Helene Stebbins National Center for Children in Poverty October 15, 2008 Improving the Odds for Young Children: The Research Case for Improving State Early Childhood Policy

National Center for Children in Poverty  NCCP is a non-partisan, policy research organization at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.  NCCP uses research to promote the economic security, health, and well-being of America’s low- income children and families.  Our ultimate goal: Improved outcomes for the next generation. Who we are

Research Summary 1.Income matters 2.Early experiences have lasting consequences 3.Multiple risk factors increase the chances of harmful effects

Income Matters  The 2008 federal poverty level (100% FPL) is  $17,600 for a family of 3  $21,200 for a family of 4  20% of America’s young children—5 million—live in poor families (100% FPL). On average, it takes an income of twice the poverty level to meet basic family needs  43% of America’s young children—10.6 million—live in low- income families (200% FPL). The official poverty measure is inadequate

Income Matters Basic Needs Budgets: Single Parent with Two Children, ages 3 and 6

Income Matters Young children are more likely to be poor or low-income

Income Matters In some states, more than half of young children are low-income

Young children by Income, 2007 Young Children: A young child is defined as an individual under the age of 6. Children living in group quarters and children living with only unrelated adults are excluded from these data. Poor: Income below the federal poverty level (FPL), $20,650 per year for a family of four in Low-income: Income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL); $41,300 per year for a family of four in Source: State data were calculated from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (the March Supplement) of the U.S. Current Population Survey 2006, 2007, and 2008 representing information from calendar years 2005, 2006, and NCCP averaged three years of data because of small sample sizes in less populated states. The national data were calculated from the 2008 data, representing information from the previous calendar year.

Income Matters  For parents:  Financial stress increases parents’ risks for depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, and poor parent-child relationship (McLoyd, 1990)  For children:  impede children’s cognitive development and ability to learn (Smith et al., 1997)  contribute to behavioral, social, and emotional problems (Duncan et al., 1994)  cause and exacerbate poor health (Korenman & Miller, 1997)  Especially for young children:  Effects of poverty on children depend on the timing, duration, and intensity of poverty in childhood. Risks appear to be greatest for children who experience deep and persistent poverty when they are young. ( Wagmiller, et al., 2006) Lack of income is associated with adverse outcomes

Early Experiences Matter Significant brain “architecture” is built in the first few years

Early Experiences Matter The achievement gap starts early…

Early Experiences Matter The significant lag in language arts and math skills that low-income children have before they enter kindergarten (as much as 1-2 years) are still present in third grade. (Cannon & Karoly, 2007;Hart & Risley, 2003)... and persists during the school years

Early Experiences Matter More than 20 years of longitudinal data on small- and large- scale high-quality child development programs show that low- income children are more likely to:  stay in school,  go to college,  become successful, independent adults And less likely to:  need remediation  be arrested  commit violent crimes (Campbell et al., 2002; Reynolds et al., 2001; Schweinhart, 2001) High quality child development programs are cost effective

Multiple Risks Matter  A growing body of research documents the connection between adverse early childhood experiences, and poor health and development outcomes later in life.  The research studies examine a variety of risks, and a variety of outcomes.  Despite this variation, the studies show that increases in risks relate to increases in poor outcomes. The following two slides show this relationship… The incidence of poor child outcomes increases as risks increase

Multiple Risks Matter Risks = race/ethnicity, social class (maternal education and family poverty status), child health insurance coverage, and maternal mental health. For two or more risk factors, all significant differences between risk profile and zero. (Stevens, 2006) Impact of Risk on the Health and Development of Young Children

Multiple Risks Matter Maternal risk conditions = mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence All significant differences at p<.001 (Whitaker et al., 2006) Impact of Maternal Risk Conditions on Infant and Toddler Behavior

Multiple Risks Matter Nationally, 10 percent of young children face three or more risk

NCCP’s Integrated Policy Approach How can you translate this research into improved state policy?

