California Policy Lab June 2024 Newsletter

Fewer than 1 in 3 eligible college students receive CalFresh

The “student rule” was enacted in the 1970s and it means that college students face extra eligibility requirements to qualify for CalFresh. Even among students who were estimated to be eligible, more than 200,000 didn’t participate in 2019, according to CPL’s new report. CPL shared the key findings on a recent webinar. The Sacramento Bee, Inside Higher Ed, KCRA, and EdSource covered the research. Report

5.6% of Californians delinquent on at least one loan in 1st quarter of 2024

Delinquencies decreased slightly in the first quarter, but remained worse than the same time last year, explained Evan White, a member of the research team. The LAT highlighted that millennial borrowers had the highest delinquency rate, at 7.6%.

The quarterly updates of the California Credit Dashboard now include a California Financial Trends snapshot showing how 8 trends compare to the previous quarter and the same quarter, 1, 5, and 10 years ago. The Dashboard was recently cited in MarketWatch, the Los Angeles Times, and Newsweek.

Welcome new CPL staff

Manny Prunty recently joined as a Research Associate and he will be working on CPL research focused on criminal legal reforms, including CPL’s research partnership with the Committee on Revision of the Penal Code.

Jesse Rothstein appointed director of the Center for Studies in Higher Education at UC Berkeley

Professor Rothstein will continue his role as Faculty Director of the California Policy Lab’s UC Berkeley site. He explained: “I’ve worked in various capacities with CSHE for almost 25 years, and am deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead it.”

In his new role, Rothstein plans to spearhead the California College Data and Policy Project (CCDPP), a new research initiative focused on college admissions, transfer student outcomes, and social safety net supports for students, with a goal of advancing equity and improving California’s world-class higher education system.

CPL’s Summer Institute begins

Twelve students and recent graduates were selected for this highly competitive institute that provides them the opportunity to work on independent, data-focused policy research projects, using the University of California Consumer Credit Panel. This is the 4th summer CPL has offered the Institute, however, our funding expires this year. Please reach out to Evan White if you’re interested in supporting the Institute.

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Graduate Student Researcher

CPL funding and datasets for policy-relevant research 

Applications for Seed Grants, Graduate Fellowships, and to use data from the Safety Net Dataset and the Life Course Dataset are due July 1st. Funding for our Seed Grants and Graduate Fellowships ends later this year, so apply now.

CPL is also accepting applications to use data from the Los Angeles County District Attorney (new!), the University of California Consumer Credit Panel, the Health Data Access Initiative, and the Homelessness Research Accelerator.

We send a quarterly reminder about these opportunities: subscribe here.

Interview: CPL and predictive analytics 

Janey Rountree, Executive Director of CPL’s UCLA site, was a recent guest on the Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s podcast. She explained CPL’s approach to predictive analytics and equity as part of a pilot program in Los Angeles County that’s connecting people at the highest risk of homelessness with resources to prevent that from happening. Podcast

Senator Nancy Skinner kicks off CPL webinar on CalFresh and college students 

Senator Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, introduced CPL’s webinar by noting the key role CalFresh can play in supporting college students. Our research partners also shared their perspectives on the research, and CPL staff shared key findings from the new report, policy implications, and next steps with this research. Webinar

As more Californians fall behind in making debt payments, one group stands out

Evan White, Executive Director of CPL’s Berkeley site, is quoted in this article and cites data from CPL’s California Credit Dashboard, showing that in the 1st quarter of 2024, 7.6% of millennial borrowers were delinquent on their monthly payments on credit cards, auto, and other loans, as compared to 6% for Gen X, 5.5% for Gen Z, and 3.3% for boomers.

Many California Students Eligible for CalFresh but a Fraction Enroll

Jesse Rothstein, a co-author of the report, and Faculty Director of CPL’s UC Berkeley site, explains that a smaller share of California community college students are eligible for CalFresh because they are more likely to live with their parents. The report was also covered by KCRA, the Sacramento Bee, EdSource, and other outlets.

As Budget Deadline Looms, California’s Child Welfare System Slated for Deep Cuts

CPL’s recent evaluation of Bringing Families Home is cited in this article about budget cuts that are being proposed for child welfare programs, including for Bringing Families Home.

A $114,000 salary makes you feel poorer than your parents. These 6 metrics show why.

Tracking how households are dealing with debt is a key measure to understand how Americans are faring financially, explains Evan White, Executive Director of the California Policy Lab, and a member of the research team that manages the California Credit Dashboard. White adds that the Dashboard is showing continued deterioration in credit trends, including delinquency rates and credit card utilization.

California’s Big Plan To Get Help For People With Serious Mental Illness Is Off To A Slow Start

This article about CARE Courts cites CPL research that used linked data to estimate the prevalence of psychotic spectrum disorders among L.A. residents who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness. An analysis by CPL and the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative estimated that 766 San Francisco residents would be potentially eligible for CARE Court when the program began.

Please support our work
Consider donating to support our work generating research insights for government impact. If you are interested in making a larger gift, please reach out to Evan White or Janey Rountree to discuss opportunities to support CPL.