Report Geography of Child Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Sarah Bohn Feb 22, 2017 One-quarter of young children across the state live in poverty. In inland regions, reducing child poverty requires efforts to improve job opportunities. In many coastal regions, increasing access to affordable housing will help.
blog post Recession Safety Net Needed for State’s Small Water Systems By Caitrin Chappelle, Lori Pottinger Oct 6, 2020 California has many small water systems that serve economically disadvantaged communities, which were already struggling before the pandemic and recession hit. We talked to experts at the State Water Board about what can be done to keep them from falling off a financial cliff.
Report The 2020 Census and Political Representation in California By Eric McGhee, Sarah Bohn, Tess Thorman Oct 9, 2018 If the 2020 Census does a poor job of counting traditionally undercounted populations and immigrant communities, the state could easily lose one of its 53 seats in the House of Representatives.
blog post Testimony: Water Supply and Quality Challenges in the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak Apr 30, 2019 Ellen Hanak, director of the PPIC Water Policy Center, describes how the state can help address difficult water problems in California’s largest agricultural region.
Report The Impact of Proposition 47 on Crime and Recidivism By Mia Bird, Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Steven Raphael Jun 12, 2018 Passed by voters in November 2014, Proposition 47 brought broad and significant changes to California’s criminal justice system. Undertaken in the wake of public safety realignment in 2011, Proposition 47 reduced the penalties for certain lower-level drug and property offenses and represented a further step in prioritizing prison and jail space for higher-level offenders.
blog post Implications of Chronic Absenteeism for Student Learning By Laura Hill, Emmanuel Prunty Apr 4, 2023 Chronic absenteeism among California’s K–12 students increased dramatically during the pandemic. Schools with larger increases in absenteeism saw steeper declines in student performance on state tests, especially in math.
blog post The High Cost of Fixing Levees By Jeffrey Mount Feb 23, 2017 The state’s levees are in poor shape. Upgrading them to avoid damaging floods will be very costly and will involve difficult trade-offs.
Report Dual Enrollment in California By Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao Oct 18, 2021 Dual enrollment provides opportunities for high school students to take college courses and earn college credit. The pandemic has fueled a nationwide surge in participation, and equity-centered legislation has raised dual enrollment’s profile in California. As dual enrollment expands, state leaders can take steps to promote equitable access and outcomes.