1. The State of Texas and Harris County Children Frances Deviney, PhD Texas KIDS COUNT Director Center for Public Policy Priorities Houston, TX June 3, 2010

2. 1 of every 6 (or 1.1 Million) TX Kids Live in Harris County Source: 2008 Population Estimates, Texas State Data Center

3. Harris Co. Children: Now and in the Future Child population projected to grow 10% by 2020 Source: 2008 Population Estimates & 2008 Projections using 2000-2004 Scenario, Texas State Data Center

4. Over 790,000 Kids in Harris County Public School System Source: 2008-2009 Enrollment Data, Texas Education Agency

5. More than two-thirds of kids in Harris Co. Public Schools Considered Economically Disadvantaged Source: 2008-2009 Enrollment Data, Texas Education Agency Economically Disadvantaged = Kids who are eligible for free (below 130% of poverty) or reduced-price lunch (130%-185% of poverty)

6. Gaps in Achievement

7. Fewer Economically Disadvantaged Kids in Harris Co. Pass the TAKS Tests Source: Percent Students Passing Across Grades Within Each Test, 2009 TAKS data, Texas Education Agency

8. TAKS Reading for Harris Co. Source: Percentage of kids by grade who took the reading test 2009 TAKS data, Texas Education Agency

9. TAKS Math for Harris Co. Source: Percentage of kids by grade who took the math test, 2009 TAKS data, Texas Education Agency

10. How Many Economically Disadvantaged Kids Not Passing in Harris County? Reading = 42,000+ Math = 65,000+ Science = 30,000+ Social Studies = 7,000+ Writing = 5,900+

11. Gaps in Attainment

12. Economically Disadvantaged and Minority Students Drop Out at Higher Rates Source: Class of 2008 four-year longitudinal dropout rate within group, Texas Education Agency

13. Gaps in Employment & Earnings

14. Source: Median Earnings in Past 12 Months for Harris Co. Population 25 and Over, 2008 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau (Table B20004) Having a Degree Translates into Higher Annual Earnings

15. Nearly One of Every Four Harris Co. Dropouts Lives in Poverty Source: Table C17003, 2008 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau

16. Important to close the Achievement Gap? Gap caused by factors outside of school? Whose responsibility? 88% 77% 57% up to the school alone Public Poll on Education Source: Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll (2006)

17. Texas Children: Children in Our Community

18. Family Economic Security

19. “It is unrealistic to expect to change schools in any deep way without dealing with some of the issues that arise with poverty.” Richard Rothstein as cited in “Why Segregation Matters”

20. Nearly One of Every Four Harris County Children Lives in Poverty Source: Children ages 0-17, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau

21. TX Unemployment Rose Steadily Throughout 2009 Current poverty data from this time period Source: Texas Workforce Commission

22. Monthly Costs for Single-Parent, Two-Child Family in Houston Total Monthly Expenses = $2,826 - $3,293 Source: Family Budget Estimator, CPPP, www.cppp.org/fbe

23. Necessary Income for Single-Parent, 2-Child Family in Harris County Hourly = $17 - $22/hour Annual = $34,824 - $44,417 Source: Family Budget Estimator, CPPP, www.cppp.org/fbe

24. One in Three Harris Co. Families Headed by Single Parent Source: 2008 ACS, U.S. Census Bureau

25. Using FBE budgets for one-parent, two-child families in Harris County... If HAVE employer-sponsored insurance: only 63% can’t cover expenses If buy insurance on open-market: 71% can’t cover expenses Source: Population Reference Bureau analysis of U.S. Census Bureau’s 2006 American Community Survey income data compared of to CPPP’s Family Budget Estimates.

