blog post What Are Baseflow Droughts—and Why Should We Care? By Sarah Bardeen Apr 23, 2024 For the six months when California receives no rain, how do its rivers keep flowing? The answer is groundwater. But increasingly frequent and intense droughts are having unexpected effects on this vital resource. We speak with two experts to learn more.
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.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: California’s Care Workforce By Shannon McConville, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Sarah Bohn, Mary Severance Apr 3, 2024 Demand for caregiving services is growing as California’s population ages and as the state invests in early childhood care and learning. There are many workforce challenges—including low pay and limited opportunities for advancement. Efforts in several key areas could improve prospects for care workers and help California meet its caregiving needs.
blog post The Future of Fog By Sarah Bardeen Apr 1, 2024 Fog is central to life in California, but climate change is going to disrupt this quintessentially Californian weather experience. We asked Todd Dawson, a scientist who has long studied the relationship between fog and redwoods, to divine the future of fog for us.
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.
Report The Political Views of Young Californians By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Dean Bonner Mar 27, 2024 Do younger Californians have different opinions than older Californians on politics and policy? A new report reveals the gaps between younger and older Californians in their partisanship, ideology, and opinions on current issues. The young may be more liberal—and less polarized by party—than their older counterparts.
Report Do Registration Reforms Add New Voters or Keep Californians Registered? By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Mindy Romero Mar 6, 2024 In recent years, new voter registration and voter address updates have surged—due largely to California’s new process for automatic voter registration. But registration reforms have not significantly diversified the electorate, and the state may need to do more to engage newly registered voters.
blog post Student Homelessness Reaches 10% or Higher in Some Counties By Brett Guinan, Julien Lafortune Mar 5, 2024 Student homelessness is most concentrated on the central and north coasts and in the Sierra region, while living arrangements for homeless students differ widely across counties. This is the second in a series on homelessness among California K–12 students.
blog post Student Homelessness Rises to Pre-Pandemic Levels By Brett Guinan, Julien Lafortune Feb 26, 2024 Nearly a quarter million K–12 students in California experienced homelessness at some point during the 2022–23 school year. After three years of declines, the state's homeless student population has returned to pre-COVID levels.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lauren Mora, Deja Thomas Feb 22, 2024 Schiff, Porter, and Garvey lead in the top-two primary for the US Senate, while Trump is poised to capture all of California's delegates in the Republican presidential primary. Majorities see the situation at the US-Mexico border as a major problem.
