blog post Food Security in a Time of COVID-19 Insecurity: How the Virus Affects Farming By Lori Pottinger Mar 30, 2020 How will COVID-19 affect California agriculture—key to food supplies locally and nationally? We talked to farmer Cannon Michael about the pandemic’s impact on farmers and farmworkers.
blog post Commentary: California Must Stop Relying on the Endangered Species Act to Manage the Environment By Jeffrey Mount Dec 5, 2019 California’s freshwater ecosystems are under pressure and aquatic biodiversity is in decline. The state needs a new approach to protect the many beneficial uses these ecosystems provide.
blog post Interview: Filling the Gaps in California’s Education Data By Vicki Hsieh Jun 20, 2019 Dr. Jessica Cunningham of the Kentucky Center for Statistics discusses her state’s preschool-to-workforce data system and potential lessons for California.
Fact Sheet Public Preschools in California By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman Apr 22, 2019 Most parents of young children work, but public preschool programs are fragmented and currently unable to serve all who are eligible. Improvements will require a multipronged approach.
blog post 2020 Census: Will All of California’s Children Be Counted? By Sarah Bohn, Vicki Hsieh Apr 10, 2019 Ensuring a complete and accurate count of young children—the age group most likely to be undercounted—is a big challenge.
Fact Sheet Census-Related Funding in California By Patrick Murphy, Caroline Danielson Sep 21, 2018 The census plays a role in determining federal funding levels for a broad range of state programs. An accurate count in 2020 can help California provide services to populations in need.
blog post Federal Spending Bill Boosts Education Funds in California By Courtney Lee, Niu Gao, Patrick Murphy May 2, 2018 California’s schools stand to gain in the recent spending bill passed by Congress, despite cuts proposed by the president.
Report Improving College Graduation Rates: A Closer Look at California State University By Kevin Cook, Jacob Jackson May 17, 2016 Low college graduation rates come at a high cost—lower salaries, lower tax revenue, and fewer college graduates in the workforce. At California State University (CSU), the nation's largest university system, graduation rates have an outsized financial and economic impact on students and the state. CSU has made strides in improving graduation rates, but there is more work to be done. The system continues to struggle with graduation gaps—underrepresented students are much less likely to complete their degree compared to their peers, and these gaps have not narrowed over time. Also, CSU's on-time (four-year) graduation rates still lag behind those of similar universities nationwide. By 2025, CSU aims to further increase graduation rates while cutting graduation gaps in half. To assist campus planning for this goal, we identify several promising programs and policies. More broadly, the CSU Chancellor's Office must work with campuses to evaluate and expand successful efforts, and the state must play a role in supporting new policies to move the needle on graduation gaps and on-time graduation.
blog post Getting to Groundwater Sustainability By Lori Pottinger Jun 16, 2015 What will it take to ensure success for the state’s new groundwater law? Water expert David Orth gives his perspective.
blog post Testimony: Building Trust in State Government By Mark Baldassare Jan 22, 2015 Californians’ distrust in state government predates the low voter turnouts of the 2014 election.
