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Strengthening California’s Transfer Pathway

By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez, Jacob Jackson

Increasing the number of California community college students who transfer to four-year institutions is critical for creating a more diverse pool of college graduates. Despite recent progress, transfer rates remain low and racial disparities persist. Several reforms are already underway, and higher education institutions must continue to work together so more students can reach their academic goals.

Policy Brief

Policy Brief: Strengthening California’s Transfer Pathway

By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez, Jacob Jackson

By increasing the number of students who transfer to four-year institutions, California can preserve higher education’s critical role as a ladder of economic mobility and ensure that college graduates fully reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the state’s youth.

Report

Improving College Access and Success through Dual Enrollment

By Olga Rodriguez, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Iwunze Ugo, Niu Gao

At one time, mainly high-achieving high school students took college courses through dual enrollment; but access has widened under the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) program. While CCAP students are benefiting from the program—they enroll in community college at high rates and reach key milestones—CCAP has room to improve.

Policy Brief

Policy Brief: Improving College Access and Success through Dual Enrollment

By Olga Rodriguez, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Iwunze Ugo, Niu Gao

College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) has become the fastest growing dual enrollment option in California, giving a broad range of students access to dual enrollment and setting more students on the path to college. However, CCAP students are slightly less likely to complete milestones than other dual enrollment students.

blog post

College Gender Gap Starts Early and Extends across Races

By Hans Johnson, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Marisol Cuellar Mejia

Along every step of the educational pathway from 9th grade to college completion, women fare better than men. The college gender gap has far-reaching consequences for young men’s economic prospects, especially for those from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups.

blog post

Safeguarding the Future of California’s Freshwater Ecosystems

By Sarah Bardeen

Climate change is transforming California’s ecosystems, threatening vital habitat for many native species. Some species may be lost, which is why former Department of Water Resources lead scientist Ted Sommer and environmental law expert Jennifer Harder are joining forces as our 2023–24 PPIC CalTrout ecosystem fellows. We recently asked them to tell us more about their new project, which could help protect wildlife as the climate changes.

blog post

California’s Private Colleges Are Preparing for the End of Affirmative Action

By Kevin Cook, Mary Severance

The US Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling this year that declares affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional. We talked with Kristen Soares, president of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, about the potential impact of the court’s decision.

Explainer

Is College Worth It?

By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson

Rising college costs and a reluctance to take on debt lead many students and families to wonder if college will actually yield a brighter future with higher earnings and better jobs. In this explainer, we explore whether the benefits of a college degree outweigh the costs.

blog post

What’s Next for Higher Education in 2023?

By Olga Rodriguez, Kevin Cook

After three years of disruption, California’s higher education institutions are ready to turn the page on the pandemic. We explore the key issues to watch this year in shrinking equity gaps, addressing enrollment concerns, and increasing college affordability and access.

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