event District Spending of One-Time Funds for Educational Recovery Jul 11, 2023 To address COVID-19 disruptions to education, federal and state programs directed billions in stimulus aid to K–12 schools, targeting greater funding to lower-income and high-need districts. PPIC researcher Julien Lafortune will present findings from a report that examines California’s funding allocations and key areas of district spending; coauthor Bruce Fuller, a professor of education and public policy at UC Berkeley, will lead a panel discussion on district strategies for learning recovery.
blog post Video: Californians and Their Government By Vicki Hsieh Jun 15, 2023 Researchers Deja Thomas and Rachel Lawler discuss key findings from the latest PPIC Statewide Survey, which examines Californians’ views on the economy, elected officials’ job performance, immigration policy, and other topics.
blog post How Is California’s Labor Market Doing amid Inflation Pressures? By Jenny Duan, Sarah Bohn May 25, 2023 Falling inflation has coincided with a slowdown in employment growth in California, though overall the state’s labor market still appears solid.
Report Pandemic Policymaking and Changed Outcomes in Criminal Courts By Heather Harris Apr 12, 2023 California’s criminal courts quickly adopted policies to address COVID-19. But uneven adoption around the state affected who might face those policies—as well as whether people were convicted and the sentences handed out. In particular, remote hearings contributed to racial differences in outcomes, which may influence whether such hearings continue.
blog post A Regional Look at California’s Latest Employment Trends By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan, Julien Lafortune Mar 30, 2023 While employment is higher than it was before the pandemic, California’s economy could face headwinds in the coming months. We look at how seven major regions are faring and discuss the factors driving job growth in different parts of the state.
Report Achieving Universal Broadband in California By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu Mar 29, 2023 In 2021, California invested over $6 billion to expand broadband infrastructure, address affordability, and promote digital literacy. This report examines barriers to installing broadband in underserved communities and offers recommendations as the state aims to close the digital divide.
Report The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville Mar 27, 2023 The Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Californians gain health insurance over the past decade. In addition to improving access to care, the ACA has increased financial well-being. This analysis focuses on the significant contribution of publicly funded health coverage—particularly Medi-Cal—to family resources across the state.
Explainer Is College Worth It? By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson Mar 8, 2023 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 Human Trafficking in California By Heather Harris Feb 15, 2023 California accounts for a declining share of the human trafficking incidents that occur nationally. But detecting human trafficking is challenging, and understanding the scope of trafficking is critical to combatting this kind of exploitation.
blog post California’s Notable Declines in Law Enforcement Staffing By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Andrew Skelton Feb 14, 2023 California saw a sizeable drop in staffing across law enforcement agencies between 2020 and 2021, part of a longer-term decline.