1. American Scorecard: Special Populations
Adapted from
Brian McDonald‘s PowerPoint
Center on Poverty, Work, & Opportunity UNC School of Law

2. Population of Poverty USA
Watch this VIDEO as a class.
In 2013, 45.3 million people or 14.5% lived in poverty.
This includes all those who make less than the Federal government’s official poverty threshold which for a family of four is $23, People working at minimum wage, even holding down several jobs. Seniors living on fixed incomes. Wage earners suddenly out of work. Millions of families everywhere from our cities to rural communities.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2012, U.S. Census Bureau; Income and Poverty in the United States: 2013, U.S. Census Bureau

3. Warm-Up Questions
What is the culture of poverty and how does it contribute to economic inequality?
What contributes to economic inequality for young/older people, women, and minority groups?
What role does education play economic inequality?
Does not strike all demographics equally.
13.1% of men lived in Poverty USA, but 15.8% of women
5.8% married couples in 2013–but the poverty rate for single-parent families with no wife present was up to 15.9%
Over 30% for single-parent families with no husband present
Often perceived as a problem of urban environments and inner cities, but the poverty rate in metropolitan areas (14.2%) is actually lower than the poverty rate in rural areas (16.1%).
28.8% or 4.35 million people living with a disability lived in poverty in 2013.
Sources: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2013, U.S. Census Bureau

4. African Americans
In addition to historical trends and racism, factors that impact poverty in the black community include:
Education gap
Culture of poverty, including family structure and incarceration issues
Institutional racism
Minimum wage jobs, few benefits, little to no insurance
Job issues: Relocation of once reliable employers; move of many jobs to the suburbs

5. African Americans According to 2013 US Census Data
Highest poverty rate - Blacks (27.2%)
Second highest rate - Hispanics (of any race) (23.5%)
Asians had a poverty rate at 10.5%
Whites had a poverty rate of 9.6%
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2013, U.S. Census Bureau

6. Native Americans
Conditions on the reservation, low income jobs/unemployment, history, health problems, limited or no insurance and alcoholism are contributing factors to their poverty
Native Americans have the highest unemployment of any minority group, yet policy inaction, geography, and a lack of media coverage have excluded this group and limited positive economic change

7. Native Americans

8. Native Americans

9. Immigrants Causes of poverty Debate over illegal immigration
Low wages and worker exploitation
Unemployment or only part-time work
No insurance and/or few benefits
Education gap (and language barriers)
Limited mobility or promotions from entry- level positions
Debate over illegal immigration
What impact do undocumented workers have on the economy?

10. Immigrants

11. Women
The glass ceiling, sexual harassment, decisions regarding family life, pay inequity, stereotypes, and gender roles all contribute to economic inequality
“Consequences” of motherhood:
Lower lifetime salaries because of children (mommy tax)
Divided attention between work and home (mommy track)

12. Women

13. Young People Causes of poverty Consequences
Inherited from family
Family structure (one parent vs. two parent households)
Dropping out of high school, limited education
Unemployment
Teen pregnancy
Consequences
Competition with other groups for jobs and part-time work
Debt (benefits vs. costs of attending higher education)
Moving back in with your parents
Becoming a part of the culture of poverty, passing it on
19.9% of all children lived in poverty—about 1 in every 5 children, in 2013
In 2012, the National Center on Family Homelessness analyzed state-level data and found that nationwide, 1.6 million children experience homelessness in a year.
The National School Lunch Program provides low- or no-cost meals to impoverished children. In 2012 alone, the program served subsidized lunches to more than 31.6 million children–and has served 224 billion lunches since its founding in 1946.
Sources: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2013, U.S. Census Bureau; National Center for Family Homelessness, 2011; USDS Food and Nutrition Services, 2014

14. The Elderly Causes Consequences
Lack of savings or retirement (large portion of their income is derived from Social Security)
Increased medical costs or health problems
Rising costs and other economic problems
Limited services or knowledge of assistance that exists
Ageism and other discrimination
Consequences
Working longer, limited retirement
Less than ideal long-term care
Health problems (with limited insurance)
14.6% of seniors live at the poverty level. (Official census data gives seniors a 2013 poverty rate of only 9.5%, but the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which accounts for expenses such as the rising costs of health care, raises the senior poverty rate.)
Sources: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2013, U.S. Census Bureau; The Research Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2013, US Census Bureau

15. Young/Elderly

16. Young/Elderly

17. The Disabled
Some that are mentally & physically disabled have a difficult time finding a job
& maintaining responsibilities.
There is a negative relationship between socioeconomic status and mental illness
Unemployment contributes to homelessness, a major problem for three million veterans in the United States

18. The Disabled

19. Generalizations
Discrimination and the culture of poverty impact the economic inequality of people in all groups of society
Many special populations groups remain a part of the invisible poor
Affirmative action programs have attempted to remedy some of these problems.
Complete this Activity to see how 5 people live in poverty everyday in the USA.

20. Questions to Consider
What causes of poverty seem to exist across multiple special populations? Why?
Which causes are unique to a specific group?
What role does the majority have in helping the minority when it comes to poverty and economic inequality?
McDonad, Brian (n.d.). American Scorecard: Special Populations [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from