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Public School Enrollment Declines Vary across Grade Levels

By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty

California’s public school enrollment decreased slightly in 2022–23 and has now fallen for six years in a row. While the latest enrollment levels in grades 2 through 12 were close to projections, enrollment in earlier grades fell short.

Report

Achieving Universal Broadband in California

By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu

In 2021, California invested over $6 billion to expand broadband infrastructure, address affordability, and promote digital literacy. This report examines barriers to installing broadband in underserved communities and offers recommendations as the state aims to close the digital divide.

blog post

Exploring the Spike in Chronic Absenteeism among K–12 Students

By Laura Hill, Emmanuel Prunty

Nearly one in three California public school students were chronically absent in 2021–22, a share that is almost triple that in 2018–19. Rates of chronic absenteeism were highest among Black, Native American, and Pacific Islander students.

Policy Brief

Policy Brief: Achieving Universal Broadband in California

By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred historic federal and state investments in broadband. Achieving universal broadband in California will require coordinated efforts among service providers, municipalities, and community organizations to overcome existing barriers and leverage funding opportunities.

Report

The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California

By Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville

The Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Californians gain health insurance over the past decade. In addition to improving access to care, the ACA has increased financial well-being. This analysis focuses on the significant contribution of publicly funded health coverage—particularly Medi-Cal—to family resources across the state.

blog post

Eviction Rates Plunged During the Early Part of the Pandemic

By Joseph Herrera, Jennifer Paluch

Early in the pandemic, policymakers took various steps to protect renters from the economic disruptions caused by COVID-19. Evictions in California have declined sharply, though the expiration of key tenant protections are expected to cause evictions to increase.

blog post

Are Summer School Programs Reaching Students Who Need Them Most?

By Darriya Starr, Niu Gao

Nearly three in ten California students attended summer programs in 2022, on par with the national average. In light of significant disparities in how the pandemic affected learning, we look at participation in these programs and the role new federal and state investments might play in expanding educational opportunities.

blog post

California’s African American Community

By Eric McGhee

The African American community in California has never been large, but it has been vital to our state’s political, economic, and cultural history. We look at how California’s African American population has changed over time and how it is faring.

blog post

Homeless Populations Are Rising around California

By Jennifer Paluch, Joseph Herrera

Between 2020 and 2022, California’s homeless population increased by 6%. While this growth was largely concentrated in urban areas, the number of people experiencing homelessness declined in San Francisco and Orange County.

blog post

Human Trafficking in California

By Heather Harris

California accounts for a declining share of the human trafficking incidents that occur nationally. But detecting human trafficking is challenging, and understanding the scope of trafficking is critical to combatting this kind of exploitation.

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