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Fact Sheet

College Access in California

By Iwunze Ugo

About three in five Californians enroll in college right after high school. But whether—and where—high school graduates attend college varies across regions and demographic groups.

Fact Sheet

Financing California’s Public Schools

By Julien Lafortune

K–12 funding has been at record-high levels in recent years, and California’s per student spending is now slightly above the national average. Spending is higher for low-income students, English Learners, and foster youth. However, enrollment declines, rising costs, and the expiration of pandemic funding pose fiscal challenges for school districts.

Report

Understanding the Reach of the California Earned Income Tax Credit

By Tess Thorman

State-designed and -funded tax credits for low-income families are a small but growing part of California’s anti-poverty portfolio. As policymakers explore ways to refine, increase, and supplement the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), they could benefit from knowing more about where and when the CalEITC and similar credits are claimed.

blog post

A Look at Demographic Differences in Poverty across Regions in California

By Patricia Malagon, Caroline Danielson

California's overall poverty rate rose between fall 2021 and early 2023, according to the most recent California Poverty Measure. We look at how poverty differs across the state and how it is linked to race, education, and other demographic factors.

Fact Sheet

The Working Poor in California

By Sarah Bohn, Caroline Danielson, Sara Kimberlin, Patricia Malagon

Most poor families in California are working. Poverty rates among working adults are highest in southern, coastal California.

Fact Sheet

Poverty in California

By Sarah Bohn, Caroline Danielson, Sara Kimberlin, Patricia Malagon

With the end of many pandemic relief programs, poverty rates—especially for children—have gone up in the last two years.

interactive

California Poverty by County and Legislative District

These interactive maps show average poverty rates from the first quarter of 2023 for counties, congressional districts, state senate districts, and state assembly districts, according to the California Poverty Measure (CPM).

blog post

Low-income and Undocumented Californians Struggle with Mental Health

By Patricia Malagon, Paulette Cha, Shalini Mustala

Nearly one in five low-income adults in California report having serious psychological distress, and those who are undocumented can face barriers to care. California has taken steps to improve access to mental health care, such as expanding Medi-Cal to all low-income residents regardless of age or immigration status, effective January 2024.

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