Public Policy Institute of California

08/24/2026

TOMORROW: Join PPIC researchers as they discuss new research on how state policymakers can comply with new federal CalFresh requirements while helping low-income adults maintain food assistance and reach employment goals.

Register ➡️ https://bit.ly/4hzgqxQ

08/21/2026

NEXT WEEK: How do California school districts decide when an English Learner is ready to be reclassified as English proficient? Join PPIC researchers for a discussion of new findings from a survey of nearly 350 CA school districts.

Learn more & register: https://bit.ly/3UqVKOV

08/21/2026

NEXT TUESDAY: New federal rules impose stricter work requirements on many CalFresh adults. How can CA comply while helping low-income adults keep food assistance and reach employment goals? Join us for a discussion on recent findings from a new report.

Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/4hzgqxQ

08/20/2026

🆕 How are California's K-12 schools really doing? Our new explainer breaks down enrollment, funding, achievement, and more in one place.

California’s public schools have undergone major shifts in recent years—from a funding formula overhaul to the pandemic. As schools continue to grapple with lagging student performance, persistent achievement gaps, and declining enrollment, a clear understanding of the education landscape can he...

08/19/2026

Is online learning here to stay at California Community Colleges? We look at how enrollment has evolved since the pandemic, what's driving colleges to keep investing in it, and the open questions about quality and access that remain.

The pandemic spurred major increases in online learning. By last fall, enrollment in online classes was almost the same as those in person: 43% to 49%.

08/18/2026

NEW COMMENTARY: California will continue to be an agricultural powerhouse long into the future. But as the San Joaquin Valley adjusts to a future with less groundwater pumping, crops that don’t use much water could help ease the transition. Read the latest op-ed from PPIC Water Policy Center researchers!

California will continue to be an agricultural powerhouse long into the future. But as the San Joaquin Valley adjusts to a future with less groundwater pumping, crops that don’t use much water could help ease the transition.

08/14/2026

: As back-to-school season gears up, CA's 2024–25 chronic absenteeism rate was 19% (1.1 million students)—down from its 2021–22 peak (30%) in 2021–22 but still above the 2018–19 rate of 12%.

Learn more about chronic absenteeism in 👇

Missing school for 18 days or more is linked to academic underachievement, and any student absences affect districts, as school funding is based on attendance. Statewide, chronic absenteeism has dropped from its peak but remains well above rates before the pandemic; furthermore, improvement has slow...

08/14/2026

🆕 How do Californians' political views differ across the state? Our new report looks at what unites—and divides—Californians politically, from party lines to regional differences.

Read the full report 👇

As election season gears up, how do political views differ across the state? Our new research examines regional differences in partisan alignment and in opinions about the cost of living, immigration, climate change, abortion, and more.

08/14/2026

The share of mail-in ballots rejected for lateness has been rising in recent elections. Are process changes by the US Postal Service contributing to the problem? We take a look 👇

The share of mail-in ballots rejected for lateness has been rising in recent elections. Are process changes by the US Postal Service contributing to the problem?

08/12/2026

🌊 It’s National Water Quality Month! We quizzed two of our Water Policy Center experts on California’s water features—turns out they have Opinions (capital O) about algae, dams, and one particularly ugly fountain.

Want a deeper dive on all things water in California? Check out our work via the link in bio.

algae dams