blog post Californians’ Outlook Is Bleak as Low-Income Families Struggle By Dean Bonner, Vicki Hsieh Dec 16, 2020 Families with annual incomes of less than $40,000—about one in five California households—have been disproportionately affected by the current economic downturn, with the impact varying across regions.
Report Setting the Stage for Universal Preschool By Laura Hill, Emmanuel Prunty May 9, 2022 As the state expands its Transitional Kindergarten program, one key issue is whether access will be equitable. While the current program serves many Dual Language Learners and Latino children, some other student groups appear underenrolled. Ensuring that all elementary schools and districts offer the program is critical to improve access going forward.
Report The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville Mar 27, 2023 The Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Californians gain health insurance over the past decade. In addition to improving access to care, the ACA has increased financial well-being. This analysis focuses on the significant contribution of publicly funded health coverage—particularly Medi-Cal—to family resources across the state.
blog post Testimony: The Role of State Tax Credits in Helping Low-Income Families By Caroline Danielson Oct 3, 2022 For a hearing of the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation, PPIC’s Caroline Danielson discussed how the California Earned Income Tax Credit and the Young Child Tax Credit help mitigate poverty—and potential strategies for increasing uptake.
blog post Gas Prices Stretch Family Budgets By Sarah Bohn, Daniel Payares-Montoya Mar 16, 2022 California has recently seen its highest average gas price on record. Combined with higher prices in other key budget areas, rising gas prices pose a challenge for households around the state, especially those with lower incomes.
Fact Sheet Income Inequality in California By Tess Thorman, Daniel Payares-Montoya Apr 17, 2024 California’s income gap narrowed in 2022, but the disparity between high and low incomes is wider in California than in most other states. Over the longer term, income inequality has been driven by earnings growth among college-educated workers.
blog post Leveling the Playing Field in College Admissions By Hans Johnson, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Apr 17, 2019 Although students from low-income families are less likely to enroll in college than students from high-income families, California is faring better than the rest of the US in broadening access to higher education.
blog post Inflation Has Affected Family Spending By Sarah Bohn, Jenny Duan May 23, 2024 What has stubbornly high inflation meant for California families? Although wage gains have partly offset the impact of higher prices, Californians—especially lower-income households—are confronting higher spending levels for food, transportation, and other necessities.
Report Child Support and Low-Income Families: Perceptions, Practices, and Policy By Maureen R. Waller, Robert Plotnick Nov 1, 1999 Child support has become a pressing policy concern in California. The shortcomings of the state’s child support system have prompted both a new state department and numerous proposals for reform. This study poses a key question: why does the child support system break down for so many low-income families? Part of the answer lies in the mismatch between child support policy and the experiences of many low-income parents. As a result of this mismatch, many poor parents prefer informal arrangements to full compliance with regulations that they perceive to be unfair, counterproductive, or punitive. The authors, Maureen Waller and Robert Plotnick, conclude that child support policy should honor both the need for effective enforcement and constraints on low-income families.
Report The Impact of Expanding Public Preschool on Child Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman Jun 17, 2019 High-quality preschool has many benefits, such as promoting early skill development in young children and supporting work among parents. More investments in public preschool could also help reduce child poverty by subsidizing an important family expense.
