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.
blog post Video: Labor Force Participation in California By Chansonette Buck Mar 7, 2024 California faces a shrinking labor force, largely due to an aging population. PPIC researchers Julien Lafortune, Hans Johnson, and Marisol Cuellar Mejia discuss their new report on the implications of—and potential solutions to—this economic challenge.
Fact Sheet Financing California’s Public Schools By Julien Lafortune Nov 29, 2023 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.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Feb 1, 2023 Key findings include overwhelming majorities say housing affordability and homelessness are a big problem; many Californians worry younger generations will be unable to afford a home. Majorities expect bad times ahead for the state financially. Approval of Newsom and Biden has remained steady, while approval has fallen for the US Supreme Court and Congress.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: COVID-19 Emergency Funding and California’s Higher Education Systems By Jacob Jackson, Kevin Cook, Darriya Starr, Chansonette Buck Nov 16, 2022 Just before the pandemic hit, state funding for higher education was high and increasing, student outcomes were improving, and programs for students in need were robust. COVID-19 sent shocking changes through these educational institutions’ means and methods of operating.
Report COVID-19 Emergency Funding and California’s Higher Education Systems By Jacob Jackson, Kevin Cook, Darriya Starr Nov 16, 2022 Federal dollars offered timely, substantial support to the state’s higher education systems during the worst of the pandemic. Funding for students, online instruction, and social distancing measures made up key spending allocations.
Report The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education By Niu Gao, Kathy DiRanna, Maria T. Chang Fay Jun 21, 2022 COVID-19 school shutdowns were especially disruptive for science education, which has long been a lower priority than math and English language arts. But as California schools recover from the pandemic, state policymakers can take steps to promote equitable investments in science literacy.
Report Understanding the Effects of School Funding By Julien Lafortune May 18, 2022 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 California’s Labor Force: A Swift Recovery, but What’s Next? By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Apr 28, 2022 Total employment has recovered more quickly from the COVID-19 recession than from previous downturns. Still, current workforce pressures reflect ongoing challenges that California must address to foster long-term economic mobility and growth.
event COVID in California: What Have We Learned about the Economy? Mar 23, 2022 This March marks the two-year anniversary of the first pandemic-related lockdowns in California. We have now endured several waves of the virus and faced numerous, shifting challenges. What lessons have emerged about our state’s economy? How can we move forward and address major concerns still facing California? Join PPIC vice president and senior fellow Lande Ajose in a wide-ranging discussion with Betty T. Yee, California State Controller.
