Donate
PPIC Logo Independent, objective, nonpartisan research

Search Results

Filters Sort by:
blog post

What’s Ahead for Education Recovery in California?

By Niu Gao, Julian Betts, Bruce Fuller, Laura Hill

National test scores show that the pandemic caused major disruptions to student learning, with especially large effects on Black, Latino, and low-income students. In the coming months and years, we will be studying strategies that the state’s school districts use to help students recover, and recover equitably.

Report

The Effects of COVID-19 on Transfer-Intending Students in California’s Community Colleges

By Cesar Alesi Perez, Jacob Jackson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez ...

The pandemic disrupted enrollment, persistence, and course success for many transfer-intending students at California community colleges, especially those from vulnerable and underrepresented groups. Yet critical pre-pandemic reforms as well as actions taken by colleges and faculty may have helped limit the pandemic’s impact for some who stayed enrolled.

Report

Racial Disparities in Traffic Stops

By Magnus Lofstrom, Joseph Hayes, Brandon Martin, Deepak Premkumar

Traffic stops have emerged as a key driver of racial disparities in law enforcement and an area of potential reform. Our new report examines whether certain types of traffic stops could be enforced in alternative ways that reduce racial disparities and risks to officers and civilians without jeopardizing public safety.

Policy Brief

Policy Brief: Racial Disparities in Traffic Stops

By Magnus Lofstrom, Joseph Hayes, Brandon Martin, Deepak Premkumar

Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic stops for non-moving violations—especially those made by local police and sheriff departments—deserve consideration for alternative enforcement strategies. However, any changes need to be balanced against the possibility of hampering efforts to confiscate dangerous contraband, especially firearms.

blog post

California’s Hispanic Community

By Eric McGhee

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we look at our state’s large and dynamic Hispanic population, which accounts for nearly four in ten Californians—more than any other racial or ethnic group.

Report

The Role of CalFresh in Stabilizing Family Incomes

By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman

CalFresh—California’s largest safety net program—helps mitigate income instability for many low-income families. But those without recent employment often do not experience this stabilizing effect. Additional efforts to automate income reporting and ensure that individuals can access CalFresh as soon as they are eligible could strengthen the program’s reach and impact.

Report

How Hospital Discharge Data Can Inform State Homelessness Policy

By Shannon McConville, Hemal Kanzaria, Renee Hsia, Maria Raven

Discharge data from emergency departments provide information on where people experiencing homelessness go for hospital care and on the conditions for which they are treated. If linked with data from homeless assistance programs and safety net services, this information can help policymakers make targeted investments and evaluate outcomes.

Policy Brief

Policy Brief: How Accurate Was California’s 2020 Census?

By Eric McGhee

The decennial census is critical to our democracy: it provides the foundation for political representation and federal spending. California’s investment in the 2020 census looks like it paid off with a highly accurate count. Among hard-to-count populations – including Black and Latino residents – it was better than almost every other state.

Report

Community College English in California’s New Era of Student Access

By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez

Major assessment and placement reforms at the state's community colleges have all but eliminated remedial prerequisites. As a result, students are much more likely to complete college composition—the “gateway” transfer-level English course. However, more work is needed to address persistent racial equity gaps and pandemic challenges.

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