Report Priorities for California’s Water By Jeffrey Mount, Letitia Grenier, Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson ... Nov 1, 2023 California has made great strides in preparing for a drier, hotter future, but it remains a challenge to harness the bounty of wet years while also reducing flood risk. How did California’s water sector manage the unusually wet 2023 water year—and what lessons can we glean for the future?
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.
Report Health Conditions and Health Care among California’s Undocumented Immigrants By Paulette Cha, John Heintzman, Patricia Malagon Oct 25, 2023 In January 2024, Medi-Cal will expand to all low-income Californians, regardless of age or immigration status. Understanding chronic conditions among undocumented patients and the health services they tend to use can help the state prepare to meet the needs of new applicants.
Report Are Younger Generations Committing Less Crime? By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Deepak Premkumar Sep 27, 2023 Among Californians born in 1993 and later, criminal offending has fallen 20 to 25 percent compared to previous generations. This shift in longstanding trends is a driving factor behind the overall decline in crime over the last decades and has several broader implications for the criminal justice system.
Report Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Andrew Ayres, Caitlin Peterson, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Sep 18, 2023 How can the San Joaquin Valley adapt to a future with less water? We’ve been researching this issue for the past seven years, and our new report presents highlights from we’ve learned, including a robust list of policy suggestions to help the valley weather—and make the most of—the coming changes.
blog post Retail Theft and Robbery Rates Have Risen across California By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Sep 7, 2023 California has seen an overall increase in retail theft and robbery rates in recent years. Our analysis finds especially notable increases in the Bay Area and the Central Valley, with certain commercial crimes also increasing substantially in parts of southern California.
Report Examining the Reach of Targeted School Funding By Julien Lafortune, Joseph Herrera, Niu Gao Sep 6, 2023 Under California’s ten-year-old funding formula, districts with higher shares of high-need students receive additional dollars on top of base funding. Districts have flexibility around spending these funds, but when money is not fully directed to the intended students and schools, the impact on achievement gaps is diluted.
blog post Exploring the Yurok Tribe’s Management of the Klamath River By Sarah Bardeen Sep 5, 2023 The Yurok Tribe is one of the few California tribes whose members still reside on a portion of their ancestral lands, including a 44-mile stretch bordering the Klamath River. The Yurok are deeply involved with efforts to protect the river’s watershed, so we asked one of the Tribe’s lawyers to tell us more about what they’re doing—and what challenges they face.
Report Strengthening California’s Transfer Pathway By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez, Jacob Jackson Aug 29, 2023 Increasing the number of California community college students who transfer to four-year institutions is critical for creating a more diverse pool of college graduates. Despite recent progress, transfer rates remain low and racial disparities persist. Several reforms are already underway, and higher education institutions must continue to work together so more students can reach their academic goals.
Report Improving College Access and Success through Dual Enrollment By Olga Rodriguez, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Iwunze Ugo, Niu Gao Aug 21, 2023 At one time, mainly high-achieving high school students took college courses through dual enrollment; but access has widened under the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) program. While CCAP students are benefiting from the program—they enroll in community college at high rates and reach key milestones—CCAP has room to improve.
