blog post Video: Assessing Transitional Kindergarten’s Impact on Elementary School Trajectories By Mary Severance Nov 21, 2023 Launched a decade ago with limited scope, transitional kindergarten will soon be open to all four-year-olds in California. PPIC researchers Julien Lafortune and Laura Hill discuss the program’s impact so far—especially among multilingual and special education students.
blog post Are Carbon Offsets Actually Working? By Sarah Bardeen, Caitlin Peterson Nov 15, 2023 In a world that urgently needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, carbon offsets have emerged as one possible solution. We asked PPIC adjunct fellow Van Butsic, a cooperative extension specialist at UC Berkeley who recently studied offsets for a carbon management firm, to tell us more.
Report Understanding the Reach of the California Earned Income Tax Credit By Tess Thorman Nov 13, 2023 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.
Report Tracking Progress in Community College Access and Success By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Sidronio Jacobo, Fernando Garcia Oct 30, 2023 In 2019, a landmark reform removed barriers for community college students in accessing transfer-level math and English courses. While more students are now completing these key early milestones for transfer, additional efforts are needed to address persistent racial equity gaps and promote students’ longer-term success.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Assessing Transitional Kindergarten’s Impact on Elementary School Trajectories By Julien Lafortune, Laura Hill, Mary Severance Oct 23, 2023 Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program provides an early year of schooling within California’s K–12 system. Now that the program is being expanded to all four-year-olds, it is important to take stock of its impact so far—especially among multilingual students and students with disabilities, who might benefit from additional support early on.
Report Assessing Transitional Kindergarten’s Impact on Elementary School Trajectories By Julien Lafortune, Laura Hill Oct 23, 2023 California’s Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program provides an early year of schooling within the K–12 system. Launched a decade ago with limited eligibility, TK will soon be open to all four-year-olds. Taking stock of the program’s impact so far—especially among multilingual and special education students—can help TK expansion succeed.
blog post School Vaccination Rates Vary across California By Shalini Mustala, Shannon McConville Oct 10, 2023 Maintaining adequate school vaccination rates is essential for public health and community well-being, but many schools across the state could be vulnerable to disease outbreaks due to lower vaccination rates.
blog post Video: Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley By Sarah Bardeen Sep 26, 2023 For the past seven years, the PPIC Water Policy Center has been researching how the San Joaquin Valley can adapt to a future with less water. On September 20, we held a special half-day event that drew together an array of growers, water managers, agency staff, and others to discuss how to best manage the changes ahead. Read our writeup—and watch the videos!
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lauren Mora, Deja Thomas Sep 26, 2023 PPIC's latest survey finds that almost nine in ten Californians believe there is a mental health crisis in the US. Also, most Californians are now less comfortable making a major purchase like a home or a car compared to six months ago.
event Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley Sep 20, 2023 Achieving groundwater sustainability is vital to the health of the San Joaquin Valley’s communities, agriculture, environment, and economy—but the transition will be challenging. How can the region ensure the best outcomes? Authors of a new PPIC study and a diverse group of local and state experts will discuss key issues and solutions to some of the valley’s looming challenges.