Report California’s Transition to the Common Core State Standards: The State’s Role in Local Capacity Building By Patrick Murphy, Paul Warren Apr 15, 2014 The Common Core State Standards are changing California classrooms. They are also altering the state’s role in K–12 education. This report compares California’s implementation strategy to those of other key states and outlines new ways for the California Department of Education to help districts improve student outcomes. This research is supported with funding from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.
Report Corrections Realignment and Data Collection in California By Sonya Tafoya, Mia Bird, Ryken Grattet Apr 14, 2014 California’s corrections realignment created an opportunity to improve public safety, conserve public resources, and reduce recidivism. To realize these goals, counties need better and more accessible data to evaluate which corrections strategies are most effective.
Report Paying for Water in California By Ellen Hanak, Dean Misczynski, Jay Lund, Brian Gray ... Mar 12, 2014 California faces serious funding gaps in five key areas of water management—including safe drinking water in small, disadvantaged communities; flood protection; management of stormwater and other polluted runoff; aquatic ecosystem management; and integrated water management. These gaps amount to $2 billion to $3 billion a year. But bold efforts by state and local leaders can pave the way to sustainable solutions for California’s critical water resources. This research is supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the California Water Foundation, an initiative of the Resources Legacy Fund.
Report Expanding California’s Electorate: Will Recent Reforms Increase Voter Turnout? By Eric McGhee Jan 22, 2014 To address declines in voter turnout, California has adopted same-day registration—so voters can register and cast ballots on the same day—and implemented online registration. A proposal to relax the deadline for returning mail ballots is also being considered. These changes are not likely to significantly increase turnout, but two of them either decrease or add few administrative costs. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
Report Reclassification of English Learner Students in California By Laura Hill, Joseph Hayes, Margaret Weston Jan 21, 2014 California’s English Learner students lag behind their native English speaking peers. But students who are reclassified as English proficient sometimes outperform even native speakers. Should more English Learners be reclassified, and more quickly? As policymakers consider this question, they need to understand the relationship between reclassification policies and student outcomes.
Report Public Safety Realignment and Crime Rates in California By Steven Raphael, Magnus Lofstrom Dec 10, 2013 Public safety realignment substantially reduced the state’s prison population. Between 2011 and 2012, property crime increased in California as a result of this policy change. Auto theft increased most dramatically, by 14.8 percent—or about 24,000 per year. By contrast, violent crime rates did not appear to be affected. This research was supported with funding from the Smith Richardson Foundation.
Report The California Poverty Measure: A New Look at the Social Safety Net By Caroline Danielson, Sarah Bohn, Matt Levin, Marybeth Mattingly Oct 1, 2013 A new way of measuring poverty in California shows that 22 percent of residents lived in poor families in 2011. It also underscores the importance of the social safety net for many families in the state. The safety net’s impact on children is especially dramatic—without the need-based programs included in the new measure, 39 percent (or 3.6 million California children) would be considered poor. A companion report released by the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality examines regional and demographic differences in poverty. This research was supported with funding from The Walter S. Johnson Foundation. Interactive Map: California Poverty Rates by County Interactive Graphic: Poverty and Social Programs in California
At Issue, Report Parcel Taxes for Education in California By Eric McGhee, Margaret Weston Sep 16, 2013 The state legislature is considering a lower passage threshold for the parcel tax, which is one of only a few local revenue-raising options for California school districts. A lower threshold would increase the passage rate, but would it encourage a greater number of districts to put parcel taxes on the ballot? This report contextualizes the proposal and assesses its potential impact on school funding. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
Report Increasing the Usefulness of California’s Education Data By Paul Warren, Heather Hough Aug 13, 2013 California has made major progress in building a comprehensive educational data system, but most educators and policymakers lack access to the data that have been collected. This report outlines a series of small, cost-effective steps toward linking and sharing data that can help teachers and administrators improve student outcomes.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha Jul 31, 2013 Some findings of the current survey: A record-high majority say California should act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, rather than wait until the economy improves. Although many are unaware of the state’s cap-and-trade program, most consider it important to spend some of the revenues in disadvantaged areas. Slim majorities favor building the Keystone XL Pipeline, but oppose increased use of fracking. Job Approval Ratings: President Obama [PDF] Governor Brown [PDF] California State Legislature [PDF] U.S. Congress [PDF] Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings: President Obama [XLS] Governor Brown [XLS] California State Legislature [XLS] U.S. Congress [XLS] This survey was supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
