blog post Commentary: California Needs Bold New Strategies to Save What’s Left of Its Freshwater Species By Ted Sommer May 29, 2024 Californians are blessed with a dazzling array of freshwater species, but we now live in a world in which a few extreme events could wipe some species out. Biologist and PPIC-CalTrout Ecosystem Fellow Ted Sommer describes the bold actions needed to meet this moment in a commentary for CalMatters.
blog post The End of Affordable Connectivity? By Joseph Hayes, Eric Assan May 15, 2024 This month marks the end of a federal program that helped low-income households afford internet access. Nearly 3 million California households—half of those eligible—were enrolled.
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 How Has California’s Immigrant Population Changed over Time? By Cesar Alesi Perez, Hans Johnson May 7, 2024 As part of an ongoing series celebrating PPIC's 30th anniversary, we explore significant shifts in immigration to California—and what they mean for the state's demographic landscape.
blog post Testimony: Enhancing California’s Wage Data Can Help Improve Its Economic Future By Sarah Bohn Apr 30, 2024 At a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Career Technology and the New Economy, PPIC researcher Sarah Bohn discussed how improvements in the state's collection of wage data could inform strategies for promoting economic growth and opportunity.
Fact Sheet Income Inequality in California By Tess Thorman, Daniel Payares-Montoya Apr 17, 2024 California’s income gap narrowed in 2022, but the disparity between high and low incomes is wider in California than in most other states. Over the longer term, income inequality has been driven by earnings growth among college-educated workers.
Report California’s Care Workforce By Shannon McConville, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Sarah Bohn Apr 3, 2024 State master plans on the aging population and early learning and care have prioritized workforce expansion and career pathways for care workers who provide key services to young children, older residents, and people with disabilities. A new report outlines current realities and highlights challenges and opportunities in growing this critical workforce.
blog post As Internet Usage Grows, Californians Are Concerned about Online Security By Joseph Hayes Apr 3, 2024 With a record-high share of Californians using the internet at home, online privacy and security are key issues. Identity theft and credit card or banking fraud are the top concerns among the state's residents.
Fact Sheet California’s Digital Divide By Joseph Hayes, Eric Assan, Niu Gao Apr 1, 2024 Digital access is at an all-time high in California—and major investments by state and federal governments have helped narrow the digital divide. But racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities persist.