blog post Commentary: How Rural Schools Survived the Pandemic By Niu Gao Oct 12, 2022 Educational disruptions caused by the pandemic presented unique challenges for rural schools in California. Still, some rural districts and schools have made significant strides in bridging the digital divide, addressing teacher shortages, and supporting English learners.
blog post Testimony: The Role of State Tax Credits in Helping Low-Income Families By Caroline Danielson Oct 3, 2022 For a hearing of the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation, PPIC’s Caroline Danielson discussed how the California Earned Income Tax Credit and the Young Child Tax Credit help mitigate poverty—and potential strategies for increasing uptake.
blog post Fewer California Adults and Far Fewer Children Are in Poverty in 2021 By Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon Sep 22, 2022 New census data show that poverty in California declined among both adults and children last year. While economic downturns typically cause poverty to rise, pandemic relief measures drove a continued decline, especially among children.
Report The Role of CalFresh in Stabilizing Family Incomes By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman Sep 21, 2022 CalFresh—California’s largest safety net program—helps mitigate income instability for many low-income families. But those without recent employment often do not experience this stabilizing effect. Additional efforts to automate income reporting and ensure that individuals can access CalFresh as soon as they are eligible could strengthen the program’s reach and impact.
Report How Hospital Discharge Data Can Inform State Homelessness Policy By Shannon McConville, Hemal Kanzaria, Renee Hsia, Maria Raven Sep 19, 2022 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.
blog post Basic Needs Centers at California Colleges Can Help Fight Student Hunger By Eliana Blachman, Caroline Danielson Sep 19, 2022 California’s community colleges, which serve a large number of low-income students, are using basic needs centers to increase students’ access to CalFresh food assistance.
page Housing Aug 22, 2022 The high cost of housing poses a threat to the state’s economic future and widens inequality. Not surprisingly, Californians identify housing affordability and homelessness as among the most important issues facing the state. PPIC examines current and emerging housing needs and highlights the role of public policies in addressing the state’s housing crisis.
Report Community College English in California’s New Era of Student Access By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez Aug 15, 2022 Major assessment and placement reforms at the state's community colleges have all but eliminated remedial prerequisites. As a result, students are much more likely to complete college composition—the “gateway” transfer-level English course. However, more work is needed to address persistent racial equity gaps and pandemic challenges.
Report Land Transitions and Dust in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Jaymin Kwon, Joy Collins Jul 20, 2022 Agricultural operations and wind erosion are two of the largest sources of dust in the San Joaquin Valley, and the valley’s air quality may decline with increased farmland fallowing and a warmer, drier climate. This will impact low-income, rural communities first and foremost, but proactive management can help identify high-risk areas and direct funding to cost-effective interventions.
blog post How Did Pandemic Stimulus Funds Affect Income Inequality in California? By Sarah Bohn, Tess Thorman, Joseph Herrera Jul 12, 2022 Income inequality initially increased in the 2020 recession, but federal stimulus payments helped to reduce the worst effects—especially for low-income families.
