Report California’s Exclusive Electorate: A New Look at Who Votes and Why It Matters By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman, Rachel Lawler Sep 16, 2019 The people who go to the polls in California are very different from those who don't—a gap that has far-reaching implications for our democracy and political future.
Report Key Factors in Arrest Trends and Differences in California’s Counties By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Justin Goss, Joseph Hayes Sep 9, 2019 Arrests in California have declined in the last few decades—driven by lower crime rates and criminal justice reforms. While rural, poorer counties tend to have higher overall arrest rates, affluent counties often see larger racial disparities in arrests.
Fact Sheet Millennial Voters and California Politics By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman, Rachel Lawler Aug 28, 2019 Millennials are more liberal than older Californians—and more likely to favor immigration, health care reform, and state efforts to address climate change. But only three in ten are likely to vote.
Report School Resources and the Local Control Funding Formula: Is Increased Spending Reaching High-Need Students? By Julien Lafortune Aug 7, 2019 Six years after state policymakers enacted a new funding formula for California’s public schools, significant additional resources are going to high-need districts. However, allocating resources specifically to high-need students remains a challenge.
Report Achievement in California’s Public Schools: What Do Test Scores Tell Us? By Paul Warren, Julien Lafortune Jul 10, 2019 California’s student test scores show significant progress in English—but they also show stalled gains in math and persistent income achievement gaps. State actions to improve math instruction and support struggling districts could help boost student performance.
Report Career Pathways and Economic Mobility at California’s Community Colleges By Sarah Bohn, Jacob Jackson, Shannon McConville Jun 26, 2019 Career education credentials from California’s community colleges can help students advance in the labor market. But some programs offer larger economic returns than others, and it can take a long time for students to see increased earnings. Improving student outcomes—while also responding to future workforce needs—is a challenging but critical task facing the state.
Report The Impact of Expanding Public Preschool on Child Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman Jun 17, 2019 High-quality preschool has many benefits, such as promoting early skill development in young children and supporting work among parents. More investments in public preschool could also help reduce child poverty by subsidizing an important family expense.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Alyssa Dykman May 31, 2019 Key findings from the current survey: Likely voters who are Democrats or lean Democratic are divided on whether it is more important for the party to nominate the candidate whose positions most closely align with their views or the candidate who seems most likely to defeat President Trump. Californians are more likely than the nation as a whole to say that impeachment proceedings should begin. Three-quarters of Californians see participation in the 2020 Census as very important—but most have concerns about confidentiality. More than half of adults say their housing costs cause a financial strain, and most favor proposed new rules intended to create more affordable housing.
Report Preparing for California’s Next Recession By Patrick Murphy, Jennifer Paluch, Radhika Mehlotra May 29, 2019 California is enjoying one of the longest growth periods in history and appears well-prepared to endure a mild economic downturn. But a more severe crisis would exhaust current reserves, decrease school funding, and open a significant budget gap for several years. What steps can the state be taking to prepare for and minimize these outcomes?
Report English as a Second Language in California’s Community Colleges By Olga Rodriguez, Sarah Bohn, Laura Hill, Bonnie Brooks Apr 29, 2019 English language proficiency can facilitate social and economic mobility for non-native speakers—and California’s community colleges are key providers of ESL education. Now that a new law is motivating colleges across the state to reexamine their ESL programs, we need a better understanding of ESL students and the policies that help them succeed.
