Donate
PPIC Logo Independent, objective, nonpartisan research

Search Results

Filters Sort by:
Fact Sheet

Census-Related Funding in California

By Patrick Murphy, Caroline Danielson

The census plays a role in determining federal funding levels for a broad range of state programs. An accurate count in 2020 can help California provide services to populations in need.

Fact Sheet

Financing California’s Public Schools

By Julien Lafortune

K–12 funding has been at record-high levels in recent years, and California’s per student spending is now slightly above the national average. Spending is higher for low-income students, English Learners, and foster youth. However, enrollment declines, rising costs, and the expiration of pandemic funding pose fiscal challenges for school districts.

Report

Funding the Medi-Cal Program

By Caroline Danielson, Shannon McConville, Paul Warren

Medi-Cal—a key source of health insurance in California—faced fiscal challenges even before the November 2016 election threw federal health care policy into question. State policymakers looking at funding options need to consider both the larger budgetary context and the fiscal soundness of potential revenue sources.

This research was supported with funding from the California Health Care Foundation.

Report

Keeping College Affordable for California Students

By Kevin Cook, Jacob Jackson

California’s financial aid programs reduce tuition for most students. But the state and its higher education institutions can improve college access and success by providing additional aid to lower-income students, addressing growing non-tuition costs, and eliminating barriers that increase the time it takes to earn a degree.

Report

Understanding the Effects of School Funding

By Julien Lafortune

Funding for California’s K–12 public schools has reached record highs, but gaps in student outcomes remain. Understanding the benefits of additional funds, and how to distribute those funds, are key concerns for policymakers. This report offers insights from a robust body of research on the extent to which higher spending improves outcomes.

blog post

Paying for Forest Health Projects

By Henry McCann

State and federal leaders have agreed to vastly expand vegetation management in California’s forests to reduce wildfire risk. Is it enough to keep pace?

blog post

Focus on Medi-Cal Funding

By Shannon McConville

Regardless of how the legislature addresses Med-Cal funding in the special session, the state faces the challenge of establishing a stable and sustainable state funding base for the program.

Report

District Spending of One-Time Funds for Educational Recovery

By Julien Lafortune, Laura Hill, Niu Gao, Joseph Herrera ...

To address COVID-19 disruptions to education, federal and state programs directed billions in stimulus aid to K–12 schools. These programs allocated greater funding to lower-income and high-need districts—and California districts applied their early funds to health, safety, and technology. More recently, spending has prioritized learning recovery.

Search results are limited to 100 items. Please use the Refine Results tool if you are not finding what you are looking for.