National Center for Children in Poverty  Is intended to  Sharpen the debate on effective state policies to promote early childhood development  Focus on young children (< age 6) and their families  Is based on  existing 50 state data bases, and is not definitive list of what states should be or are doing  Provides  State, regional, and national early childhood profiles  50-state data tables for comparisons across the states  A baseline to monitor state and national trends Improving the Odds for Young Children (ITO):

T H R I V I N G C H I L D R E N T H R I V I N G C H I L D R E N 3. Economically secure and nurturing families 1. Good health and mental health 2. High-quality early care and learning Clipart courtesy of FCIT ITO’s Integrated Policy Approach

Underlying Principles of ITO Focus on vulnerable families. Families earning less that 200 percent of the poverty level may struggle to meet the basic needs of their children. State policy choices matter. How a state chooses to allocate federal and state funds, promote quality, and establish eligibility criteria influences who has access to essential supports and who does not. Research should inform state policies. Research on the effects of poverty, the biology of the developing brain, the cumulative effects of risk, and the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions can inform policy choices. (See NCCP’s User Guide to ITO) Balance the three-legged stool. Strong policies in one area can be undermined by weak policies in another. Seek balance across child health, early learning, and family support.

Next Steps  Compare your state early childhood profile to the regional and national profile. Where are your policy strengths and weaknesses?  Customize your state early childhood profile by identifying other policy choices your state is or could make.  Make the research case for a more comprehensive early childhood policy agenda in your state.

NCCP Resources  Improving the Odds for Young Children State Profiles and 50-state data tables  User Guide to the State Early Childhood Profiles  State Family Economic Security Profiles  50-State Demographics Wizard (children < age 6)  Family Resource Simulator (20 states)  Basic Needs Budget Calculator (12 states)

For More Information Improving the Odds for Young Children State Early Childhood Profiles SIGN UP FOR NCCP UPDATES!

References Campbell, F., Ramey, C., Pungello, E., Sparling, J., & Miller-Johnson, S. (2002). Early childhood education: Young adult outcomes from the Abecedarian Project. Applied Developmental Science, 6(1), Cannon, J. S., & Karoly, L. A. (2007) Who Is Ahead and Who Is Behind? Gaps in Student Achievement in the Early Grades for California’s Children, TR-537, Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Corporation. Duncan, G., Brooks-Gunn, J., & Klebenov, P. (1994). Economic deprivation and early childhood development. Child Development, 65, Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Baltimore, MD: Brooks Publishing Co. Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (2003). The early catastrophe. The 30 million word gap. The entity from which ERIC acquires the content, including journal, organization, and conference names, or by means of online submission from the author. American Educator, 27 (1), 4-9. Hooper, S. R., Burchinal, M. R., Roberts, J. E., Zeisel, S., & Neebe, E. C. (1998). Social and family risk factors for infant development at one year: An application of the cumulative risk model. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 19, Korenman, S., & Miller, J. (1997). Effects of long-term poverty on physical health of children in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. In G. Duncan, & J. Brooks-Gunn (Eds.), Consequences of growing up poor (pp ). New York: Russell Sage Foundation McLoyd, V. C. (1990). The impact of economic hardship on Black families and children: Psychological distress, parenting, and socioemotional development. Child Development, 61, Nagin, D., & Tremblay, R. E. (1999). Trajectories of boys’ physical aggression, opposition, and hyperactivity on the path to physically violent and non violent juvenile delinquency. Child Development, 70,

References Contd. Nelson, C. A. (2000). The developing brain. In J.P. Schonkoff & D.A. Phillips (Eds.) From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development (188). Washington, DC, US: National Academy Press, Reynolds, A., Temple, J., Robertson, D., & Mann, E. (2001). Long-term effects of an early childhood intervention on educational achievement and juvenile arrest: A 15-year follow- up of low-income children in public schools. JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association, 285(18), Schweinhart, L. (2004). Lifetime effects: The high/scope Perry Preschool study through age 40. High/Scope Educational Research Foundation: Ypsilanti, MI. Smith, J., Brooks-Gunn, J., & Klebenov, P. (1997). Consequences of living in poverty for young children’s cognitive and verbal ability and early school achievement. In G. Duncan, & J. Brooks-Gunn (Eds.), Consequences of growing up poor (pp ). New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Stevens, G. (2006). Gradients in the health status and developmental risks of young children: The combined influences of multiple social risk factors. Maternal & Child Health Journal, 10(2), Wagmiller, R., Lennon, M.C., Kuang, L., Alberti, P., & Aber, L. (2006, October). The Dynamics of Economic Disadvantage and Children’s Life Chances. American Sociological Review, 71, Whitaker, R., Orzol, S., & Kahn, R. (2006, May). Maternal mental health, substance use, and domestic violence in the year after delivery and subsequent behavior problems in children at age 3 years. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63(5), U.S. Census Bureau (2006). American Community Survey, Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.