26. Health Care Coverage and Gaps

27. Texas Has Highest Rate of Uninsured Children in the Nation Ten Years Running Source: Kids 0-18, KIDS COUNT State-Level Data Online, Annie E. Casey Foundation

28. Fewer Texas Kids Receiving Health Coverage Through Parent’s Work Source: March Supplement data, Current Population Survey, U.S. Census Bureau

29. Source: 3-year average data (2004-2006 vs. 2005-2007) for children ages 0-18, Current Population Survey, U.S. Census Bureau Since 2003, Texas’ Middle-Income Kids Had Biggest Increases in Uninsured Federal Poverty Level Better Worse

30. Health Insurance for Harris Co. Children Medicaid UP 37% –Nearly 374K enrolled (Aug 2003-May 2010) CHIP UP 11% –Nearly 104K enrolled (Aug 2003-May 2010) CHIP Perinatal UP 19% –Nearly 15K Perinates and Moms covered (Jan 2008-April 2010) Source: Texas Health and Human Services Commission

31. Physician Acceptance of New Medicaid Patients in Texas, 2008 Source: Texas Medical Association based on TMA Physician Survey 2008. Prepared by TMA, 2008.

32. Hunger & Nutrition

33. Harris Co. Participation in Hunger & Nutrition Programs WIC (ages 0-4) UP 7% –Over 128K or 38% of all kids 0-4 (2000 to 2007) SNAP (a.k.a Food Stamps) UP 64% –Over 311K kids (Jan 2008 to June 2010) Free or Reduced-Price Lunch UP 15.5% –474,887 kids or 64% public school students (2000 to 2009) Source: Texas Department of Health and Human Services; Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Department of Agriculture

34. Texas Ranks 2 nd Worst in Food Insecurity 1 in 6 Texas families (1.4M) Hungry children: –Miss more school –Less attentive –More likely to fail and be held back –More likely to drop out Source: Nord et al. (2009), Economic Research Service, USDA

35. Early Care & Education

36. “Early disadvantage, if left untouched, leads to academic and social difficulties later in life. Early advantages accumulate, just as early disadvantages do.” Heckman & Masterov, as cited in “Early Childhood Education for All: A Wise Investment”

37. Language exposure of 4 year olds By age 4, the average child from a: Professional family has heard 20M more words than... child from working-class family

38. Language exposure of 4 year olds By age 4, the average child from a: Professional family has heard 35M more words than... child from low-income family Source: Hart, B., and Risley, R. (1999). The social world of children learning to talk. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

39. One in four TX preschoolers not being read to regularly Source: 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health, Kids Count Data Center

40. Early Care and Education for Harris County Children Pre-K (ages 3-4) –UP 33%, to nearly 42K or 32% of 3-4 year-olds (2000-2008) Subsidized Child Care Enrollment (ages 0-12) –UP 32%, to over 39K or 4.9% (2000-2008) Source: Texas Education Agency; Texas Workforce Commission

41. Early Care and Education for Harris County Children Subsidized Child Care Waiting List –0 (Gulf Coast WFB, May 2010) Head Start (ages 3-4) –Enrollment up, but percentage kids participating DOWN 7% to 6,649 kids (2000-2008) Source: Texas Workforce Commission; U.S. Administration for Children and Families ARRA

42. “The achievement gap can be substantially narrowed only when school improvement is combined with social and economic reform” Richard Rothstein, “Class and Schools”

43. Broader, Bolder Approach to Education Continue school improvement efforts. Provide developmentally-appropriate, high- quality early childhood education. Improve the quality of out-of-school time. Provide routine pediatric, dental, hearing, and vision care for all children. Source: Economic Policy Institute Task Force, www.boldapproach.org

44. Health Reform is a Major Victory for Texas’ Kids and Families!

45. National Health Care Reform: Promotes preventative health care. Ends discrimination against sick children. Will create affordable options for low- and middle-income families through exchanges. Protects young adults from becoming uninsured between graduation and employment. Prohibits lifetime limits.

46. www.texasvoiceforhealthreform.org

47. Sustained & Balanced Investment by the Community in the Community is the Key

48. INSTEAD… Texas Leadership calling for 10% cuts for current 2012-13 state budget!

49. Texas Needs A Balanced Approach to Balancing the Budget

50. How Texas Can Close the Revenue Gap in 2011? Use the Rainy Day Fund Utilize All Federal Funds Available to Us

51. How Texas Can Close the Revenue Gap in 2011? Use the Rainy Day Fund Utilize All Federal Funds Available to Us Find New Sources of Revenue

52. With a Balanced Approach, Texas Can… Maintain investments in the essentials—like health, education, infrastructure Close the education and earnings gap Make Texas stronger

53. Let’s make sure we’re not shortchanging our children or our future.

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