Report Land Transitions and Dust in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Jaymin Kwon, Joy Collins Jul 20, 2022 Agricultural operations and wind erosion are two of the largest sources of dust in the San Joaquin Valley, and the valley’s air quality may decline with increased farmland fallowing and a warmer, drier climate. This will impact low-income, rural communities first and foremost, but proactive management can help identify high-risk areas and direct funding to cost-effective interventions.
Report Understanding the Effects of School Funding By Julien Lafortune May 18, 2022 Funding for California’s K–12 public schools has reached record highs, but gaps in student outcomes remain. Understanding the benefits of additional funds, and how to distribute those funds, are key concerns for policymakers. This report offers insights from a robust body of research on the extent to which higher spending improves outcomes.
Report Health Care Access among California’s Farmworkers By Paulette Cha Apr 25, 2022 Farmworkers are a key link in the food supply chain and important contributors to California’s economy. As farmworkers age, their health care needs are changing—and cost and lack of insurance are often barriers to care. While recent state and federal policies have made insurance more accessible, not all policies improved coverage among farmworkers.
blog post California K–12 Enrollment Declines Continue to Exceed Expectations By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty Apr 21, 2022 K–12 public school enrollment statewide has fallen for five straight years, with a decrease of more than 270,000 students over the past two years alone. Examining the variation across regions provides insights into this enrollment decline.
blog post The Pandemic’s Effects on Higher Education By Hans Johnson, Kevin Cook, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jacob Jackson Mar 15, 2022 COVID-19 has created wide-ranging disruptions for college students and the institutions they attend. Looking ahead, a focus on student-centered policies and programs that improve access, completion, and equity will be critical.
blog post SGMA Could Bolster Habitat Restoration in the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson, Abigail Hart Feb 22, 2022 As growers prepare to bring land out of production in the San Joaquin Valley, we’re exploring a variety of ways to manage that newly-fallowed farmland. This week, we look at a promising potential use: transforming formerly irrigated land into habitat.
blog post Could Solar Development Advance Groundwater Sustainability in the San Joaquin Valley? By Andrew Ayres, Curtis Seymour Feb 4, 2022 The San Joaquin Valley is facing a monumental shift in land use over the next two decades. Promoting solar expansion on fallowed farmland could support the state’s clean energy goals—while easing the economic pain of transitioning land away from agriculture under SGMA.
blog post What’s Next for California’s K–12 Enrollment? By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty, Vicki Hsieh Dec 9, 2021 The statewide decline in K–12 enrollment is projected to accelerate over the next decade, though with significant variation across counties.
event Community College Math in California’s New Era of Student Access Dec 9, 2021 Over the past few years, a landmark law (AB 705) has required California’s community colleges to move away from remedial courses, dramatically expanding student access to the math and English courses needed to transfer to a four-year college. How has the pandemic affected these reforms? Is AB 705 leading to better—and more equitable—student outcomes? PPIC researcher Cesar Alesi Perez will outline new findings, and a panel of experts will talk about promoting equity and student success in the AB 705 era.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Community College Math in California’s New Era of Student Access By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez Dec 7, 2021 After AB 705 expanded access to courses needed for transfer, the rate of students passing introductory math shot up. Racial equity gaps in access have narrowed, but some students are still enrolling in courses that don’t count for transfer.
