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 Our Experts Weigh In on the Drought By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount, Alvar Escriva-Bou, Sarah Bardeen Jul 19, 2022 The water news in California has been grim: We’re in year three of a miserable drought—and “miserable” is the operative word. Our experts discuss how the drought is evolving, how the state is responding, and what might be coming next.
blog post California’s Election Reforms at the Dawn of a New Decade By Eric McGhee Jul 18, 2022 The June primary marked the tenth of anniversary of two major changes to elections in California: the Citizens Redistricting Commission and the Top Two primary. What can the recent primary’s results tell us about the impact of these reforms?
blog post Lessons in Innovation from Lindsay Unified School District By Mary Severance, Niu Gao Jul 6, 2022 Lindsay Unified, a rural district in the Central Valley, has seen dramatic improvements in students outcomes. Superintendent Tom Rooney talks about the ongoing transformation.
blog post A Large California Water Utility Prepares for Climate Change By Sarah Bardeen Jun 27, 2022 How is one of the state’s major water utilities dealing with climate change? We talked to Ken Jenkins, Cal Water’s chief water resource sustainability officer, about his efforts to improve water supply resilience in the face of worsening droughts and other climate-related challenges.
Report The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education By Niu Gao, Kathy DiRanna, Maria T. Chang Fay Jun 21, 2022 COVID-19 school shutdowns were especially disruptive for science education, which has long been a lower priority than math and English language arts. But as California schools recover from the pandemic, state policymakers can take steps to promote equitable investments in science literacy.
Fact Sheet The Digital Divide in Education By Darriya Starr, Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao Jun 15, 2022 The pandemic spurred efforts to close longstanding gaps in digital access that affect African American, Latino, and lower-income students.
blog post Homeownership Trends in California By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune, Cesar Alesi Perez Jun 14, 2022 California’s homeownership rate is among the lowest in the nation, but varies widely across the state. The share of families owning the home they live in has changed little in the past 60 years.
event Responding to the Youth Mental Health Crisis Jun 1, 2022 When COVID–19 shuttered businesses and schools, it disrupted the lives of all Californians, especially children and adolescents. What impact has two years of living through a pandemic had on the mental health of our youth—and what can be done to help mitigate the effects? Join PPIC vice president and senior fellow Lande Ajose in a wide-ranging discussion with Alberto Carvalho of Los Angeles Unified School District; Lishaun Francis of Children Now; and Melissa Stafford Jones of California Health and Human Services.
