blog post Commentary: California Must Prioritize Science Education to Stay Competitive By Niu Gao, Kathy DiRanna Sep 13, 2022 The pandemic derailed science education in California, stalling the state’s progress in implementing new science standards. California’s continuing recovery from COVID is an opportunity to reprioritize science education.
blog post California’s Evolving Economy By Sarah Bohn Sep 6, 2022 Fundamental shifts in three keys areas--where we work, how we work, and the role of federal investments--are likely to shape California’s economic future as well as the policy questions we face.
blog post Video: The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education By Mary Severance Aug 19, 2022 PPIC researcher Maria Fay presents findings on how the pandemic has affected California schools’ progress in implementing science education standards, and an expert panel discusses how the state can support equitable investments in science literacy moving forward.
blog post How Is California’s Child Care Sector Faring? By Sarah Bohn, Julien Lafortune Jul 7, 2022 Parents are back to work, with the share of employed mothers even higher than it was pre-COVID. But job recovery in the child care sector markedly lags that of the economy overall.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education By Niu Gao, Mary Severance Jun 21, 2022 As California schools recover from the pandemic, policymakers can take steps to promote equitable investments in science literacy across the state.
blog post In a Tight Labor Market, Does a College Degree Still Matter for Employment? By Sarah Bohn, Julien Lafortune Jun 16, 2022 The overall employment rate has returned to around pre-pandemic levels for California workers with and without a college degree. Still, among most demographic groups the recovery has lagged for workers without a degree.
blog post How Active Stewardship Could Protect California’s Forests from Extreme Wildfire By Sarah Bardeen Jun 6, 2022 Increasingly extreme wildfires—driven by a combination of fuel build-up, drought, and climate change—are threatening forests throughout California. Without intervention, some of these landscapes could be forever changed. UC Berkeley professor Scott Stephens lays out urgently needed measures that could save the state’s beloved big trees.
blog post Maximizing Benefits of Solar Development in the San Joaquin Valley By Annabelle Rosser, Mitchelle De Leon May 9, 2022 Solar development offers one promising way to soften the economic blow as more irrigated farmland comes out of production in the San Joaquin Valley. We met with a diverse range of stakeholders to discuss how to maximize benefits—and mitigate potential harm.
blog post California’s Labor Force: A Swift Recovery, but What’s Next? By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Apr 28, 2022 Total employment has recovered more quickly from the COVID-19 recession than from previous downturns. Still, current workforce pressures reflect ongoing challenges that California must address to foster long-term economic mobility and growth.
blog post Will Infrastructure Investments Mean Better Jobs for Californians? By Daniel Payares-Montoya, Shannon McConville, Sarah Bohn Apr 25, 2022 Substantial new public spending on infrastructure has the potential to increase economic mobility in California, though a share of the newly created jobs likely will be in low-paying occupations.
