• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Education / "Kids Count" survey shows impact of economy

"Kids Count" survey shows impact of economy

December 17, 2008 By admin

The annual "Kids Count" survey shows that Iowa kids have been impacted by economic issues even before the latest economic downturn. Iowa Kids Count director, Michael Crawford, looked at the trends beginning at the start of this decade. Crawford says the non-economic indicators, those dealing with health and education are doing well, but the economic indicators have not done very well.

He says things like infant deaths, and child deaths decreased by more than ten percent, while the teen birth rate, and unmarried teen births dropped, and high school test scores and graduation rates have increased. Crawford says the economic indicators show a bleaker picture, as food assistance has increased 90% as far as eligibility since 2000, the unemployment rate has increased by 46-percent, and child poverty has increased as well.

"Kids are being born healthy and being raised healthy, which is a good sign, but unfortunately economically it has been a difficult time for the families the last seven years," Crawford says. He says the data only goes through 2007, so things could be worse next year. Crawford says some short term fixes would be to increase food assistance and unemployment assistance.

In the long term, he says the state should increase the minimum wage to nine-dollars-an-hour and increase the earned income tax credit and raise the child care subsidy limit from 145-percent of poverty to 200-percent of poverty to increase its availability. Crawford says doing anything right now might be tough, but he says the state has to look ahead.

He says it’s difficult to embrace these programs with the current economic conditions, but he says the state should work toward them in the next five years. The "Kids Count" survey looks at 19 indicators to determine how well as state is doing. Crawford says he believes overall Iowa is doing a little better than other states. You can find the entire survey on the Kids Count website .

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Education, Health / Medicine

Featured Stories

Governor signs Iowa Renewable Fuels Standard into law

Jury returns guilty verdict in shooting death of State Trooper

A haboob, a dust storm black out, hits northwest Iowa

Summit has easements for 20% of carbon pipeline route through Iowa

Morel mushroom hunters on hold without warmer conditions

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa’s Huckstorf garners national award

Iowa Special Olympics Summer games set to open in Ames

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 5/16/22

Iowa assistant coach Kirk Speraw to retire

Northern Iowa prepares for Missouri Valley Conference softball tournament

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC