The California State Policy Evidence Consortium (CalSPEC) is a brand-new University of California initiative administered through the UC Center Sacramento. In alignment with the UC mission, CalSPEC leverages the UC expertise in public service and research to support evidence-based policymaking at the state level. Specifically, CalSPEC seeks to build an evidence pipeline to the State Legislature that enhances policy decision-making through rapid evidence and policy reviews on complex topics of concern or interest to the State Legislature. CalSPEC engages a team of expert UC faculty and staff who collaborate with legislative committee staff to narrow the selected topic, determine the key analytic questions and ultimately produce non-partisan, evidence-based reports within a California legislative cycle. CalSPEC is funded through early 2024 by the UC Office of the President.

The CalSPEC team is refining its analytic process and identifying appropriate methods to review evidence rapidly and systematically. The team summarizes the state of the evidence that answers the questions related to the topic CalSPEC is working on. A set of peer expert reviewers, along with the Consortium Advisory Council (CAC), vet report findings before they are released. The CAC will also serve as advisors to the initiative. CalSPEC seeks to be open and transparent in its research and analysis approach. Further information will be posted on this website as CalSPEC continues to develop in the months ahead.