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Policy Brief

Policy Brief: California’s Higher Education Funding Landscape

By Kevin Cook, Jacob Jackson, Iwunze Ugo, Chansonette Buck

As California looks to establish a more stable post-pandemic funding model for postsecondary institutions, significant challenges lie ahead. Multiple factors could contribute to reduced state revenues and greater reliance on tuition especially for four-year colleges, making costs higher for students.

Report

Higher Education in California: New Goals for the Master Plan

By Hans Johnson

California’s Master Plan for Higher Education defined a strategy to meet the state’s needs in 1960—but today, California faces new challenges. By 2025, the state will have one million fewer college-educated workers than the economy will require, according to PPIC projections. Updating the Master Plan is crucial to closing this skills gap. This report proposes that the plan set explicit new goals in several key areas, including UC and CSU eligibility levels, community college transfers to four-year institutions, and college completion rates.

Supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation as part of the California 2025 project on the state's future challenges and opportunities.

Explainer

Is College Worth It?

By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson

Rising college costs and a reluctance to take on debt lead many students and families to wonder if college will actually yield a brighter future with higher earnings and better jobs. In this explainer, we explore whether the benefits of a college degree outweigh the costs.

blog post

Housing Costs and Higher Education

By Hans Johnson

Higher education is not often considered part of a housing agenda, but it has played an important role in shielding many Californians from the state’s dramatic increases in housing costs.

blog post

Introducing the PPIC Higher Education Center

By Mark Baldassare, Hans Johnson

Today, we are pleased to announce the establishment of the PPIC Higher Education Center. It is dedicated to advancing practical, evidence-based solutions that enhance educational opportunities for all of California’s students.

blog post

Testimony: Cybersecurity Needs and Higher Education

By Hans Johnson

California can best serve the growing number of students who want to pursue technology jobs by taking advantage of the strengths of each segment of its public higher education system.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Higher Education

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Nicole Willcoxon

Some findings of the current survey:

  • About three-fourths of Californians say state funding for public higher education is inadequate.
  • Most Californians favor more money for higher education even at the expense of other state programs.
  • Almost 60 percent of all parents -- and 72 percent of Latino parents -- are very worried about paying for college.
  • Most Californians say the state’s three college systems are doing a good or excellent job.

Job Approval Ratings:
Governor Schwarzenegger
California State Legislature

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
Governor Schwarzenegger
California State Legislature

This survey was supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

blog post

Video: New Realities for Higher Education

By Mary Severance

California’s public higher education leaders—UC’s Janet Napolitano, California Community Colleges’ Eloy Ortiz Oakley, and CSU’s Timothy White—discuss how their systems are addressing COVID-19 and other key challenges.

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