Are Texas Kids Prepared to Win the

Future?Release of the 2011 National

KIDS COUNT Data BookFrances Deviney, Ph.D.

Texas Kids Count Director

Center for Public Policy Priorities

August 17, 2011

http://datacenter.kidscount.org

4

5

6

7

m.datacenter.kidscount.org

After significant declines in the 1990s, the 2000s see increases in child poverty rate

1993

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

29%

21%

24%

23%

16%

20%

Recession began in 2008

Source: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau

To be considered “officially poor,” a family of three has to make less than

18,530 / year

Source: 2011 Poverty Guidelines for a family of 3 with two related children under 18 years old

U.S. added 2.5M poor kids since 2000;Of those, 1 of every 6 live in Texas

Source: KIDS COUNT Data Center, Annie E. Casey Foundation

When a household falls into poverty, children are exposed to increased parental distress, inadequate childcare, poor nutrition, and negative health outcomes.

What is happening with the economy?

Senate OKs teacher furloughs, pay cuts

We have a budget, but not a prayer

Jan-

06

May

-06

Sep-0

6

Jan-

07

May

-07

Sep-0

7

Jan-

08

May

-08

Sep-0

8

Jan-

09

May

-09

Sep-0

9

Jan-

10

May

-10

Sep-1

0

Jan-

11

May

-11

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

8.8

9.3

TX Unemployment hit peak in June 2011

Current poverty data from this

time period

Source: Monthly Unemployment Rate (%), Not Seasonally Adjusted; Texas Workforce Commission

TX Children with at least one unemployed parent

607,000

9%

Source: Current Population Survey, Kids Count Data Center

303,000

5%2007 2010

Texas added nearly 281,000 jobs from 2007-2010

47% Public Sector Jobs

53% Private Sector Jobs

Source: CPPP analysis of 1st quarter 2007 and 4th quarter 2010 labor market data, TWC

Texas’ working-age adult population grew at twice the rate of U.S.

Texas U.S.

22.5%

11.3%

Source: Adults 25-64, U.S. Decennial Census Data, 2000 and 2010

2000 (5.9M)

2010

Texas’ child population added nearly ONE MILLION Kids

6.9 M

Source: 2000 and 2010 Decennial Census data, U.S. Census Bureau

Texas has highest percentage of low-wage jobs in country

10%

6%

Source: 2010 wage and salary workers, Bureau of Labor Statistics

53% Low-income

VS.

6% Higher income

Homeowners spending > 30% of income on housing

Source: CPPP analysis of 2009 ACS data

71% Low-income

VS.

2% Higher income

Renters spending > 30% of income on housing

Source: CPPP analysis of 2009 ACS data

TX children affected by foreclosure since 2007

Source: Kids Count Data Center

281,000

3%

How does this ongoing economic stress affect our

kids?

What’s happening?

We have a work-support system that doesn’t support

work.

Unemployment Insurance

Inadequate

Texas Has Highest Rate of Uninsured Children in the Nation Eleven Years Running

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

24% 24%22% 22%

21% 21%20% 20%

21% 21%19%

14% 13%12%

11% 11% 11% 11% 11%12%

11% 11%

 Texas  United States

Source: Kids 0-18, KIDS COUNT State-Level Data Online, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Texas Ties for Worst Rate of Child Food Insecurity

Source: 2006-2008 Current Population Survey, Kids Count Data Center

• 1.6 Million (24%)

• Hungry children:– Miss more school– Less attentive– More likely to fail and be

held back– More likely to drop out

Texas is 5th lowest in per pupil expenditures in 2011

Underfunded public education by $4 Billion for 2012-13

Texas is in the bottom quarter of states for reading proficiency

TX 72%

Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation, National KIDS COUNT Report

Texas has a regressive tax policyHouseholds With the Lowest Income

Pay the Highest Percentage in State and Local Taxes

<$29,233 $29,233-52,960 $52,960-80,882 $80,882-126,460 >$126,460

13.7%

7.7%6.7% 5.9%

3.6%

Source: Percentage of Household Income Paid in Taxes by quintiles, Tax Incidence Report, State Comptroller, 2011 http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/incidence/

What can we do?

Children succeed . .

.

when parents succeed.

Invest in a two-

generation strategy

Help parents put their

families on a path to

economic success

Strengthen Families

• Strengthen EITC & SNAP• Make health care affordable & accessible

to all• Encourage savings (tax time savings

tools)• Protect assets (payday lending regulation)

Enable Children to

Reach Their Full Potential

Enable Children to Reach Their Full Potential

• Support responsible parenthood and ensure that mothers-to-be receive prenatal care

• Ensure children are developmentally ready to succeed in school

• Succeed throughout schooling by promoting reading proficiency by the end of third grade

“It broke me down, emotionally and mentally, that I couldn’t provide for my family. We’d never been in a

situation like this before.”

“I’m working a good job. . . I’m spending more time with my kids.

For all the little things that I have, I am happy.”

Manuel Luna, 31, San Antonio

Contact Information

Frances Deviney, PhD

Texas KIDS COUNT Director

deviney@cppp.org(512) 320-0222 ext. 106

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