Donate
PPIC Logo Independent, objective, nonpartisan research

Search Results

Filters Sort by:
Report

The Future of Higher Education Enrollment in California

By Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez

College enrollment and completion have long trended upward in California, but enrollment declined during the pandemic. What might the state’s colleges and universities expect in the future? While California’s population is expected to grow very slowly, rising rates of college readiness among high school graduates will drive increases in enrollment over the next decade.

Report

Expanding Health Coverage in California: County Jails as Enrollment Sites

By Shannon McConville, Mia Bird

In 2014, the first year of Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation, the number of Californians with health insurance increased substantially. However, millions of state residents continue to lack comprehensive health coverage, and those who remain uninsured are likely more difficult to enroll through traditional strategies.

In this report, we find that uninsured rates are highest for young men and for those with low levels of education, income, and employment. The prevalence of these same characteristics among correctional populations suggests that the justice system—and, in particular, county jails—may offer points of contact for many uninsured individuals who would otherwise be hard to reach.

Outreach and enrollment efforts aimed at local jail populations are set within the policy context of California’s 2011 Public Safety Realignment, which created incentives and resources for local corrections agencies to improve reentry outcomes. With expansions in access to health insurance coverage under the ACA, nearly all counties are establishing programs to provide enrollment assistance to jail inmates as part of a more comprehensive reentry strategy. But resources and capacity are limited, so it is important to identify effective models to maximize the potential of county correctional systems as sites of insurance enrollment.

Report

Strengthening California’s Transfer Pathway

By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez, Jacob Jackson

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

Dual Enrollment in California

By Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao

Dual enrollment provides opportunities for high school students to take college courses and earn college credit. The pandemic has fueled a nationwide surge in participation, and equity-centered legislation has raised dual enrollment’s profile in California. As dual enrollment expands, state leaders can take steps to promote equitable access and outcomes.

Report

Improving College Access and Success through Dual Enrollment

By Olga Rodriguez, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Iwunze Ugo, Niu Gao

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.

blog post

Increasing Transfer Students at UC

By Jacob Jackson

The University of California has agreed to bring in more transfer students. Unless there is funding to increase enrollment, there may be fewer places for entering freshman.

blog post

What’s Next for Higher Education in 2023?

By Olga Rodriguez, Kevin Cook

After three years of disruption, California’s higher education institutions are ready to turn the page on the pandemic. We explore the key issues to watch this year in shrinking equity gaps, addressing enrollment concerns, and increasing college affordability and access.

blog post

Public School Enrollment Declines Vary across Grade Levels

By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty

California’s public school enrollment decreased slightly in 2022–23 and has now fallen for six years in a row. While the latest enrollment levels in grades 2 through 12 were close to projections, enrollment in earlier grades fell short.

Search results are limited to 100 items. Please use the Refine Results tool if you are not finding what you are looking for.