blog post Native American Students May Gain Better Access to UC with New Aid Program By Kevin Cook, Laura Hill May 18, 2022 Set to begin in fall 2022, a recently announced UC tuition assistance program could encourage more Native American students in California to enroll, which might improve representation at the university.
blog post Will Infrastructure Investments Mean Better Jobs for Californians? By Daniel Payares-Montoya, Shannon McConville, Sarah Bohn Apr 25, 2022 Substantial new public spending on infrastructure has the potential to increase economic mobility in California, though a share of the newly created jobs likely will be in low-paying occupations.
blog post The Pandemic’s Effects on Higher Education By Hans Johnson, Kevin Cook, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jacob Jackson Mar 15, 2022 COVID-19 has created wide-ranging disruptions for college students and the institutions they attend. Looking ahead, a focus on student-centered policies and programs that improve access, completion, and equity will be critical.
Report Equitable State Funding for School Facilities By Julien Lafortune, Niu Gao Mar 14, 2022 Most funding for California’s K–12 facilities comes from local tax revenues, which depend on property wealth. State funding could potentially address wealth disparities, but it has disproportionately benefited more-affluent districts. Policymakers should prioritize equity in facility funding so that all students have access to safe and effective learning environments.
blog post New Law Raises Standards for Police Officers By Shannon McConville, Deepak Premkumar Jan 26, 2022 A new state law raises the minimum age for law enforcement—from 18 to 21—and requires California’s community college system to create a new policing degree program. How might these changes affect the law enforcement workforce?
blog post What’s Next for Higher Education? By Hans Johnson, Kevin Cook, Lande Ajose Jan 13, 2022 Another uncertain year is likely, even as students and the institutions they attend seek to return to some semblance of normalcy. What are key issues to watch in 2022 in improving access, completion, and equity in California’s higher education systems?
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Community College Math in California’s New Era of Student Access By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez Dec 7, 2021 After AB 705 expanded access to courses needed for transfer, the rate of students passing introductory math shot up. Racial equity gaps in access have narrowed, but some students are still enrolling in courses that don’t count for transfer.
Report Keeping College Affordable for California Students By Kevin Cook, Jacob Jackson Dec 1, 2021 California’s financial aid programs reduce tuition for most students. But the state and its higher education institutions can improve college access and success by providing additional aid to lower-income students, addressing growing non-tuition costs, and eliminating barriers that increase the time it takes to earn a degree.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Police Use of Force and Misconduct in California By Deepak Premkumar, Alexandria Gumbs, Shannon McConville, Renee Hsia Oct 26, 2021 Growing concern over civilian deaths—disproportionately of Black individuals—at the hands of law enforcement has created momentum for reform. Improving existing data, developing a public database on misconduct, and evaluating policy changes could help the state strengthen transparency and accountability in policing.
blog post College and Major Can Matter A Lot for Starting Wages By Jacob Jackson, Hans Johnson Oct 21, 2021 Students’ future income can vary widely by the college they attend and their field of study, with people in nursing and computer science fields typically among the highest earners.
