Report Child Care Price Dynamics in California By Margaret O’Brien-Strain, Grecia Marrufo, Helen Oliver Dec 17, 2003 Although expenditures on child care subsidies in California rose from $125 million in 1992 to $1.5 billion in 2001, some 200,000 children in California are still on the waiting list for child care vouchers, and many families are eligible for assistance but unaware that they qualify for it. In Child Care Price Dynamics in California, Grecia Marrufo, Margaret O’Brien-Strain, and Helen Oliver examine California’s child care market in light of these recent policy changes. They document double-digit increases in real child care prices, significant price variation by region, and stable earnings for child care workers. They also conclude that state subsidies, which accounted for roughly 20 percent of gross receipts in the California child care market in the 1990s, put significant upward pressure on child care prices.
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 Broad Support for Job Training and Child Care to Boost Recovery By Dean Bonner, Vicki Hsieh Dec 11, 2020 In the latest PPIC Statewide Survey, most Californians support key policy proposals to increase economic well-being and broaden opportunity.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Labor Force Participation in California By Julien Lafortune, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan ... Feb 14, 2024 California’s labor force participation is shrinking, mainly because of an aging population. But significant gaps across demographic groups are also a concern. How can California remove barriers to work, boost participation, and build a strong workforce for years to come?
press release Many Families Rise Above Poverty Line After Leaving Welfare, But Conditions for Others Are Bleak Sep 11, 2003
Report Child Poverty and the Social Safety Net in California By Caroline Danielson, Sarah Bohn Sep 29, 2014 Because economic hardship is associated with a host of adverse outcomes, particularly for children, policies that can give children a better start in life are especially important. This report focuses on measuring material hardship among children across the state. Using the California Poverty Measure—which accounts for both family earnings and safety net resources and adjusts for work expenses and housing costs—we find that one-quarter of California’s children are in poverty. An additional 26 percent of children live in households that are "near poor,” or somewhat above what is often referred to as the poverty line. In short, about half of California’s children are poor or near-poor. Poverty rates, earnings, and the role of safety net resources all vary by region. But most poor children live in "working poor” families, with one or more working adults. And, without resources from the social safety net—which includes the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, CalFresh (California’s food stamp program), CalWORKs (California’s welfare program), and housing subsidies—there would be far more children in poverty throughout California.
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.
