Report Water Partnerships between Cities and Farms in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Gokce Sencan, Ellen Hanak, Robert Wilkinson Oct 28, 2020 The San Joaquin Valley and urban Southern California are worlds apart, but each faces growing water challenges. Both regions’ water futures could be more secure if they take advantage of shared water infrastructure to jointly develop and manage some water supplies.
Report Supporting Student Parents in Community College CalWORKs Programs By Shannon McConville, Sarah Bohn, Bonnie Brooks Oct 14, 2020 All community colleges run support programs for students who receive CalWORKs, the state’s cash assistance program for poor families with children. Students do better when enrolled in these support programs, but completion rates are low. How can colleges help more CalWORKs students succeed?
Report Funding California Schools When Budgets Fall Short By Julien Lafortune, Radhika Mehlotra, Jennifer Paluch Oct 5, 2020 Even as districts prioritize safety amid COVID-19, they face hard choices as they try to maintain services and balance budgets. By examining district reserves and spending, this report aims to understand how the Great Recession affected K–12 funding and how prepared districts are now to manage future cuts.
Report Increasing Community College Transfers: Progress and Barriers By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Sep 14, 2020 Community college transfers are an essential route for underrepresented groups to achieve a bachelor’s degree. This study shows that students who reach key early milestones are much more likely to succeed. Recent reforms have the potential to lead to large increases in student transfer and success.
Report How Greater Vote-by-Mail Influences California Voter Turnout By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Mindy Romero Sep 9, 2020 With COVID-19 threatening the November election, many states are working to increase voting by mail. In California, 15 counties have already expanded alternatives to in-person voting, and while overall voter turnout was higher, groups such as foreign-language and young voters sometimes saw declines. Outreach by trusted messengers may help in targeting low-turnout groups.
Report Making the Most of Water for the Environment: A Functional Flows Approach for California’s Rivers By Ted Grantham, Jeffrey Mount, Sarah Yarnell, Eric D. Stein Aug 24, 2020 Water and land management activities have substantially altered river flows across the state, degrading ecosystems and decimating populations of native species. Restoring seasonal components of river flow is key to sustaining the biological, chemical, and physical processes necessary for ecosystem health.
Report Reforming Pretrial Justice in California By Heather Harris, Magnus Lofstrom Aug 19, 2020 This November, Californians will vote on a significant shift in pretrial processes in the state.
Report Improving K-12 School Facilities in California By Niu Gao, Julien Lafortune Aug 5, 2020 Amid a statewide spike in coronavirus cases, most California schools will start the year remotely. When in-person classes do resume, cleanliness and safety will be paramount. But four in ten students attend schools that do not meet minimum facility standards.
Report Proposition 47’s Impact on Racial Disparity in Criminal Justice Outcomes By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Steven Raphael Jun 23, 2020 Proposition 47, which reclassified a number of drug and property offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, has led to a marked decrease in racial disparities in arrests and bookings in California. But rates remain significantly higher for African Americans than for other groups.
Report The Benefits of Headwater Forest Management By Henry McCann, Van Butsic, Yufang Jin, Scott Stephens ... Apr 24, 2020 California’s headwater forests have become more vulnerable to drought and wildfire—risks that are increasing with climate change. Increased forest management on a large scale can improve the region’s resilience to these risks, and bring widely shared benefits in air quality, water quality and supply, rural economies, and carbon sequestration. This report assesses the benefits and beneficiaries of improved forest management. This information is key to crafting the financial tools, policies, and other governance solutions needed for long-term stewardship of the state’s headwater forests.
