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Improving College Access and Success through Dual Enrollment

By Olga Rodriguez, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Iwunze Ugo, Niu Gao

At one time, mainly high-achieving high school students took college courses through dual enrollment; but access has widened under the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) program. While CCAP students are benefiting from the program—they enroll in community college at high rates and reach key milestones—CCAP has room to improve.

Report

District Spending of One-Time Funds for Educational Recovery

By Julien Lafortune, Laura Hill, Niu Gao, Joseph Herrera ...

To address COVID-19 disruptions to education, federal and state programs directed billions in stimulus aid to K–12 schools. These programs allocated greater funding to lower-income and high-need districts—and California districts applied their early funds to health, safety, and technology. More recently, spending has prioritized learning recovery.

Fact Sheet

California’s Cash-Based Safety Net

By Caroline Danielson

Safety net programs that provide cash assistance help low-income Californians meet their basic needs. State and federal tax credits reach a large number of people, while programs that offer monthly payments provide a higher level of support to participants. This assistance keeps millions out of poverty—but not all who are eligible are enrolled.

Report

Achieving Universal Broadband in California

By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu

In 2021, California invested over $6 billion to expand broadband infrastructure, address affordability, and promote digital literacy. This report examines barriers to installing broadband in underserved communities and offers recommendations as the state aims to close the digital divide.

Report

The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California

By Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville

The Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Californians gain health insurance over the past decade. In addition to improving access to care, the ACA has increased financial well-being. This analysis focuses on the significant contribution of publicly funded health coverage—particularly Medi-Cal—to family resources across the state.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Economic Well-Being

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas

Amid rising prices and economic uncertainty, more than two in three Californians are pessimistic about how the state’s economy will do over the next year. An overwhelming majority of employed Californians are at least somewhat satisfied with their jobs, but satisfaction declines among lower-income residents.

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.

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.

Fact Sheet

Financing California’s Public Schools

By Julien Lafortune, Joseph Herrera

California now spends slightly more per student than other states—but ranks below average when accounting for labor costs. Although funding levels reached record highs during the pandemic, falling enrollment and rising costs mean schools will face fiscal challenges ahead.

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.

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