Report How Did Pandemic Recovery Funding Support California Community Colleges? By Olga Rodriguez, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Kevin Cook May 8, 2024 How did California Community Colleges use billions of dollars in federal pandemic aid, and what were the outcomes? A new report explores how these investments contributed to positive student engagement and a successful transition to online classes. It also offers policy suggestions for sustained momentum forward.
blog post Commentary: State Water Regulators Are Listening to and Learning How to Promote Conservation By Ellen Hanak, David Mitchell May 6, 2024 In an op-ed for the Sacramento Bee, senior fellow Ellen Hanak and adjunct fellow David Mitchell commend the State Water Board for adjusting its draft urban water conservation regulations back in March. They say the changes will give needed flexibility to struggling water agencies and help protect low-income customers from extreme rate hikes.
blog post The Colorado River’s Hydrology is Changing. Can We Adapt? By Letitia Grenier, Sarah Bardeen Mar 4, 2024 The Colorado River’s hydrology is changing—and the dwindling water supplies are hitting Southern California hard. We sat down with Colorado River Board of California’s chairman JB Hamby and Metropolitan Water District’s Bill Hasencamp to find out what’s next for the river.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lauren Mora, Deja Thomas Feb 22, 2024 Schiff, Porter, and Garvey lead in the top-two primary for the US Senate, while Trump is poised to capture all of California's delegates in the Republican presidential primary. Majorities see the situation at the US-Mexico border as a major problem.
blog post Chronic Absenteeism in K–12 Schools Remains Troublingly High By Emmanuel Prunty, Laura Hill Feb 20, 2024 The rate of chronic absenteeism in California schools declined slightly during the 2022-23 school year but is still double what it was prior to the pandemic. Districts that have conducted student outreach in partnership with community organizations have had promising results in bringing down absenteeism.
Report Labor Force Participation in California By Julien Lafortune, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan ... Feb 14, 2024 California’s labor force participation is shrinking, mainly because of an aging population. But significant gaps across demographic groups are also a concern. How can California remove barriers to work, boost participation, and build a strong workforce for years to come?
Report Priorities for California’s Economy By Sarah Bohn, Vicki Hsieh, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan ... Jan 31, 2024 Though California faces considerable economic uncertainty, it also has tremendous potential to overcome the obstacles ahead. Practical policy solutions to promote a robust, resilient economy should build on the skills, diversity, and innovation of Californians.
blog post What to Watch for in Higher Education in 2024 By Olga Rodriguez, Kevin Cook Jan 29, 2024 With policymakers facing a sizeable state budget deficit, we highlight higher education issues to watch this year, including key opportunities and areas of concern.