blog post Who Stands to Gain from Changes in School Enrollment Funding? By Julien Lafortune, Joseph Herrera Jan 31, 2022 The state legislature is considering a change in how California K–12 schools are funded. Examining how attendance varies across districts—and how this relates to student demographics—sheds light on which districts might see the largest funding increases.
Report 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 In fall 2019, California’s community colleges began implementing AB 705, making reforms to place thousands of students away from remedial courses and directly into the introductory courses necessary to transfer to a four-year college. In this report, we focus on math courses and the progress that colleges and students have made under the new system as of fall 2020.
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.
blog post The Pandemic Has Highlighted the Needs of California’s Youth By Caroline Danielson, Mary Severance Mar 24, 2021 We spoke with Jevon Wilkes, executive director of the California Coalition for Youth, about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected transitional-age youth (16–24) and the importance of connecting them with basic resources and key supports.
blog post High School Graduation during the COVID-19 Crisis By Niu Gao, Joseph Hayes Apr 16, 2020 School closures and the move to distance learning present challenges in ensuring that California students, especially those from low-income families or with special educational needs, stay on track for graduating.
blog post Californians Are Grappling with Homelessness By Jennifer Paluch, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Feb 26, 2020 Governor Newsom has made addressing homelessness a major policy focus, and an overwhelming majority of Californians see homelessness as a problem in their part of the state.
blog post How Are School Districts Spending Their LCFF Dollars? By Julien Lafortune Sep 11, 2019 Six years after California revamped K-12 school funding, a PPIC study looks at how effectively dollars are being targeted to the highest-need students.
blog post Exploring Math Pathways under Common Core By Niu Gao May 6, 2019 Common Core State Standards allow school districts to follow a traditional or integrated math pathway, and there are significant differences in how this choice varies across districts.
page Poverty & Inequality Oct 19, 2018 More than a quarter of Californians live in or near poverty, and the longstanding divide between rich and poor poses a major challenge for our state and nation. PPIC builds understanding of what economic disparities mean for households and communities, while highlighting policies that can broaden opportunity and increase well-being.
Report K–12 Reforms and California’s English Learner Achievement Gap By Laura Hill May 30, 2018 English Learner (EL) students have been a key part of California’s K–12 system for decades. They currently make up about 21 percent of the public school population. English Learner status is meant to be temporary, and indeed, reclassified English Learners (those who are deemed English proficient) are among the best-performing students in the state. But students who remain ELs for longer periods generally have poor outcomes.
