Poverty analysis sees room for progress as well as pride – vtdigger.org

Vermont does well compared with the rest of the country on measures of the well-being of children in poverty, but it is slipping in some categories, according to a new report released by Voices for Vermonts Children.

The percentage of Vermont families in poverty is lower than in most states, and poor children do better than the national average on standardized tests, according to the report from the advocacy group.

The state also rates well on access to health care for children in poverty, the report says.

But the document indicates that many Vermonters are struggling with an increasingly high cost of living, stagnant wages and obstacles to getting ahead.

Researchers create a snapshot of Vermont in the report using state and county data on economic security, education, health, family and community. They also set goals for the state on many of the indicators.

The report says the rate of child poverty in Vermont dropped during the 2014-2015 year by 2.6 percentage points, to 13 percent. There are now 3,350 fewer children living in poverty. But most households havent recovered from the Great Recession, and the number of kids living in low-income families 36 percent is still higher than it was in 2007.

Homelessness continues to rise, with more than 1,000 school-age kids who are homeless, in addition to 1,000 children younger than 6.

Sarah Teel, research director for Voices for Vermonts Children, said the report shows that childrens lives are interconnected. We know what every child needs equitable access to the building blocks of healthy development: quality education, nurturing child care, healthy and adequate nutrition, safe and stable housing, health care, safety, economic security and positive nurturing relationships, she said.

The report says that problems in the community show up in the schools.

More than 3,800 students 5 percent of the states public school enrollment were suspended or expelled between 2014 and 2016, according to data from the Agency of Education.

Nearly one-fifth of the students excluded were in elementary school. In 2016, 177 students were suspended or expelled from kindergarten. Nearly half of the students were disciplined for violating a school policy, according to the report.

Income inequality in Vermont continues to grow, according to the report, which advocates for state policies that will contribute to quality public education and economic safety nets. Specifically, the authors support the earned income tax credit, a livable wage and paid family leave.

Equity means correcting for the injustices that are sometimes built into our systems, said Carlen Finn, executive director of Voices for Vermonts Children. Policy changes would reduce the impact of poverty, she added.

The success of future generations depends on the policies we fight for today, Finn said.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation supports an annual report card called the KIDS COUNT Data Book on child well-being that analyzes each state based on 16 indicators. Vermont ranked sixth nationally in 2016; the 2017 rankings will come out in June.

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Poverty analysis sees room for progress as well as pride - vtdigger.org