blog post Video: A Conversation with Chancellor Joseph I. Castro By Stephanie Barton Mar 5, 2021 PPIC’s Mark Baldassare talks with the leader of the California State University about addressing the COVID-19 pandemic as well as CSU’s efforts to increase access, diversity, and college completion.
blog post 2020 Primary: Funding Higher Education Facilities By Patrick Murphy, Radhika Mehlotra, Kevin Cook Oct 24, 2019 A bond measure that will appear on the March 2020 statewide ballot would provide $15 billion to upgrade education buildings and facilities, including $6 billion for higher education.
blog post The Year Ahead in Higher Education By Hans Johnson Jan 13, 2021 Last year brought historic disruptions to California’s colleges and universities. In 2021, how can policymakers and higher education officials draw on lessons learned during the pandemic while building on progress that was underway prior to COVID-19?
Report The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education By Niu Gao, Kathy DiRanna, Maria T. Chang Fay Jun 21, 2022 COVID-19 school shutdowns were especially disruptive for science education, which has long been a lower priority than math and English language arts. But as California schools recover from the pandemic, state policymakers can take steps to promote equitable investments in science literacy.
Report Interest Group Influence in the California Initiative Process By Elisabeth R. Gerber Nov 1, 1998 Perhaps the most dramatic change in the California political system over the past two decades has been the increasing use of the initiative process. Between 1976 and 1996, Californians voted on 106 statewide ballot initiatives. Spending on initiative campaigns has grown commensurately, peaking in 1996 at an all-time high of $140 million. Many observers argue that the initiative process has been captured by wealthy economic interests able to "buy" favorable initiative legislation. This background paper presents evidence to the contrary. Despite their vast monetary resources, economic interests are generally unable to enlist the sympathy of a sufficiently large number of people to pass new laws through the initiative process. Economic groups more often and more successfully use their resources to oppose ballot measures and thereby maintain the status quo.
blog post Voters’ Wish List for the Next Election Cycle By Mark Baldassare Nov 10, 2022 California’s citizens’ initiative process remains popular as a way of addressing the state’s most important challenges. But voters believe that the system has certain shortcomings and should be reformed.
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.
Report English as a Second Language at California’s Community Colleges By Olga Rodriguez, Laura Hill, Daniel Payares-Montoya Nov 28, 2022 Colleges began implementing reforms aimed at improving English as a Second Language pathways in fall 2021—during a historic pandemic. We cannot yet disentangle the impact of reforms from the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, but an analysis of early implementation finds that colleges have made significant progress.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman May 23, 2018 Key findings from the current survey: Democrat Gavin Newsom is likely voters’ top choice in the state’s gubernatorial primary; Republican John Cox and Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa are in a close race for the second spot on November’s ballot. Senator Dianne Feinstein holds a commanding lead over fellow Democrat Kevin de León. A single-payer state health care plan has the support of 53 percent of likely voters. But if the plan requires raising taxes, support declines to 41 percent. A solid 67 percent of likely voters say that immigrants benefit the state because of their hard work and job skills.
