Fact Sheet Financing California’s Public Schools By Julien Lafortune Nov 29, 2023 K–12 funding has been at record-high levels in recent years, and California’s per student spending is now slightly above the national average. Spending is higher for low-income students, English Learners, and foster youth. However, enrollment declines, rising costs, and the expiration of pandemic funding pose fiscal challenges for school districts.
blog post Inflation Squeezes Californians’ Budgets, despite Wage Growth By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Nov 3, 2022 Wages have risen steadily in California since the beginning of 2020 amid a historically tight labor market. But after adjusting for inflation, average wages are down slightly compared to January 2020.
Report Groundwater and Urban Growth in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Ellen Hanak, Henry McCann, David Mitchell ... Sep 15, 2021 As the San Joaquin Valley addresses groundwater overdraft under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), its urban utilities face unique challenges. Learn how to ensure a smooth transition for the region’s residents.
blog post What’s in Store for California’s Economy? By Sarah Bohn Jan 10, 2024 California starts the year with low unemployment, rising wages, and falling inflation—but also with residents expressing pessimism about the state's economic outlook. We look at what's ahead for the California economy.
press release Special Survey of the Central Valley: Air Pollution Angst Settles Over Central Valley Apr 30, 2003
blog post Increasing Transfer Students at UC By Jacob Jackson Jun 15, 2015 The University of California has agreed to bring in more transfer students. Unless there is funding to increase enrollment, there may be fewer places for entering freshman.
Report Key Factors in California’s Jail Construction Needs By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin May 7, 2014 Now that California has shifted responsibility for many criminal offenders to the counties, county jail systems face greater capacity challenges. This report highlights two important factors in addressing jail capacity constraints: aging jail facilities and long-term needs. We show that a number of facilities are old and likely in need of costly updates or replacement and that growth in the state’s population is likely to exert significant pressure on the county jail system. Our analysis suggests that a thoughtful combination of further jail construction and decreased reliance on incarceration is needed, given the magnitude of the current and future jail needs.
Report Declining Enrollment in California Schools: Fiscal Challenges and Opportunities in the Coming Decade By Paul Warren, Julien Lafortune Feb 12, 2020 Statewide K–12 enrollment is projected to fall 7% over the next 10 years. Districts with declining enrollment face fiscal pressures, as state funding is tied to the number of students they serve. Enrollment declines also have important implications for the state budget.
