California By Deepak Premkumar, Alexandria Gumbs, Shannon McConville, Renee Hsia Oct 26, 2021 Nearly 200 Californians die each year in police encounters. Amid growing concern over civilian deaths and racial injustice, we examine what the existing data can—and cannot—tell us about police use of force and misconduct. We also offer recommendations for strengthening the state’s ongoing efforts to improve police transparency and accountability.
blog post College and Major Can Matter A Lot for Starting Wages By Jacob Jackson, Hans Johnson Oct 21, 2021 Students’ future income can vary widely by the college they attend and their field of study, with people in nursing and computer science fields typically among the highest earners.
Report Dual Enrollment in California By Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao Oct 18, 2021 Dual enrollment provides opportunities for high school students to take college courses and earn college credit. The pandemic has fueled a nationwide surge in participation, and equity-centered legislation has raised dual enrollment’s profile in California. As dual enrollment expands, state leaders can take steps to promote equitable access and outcomes.
