blog post CSU and UC Are a Better Value Than Universities Nationwide By Jacob Jackson Nov 23, 2016 The federal government’s yearly scorecard shows that California’s public universities offer students good economic returns for a reasonable price.
blog post Free University Tuition: How Many California Students Would Benefit? By Jacob Jackson Sep 1, 2016 Hillary Clinton has proposed free university tuition for students whose families earn less than $85,000. How many California students might benefit from such a plan?
blog post The News on Student Debt Is Not All Bad By Hans Johnson Jan 12, 2017 There are some encouraging and newly emerging trends in student debt, especially in California.
blog post Interview: Filling the Gaps in California’s Education Data By Vicki Hsieh Jun 20, 2019 Dr. Jessica Cunningham of the Kentucky Center for Statistics discusses her state’s preschool-to-workforce data system and potential lessons for California.
blog post COVID-19 Further Disrupts Testing for College Admissions and Placement By Niu Gao, Olga Rodriguez Sep 16, 2020 As the pandemic continues to cause major shifts in the educational landscape, California’s public colleges and universities are exploring how new admissions and placement approaches might promote equity and access.
Report Will California Run Out of College Graduates? By Hans Johnson, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Oct 12, 2015 California’s higher education system is a critical driver of the state’s economic progress. As the state’s economy continues to change, will its workforce be ready for the jobs of tomorrow? This report updates and extends projections of California’s workforce skills through 2030, focusing on the supply and demand for workers with a bachelor’s degree. We find that the state will fall about 1.1 million college graduates short of economic demand if current trends persist—a problem we call the workforce skills gap. Even the arrival of highly educated workers from elsewhere is unlikely to be large enough to fill this gap. Today’s college graduates have better economic outcomes than those who do not hold a bachelor’s degree. Over time, college graduates have seen lower rates of unemployment and higher wages than other workers—even through the Great Recession—suggesting that college degrees have become increasingly valuable in California’s labor market. The future workforce skills gap looms large. But California and its higher education institutions can take several practical steps to close it. The core of a new plan for higher education should include increasing access to the state’s four-year institutions, improving college completion rates, expanding transfer pathways from community colleges, and being smart about aid programs.
Report Pathways to College Completion in the San Joaquin Valley By Hans Johnson, Olga Rodriguez, Cesar Alesi Perez, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Aug 14, 2024 California’s San Joaquin Valley has the lowest college enrollment and completion rates in the state. Yet with its youthful, diverse, growing population; expanding economy; and robust regional networks, dramatic improvements are possible. A new report details how institutions, educators, and policymakers can build on current college-going pathways.
blog post California’s Private Colleges Are Preparing for the End of Affirmative Action By Kevin Cook, Mary Severance Mar 23, 2023 The US Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling this year that declares affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional. We talked with Kristen Soares, president of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, about the potential impact of the court’s decision.
