blog post Are California’s Foster Youth Claiming the State’s New Tax Credit? By Caroline Danielson Apr 9, 2024 Last year, California implemented the Foster Youth Tax Credit in an effort to alleviate poverty among young adults with a connection to the foster care system. We examine how this credit is working so far.
Report Foster Care in California: Achievements and Challenges By Helen Lee, Caroline Danielson May 12, 2010 The share of children in the California foster care system has dropped by 45 percent since 2000. This decline far outpaced the rest of the nation. The authors report that a more intense focus by local and state policymakers on child-welfare issues is at least partially responsible. They also note that serious challenges remain: among them, a continuing overrepresentation of black children in foster care. This research was supported with funding from the Stuart Foundation.
blog post Midway through California’s Extended Tax Season, Low-Income Filers Are Claiming Larger State Credits By Tess Thorman Apr 19, 2023 As of the end of March, the state had already refunded more dollars than in previous years to low-income tax filers through the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) and the Young Child Tax Credit.
Report Implementing Local Accountability in California’s Schools: The First Year of Planning By Paul Warren, Giselle Carrillo Mar 12, 2015 The passage of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) in 2013 gave California school districts flexibility in allocating resources and significantly boosted state support for the education of disadvantaged students. LCFF also includes a Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), which requires districts to enlist the help of parents and the public in identifying student performance goals and ways to achieve them. Our research in 25 California districts suggests that educators have worked hard to develop the first of these three-year plans, but that knowledge about strategic planning, data-driven decisionmaking, and involving parents and the public in the process varies significantly among districts. As a consequence, the clarity and effectiveness of the initial plans varies widely. The state can help by making technical assistance to districts and county offices of education available and affordable. Our research also indicates that expanding the role of county offices would help them push for improved student performance.
Report Distance Learning Strategies in California Schools By Niu Gao, Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune Apr 14, 2021 Learning gaps are a growing concern after a year of online instruction. During the pandemic, uneven distribution of resources may have widened gaps and led to learning loss for some students. Our survey outlines how California school districts addressed remote learning and their strategies to improve instruction in the 2020–21 school year.
Fact Sheet The Medi-Cal Program By Shannon McConville, Paulette Cha Apr 8, 2019 Medi-Cal is a state-federal program that provides 12 million low-income Californians with comprehensive health insurance.
blog post Federal Work Requirements Are Changing for Some CalFresh Participants By Tess Thorman, Caroline Danielson Jul 12, 2023 Recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—known as CalFresh in California—alter how employment affects eligibility for some participants. We examine what these changes might mean for CalFresh participants as well as for state and local policymakers.
blog post Getting Students from High-Need Schools into the UC System By Jacob Jackson Jul 13, 2016 Improving completion rates in college prep classes may be the key to boosting the enrollment of disadvantaged students at UC.
