Child Poverty in California
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Child Poverty in California Sarah Bohn Bay Area Early Childhood Funders February 20, 2014 Portions of this research supported by The Walter S. Johnson Foundation
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Child Poverty in California. Sarah Bohn Bay Area Early Childhood Funders February 20, 2014. Portions of this research supported by The Walter S. Johnson Foundation. Child poverty remains high, despite recent turnaround. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Child Poverty in California
Child Poverty in California
Sarah BohnBay Area Early Childhood FundersFebruary 20, 2014
Portions of this research supported by The Walter S. Johnson Foundation
Child poverty remains high, despite recent turnaround
2SOURCE: “Child Poverty” PPIC Just the Facts (2013) . And author’s calculations from Current Population Survey ASEC
Poverty rates are relatively lower in the Bay Area
3SOURCE: Author’s calculations from Census Bureau, 2011 ACS
Official statistics are lacking
Do not reflect many large-scale antipoverty programs
Have not been modified to reflect changes in the cost of living
National effort to design alternative measures began in 1990s– Census Bureau releases “Research
Supplemental Poverty Measure” in 2011– PPIC & CPI release “California Poverty
Measure” in 2013
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The California Poverty Measure is more accurate and comprehensive
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Family Resources =
cash income
+ safety net benefits
– work & medical expenses
Threshold of basic needs = food
+ clothing + utilities
+ housing (varies by county)
Most Californians live in high-cost areas
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Official poverty threshold: $22,811
Average poverty threshold(family of four)
SOURCE: Bohn, Danielson, Levin, Mattingly, and Wimer (2013)
Our measure finds more people of all ages in poverty
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SOURCES: Bohn et al. California Poverty Measure estimates for 2011; official poverty estimates from the California sample of the ACS (2011).
Clear role for safety net in reducing child poverty
8SOURCE: California Poverty Measure estimates for 2011
Overall, need-based programs cut the poverty rate sharply
9SOURCE: California Poverty Measure estimates for 2011.
Overall, need-based programs cut the poverty rate sharply
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SOURCE: California Poverty Measure estimates for 2011
A different regional picture based on the California Poverty Measure
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SOURCE: California Poverty Measure estimates for 2011.
8.1 million Californians in poverty– 2.2 million more than official estimates Safety net resources substantially
moderate the child poverty rate Still, safety net resources offset by
California’s higher cost of living and by nondiscretionary expenses
Our findings alter understanding of poverty
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Alleviating poverty 50 years after the war started
California, the “golden state,” ranks last California Poverty Measure potential to
– Better targeting those in need– Predict how changes will play out– Assess what works, and for whom
Poverty is really a problem of health, development, educational achievement, family formation, opportunity
A key to the puzzle: poverty transitions over a lifetime
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