California
State Government
Governor
Gavin Newsom (D)
State Senate
32
Democrats,
8
Republicans
State House
62
Democrats,
17
Republicans
Economic well-being - California
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.1
Minimum wage
16.5
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.3
Poverty rate
11.8%
Unemployment rate
5.5
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
5.9
Housing - California
Home foreclosure rate
1 in 3407
People experiencing homelessness
187,084.0
Households paying more than 50% of income on housing
1,633,600.0
Percent renters
0.4
Poverty by demographic - California
Child poverty rate
0.2
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
251000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
192000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
1981000
Senior poverty rate
12.0 %
Women in poverty
19,461,027
Mercury News, February 15, 2013: Bay Area educators laud President Barack Obama's preschool plan
"Preschool advocates, who have weathered five years of dispiriting state budget cuts, have responded ecstatically to President Barack Obama's initiative for universal preschool for 4-year-olds, a major surge in federal involvement in education. And with a blueprint already in the works for a statewide preschool plan, California may be well positioned to begin offering preschool to the estimated 125,000 4-year-olds from low-income families who can't afford to enroll."
Ventura County Star, February 11, 2013: Oxnard to consider subsidy for low-income seniors
"The concept of an assistance program for cash-strapped seniors on fixed incomes has been advocated by Councilwoman Carmen Ramirez, who suggested the idea when the council approved utility rate increases last year."
The San Francisco Chronicle, February 04, 2013: WA had more than 27K homeless students last year
"State education officials say the number of homeless students continues to rise.More than 27,000 students were reported as homeless in the 2011-12 school year. That number is up about 5 percent from 2010-11 and up nearly 47 percent from the beginning of the recession."
The Vallejo Times Herald, February 02, 2013: Fewer homeless students countywide, more in Vallejo
"Halfway into the 2012-13 academic year, the number of homeless students being tracked countywide has fallen by more than 200 from the end of last year. The figures -- from 1,536 at the end of 2011-12 to 1,328 now -- come as some districts report more students without permanent homes while others reported fewer."
The Record, January 28, 2013: Bringing college to the masses
"A 2012 study by the New York-based Community College Resource Center suggested programs in which high schools offer college-credit courses could be a step toward equity for students from low-income and minority backgrounds. Studying California students in particular, researchers reported that those taking the college-credit courses are more likely to graduate high school, enroll in four-year colleges and be successful once they get there."
Sacramento Bee, January 28, 2013: (Op-Ed) Our philosopher-governor channels Aristotle on schools
"So Brown is proposing to start with a base of $6,816 per student (equal shares to equals), adding extra money for students who are English learners, low-income or in foster care (unequal shares to unequals). And he repeated his Aristotelian maxim in Thursday's State of the State address: Equal treatment for children in unequal situations is not justice.'"