blog post Reforming Proposition 13 By Mark Baldassare Mar 19, 2014 In the current legislative session there has been a movement toward making changes in the Proposition 13 tax limits that voters approved in 1978.
event Reforming California’s Initiative Process Oct 24, 2013 About the Program The popularity of California’s initiative process has endured for over a century. But according to a new PPIC report, state residents also believe improvements are needed. A panel of leaders—representing the three branches of state government—will discuss how the process is working and how to respond to the public’s desire for reform. This project is supported with funding from The California Endowment and the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
At Issue, Report Reforming California’s Initiative Process By Mark Baldassare Oct 8, 2013 Californians are highly supportive of the initiative process but see room for improvement. Three steps to improve the process—connecting the legislative and initiative processes, increasing disclosure of initiative funders, and reengaging citizens in the initiative process—reflect Californians’ critiques and their desire to continue making laws at the ballot box. These reforms could have far-reaching consequences, with considerable promise for increasing citizen engagement, encouraging voter participation, and building trust in state government. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
Fact Sheet The Initiative Process in California By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha Oct 7, 2013
press release Brown’s Budget Gets Broad Support, and Majority Back Him on Paying Down Debt Jan 30, 2013
Report California’s Changing K-12 Accountability Program By Paul Warren Jan 17, 2013 California recently joined a number of other states in adopting the Common Core State Standards, which establish new criteria for what students should learn in school. It also joined a consortium of states to develop new tests based on those standards. The new standards are ambitious, and some teachers are concerned they are not prepared to convey the higher-level skills and concepts they contain. The new tests will allow the state to measure gains in each student’s achievement, creating new options for how the state ranks schools. The change will also prompt the state to reassess the value of state tests in high school and its options for holding secondary schools accountable. More changes to the state’s accountability program are likely when Congress reauthorizes the federal education law, and the way the state addresses these current issues will influence the shape of its future accountability program.
event The James Irvine Foundation Briefing SeriesStatewide Survey: Californians and the Future Dec 6, 2012
