Wisconsin's Black Children Remain Trapped in Poverty, Study Says
By Guy Boulton of the Journal Sentinel
Sept. 10, 2014
African-American children still face dismal odds in Wisconsin.
The state ranks last in the country in the overall well-being of African-American children based on an index of 12 measures that gauge a child's success from birth to adulthood, according to a new report being released Wednesday by the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families.
The measures, while not new, are bleak:
■ Four out of every five African-American children in Wisconsin live in poor households, compared with roughly two out of three Latino children and three out of 10 white children.
■ Seven out of 10 African-American children live in single-parent families, compared with fewer than four of 10 Latino children and roughly two of 10 white children.
■ Fewer than one in 10 in eighth grade are proficient in math, compared with almost one in five for Latino children and a bit less than one in two for white children.
Ken Taylor, speaking for the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families, is quick to acknowledge that people have become inured to the widespread poverty among African-Americans in the state.
"The indifference is one of the core challenges we need to face," he said.
The report by the advocacy group calls for a sense of urgency and a long-term commitment to improving the lives of African-American children.
"We need to come together as a community — as a state — to say that this is an abomination that is not in keeping with our values or how we view ourselves as Wisconsinites," Taylor said.
He noted that the gap affects the economy and quality of life for everyone.
"This does makes the state less competitive and less desirable," he said.
It also is a waste of human capital — the accumulated skills, knowledge and expertise of the workforce — that has become increasingly important to economic growth and prosperity.
The report builds on an earlier national report released this year by the Annie E. Casey Foundation that drew attention to the effects of widespread poverty among African-Americans in Wisconsin — and the state's ranking last in the country for African-American children.
The Casey Foundation report found that the state ranks 13th nationally in the overall well-being of children.
"This is a more in-depth look at the rankings," Taylor said.
The gap between African-American and white children isn't limited to Milwaukee or southeastern Wisconsin. A previous report by the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families found a wider gap in Madison and Dane County.
A hopeful statistic
One bright spot is the percentage of African-American children — 64% — who attend preschool.
A high-quality preschool can have an outsized effect on a child growing up in poverty, although the results may not show up for years, said Owen Thompson, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Young children are easier to influence than older children and adults.
"That's where we think we might be able to change the basic trajectory of their economic life," Thompson said.
The importance of preschool, and its potential role in helping children develop self-control and the skills involved in organization and planning, is getting more attention in policy circles, Taylor said.
"Now the challenge is to make sure that kids are in high-quality child care," he said.
The state's effort to rate child care centers — the YoungStar program, made available online in 2011 — is an important step, he added.
But Taylor also said the problem requires more than a government response.
"Government needs to be part of the solution," he said. "But what is the responsibility of the faith and business communities?"
At the same time, he acknowledged the perception that government poverty programs have been ineffective, and that government often is not good at acknowledging when programs or initiatives aren't working.
"We absolutely need to take a hard look at all programs to see if they are being as effective as they could be," Taylor said. "But I would take issue with the contention that all our poverty programs have failed."
A changing economy
That, too, is Thompson's view.
"There have been changes in the labor market that have made it much more difficult for people with limited education to find living-wage employment," Thompson said.
Among the measures of well-being are the percentage of teenagers ages 15 to 19 who delay having children and the percentage of children living in single-parent households. Both are key factors in poverty.
"There is personal responsibility and family responsibility in this," Taylor said. "We need to discuss that."
The report calls for people to move beyond placing blame, but Taylor said it is an issue.
"That is one of the areas that is more difficult to talk about, and we have to have those conversations," Taylor said. "I see those numbers, and I'm alarmed by them. And I am the first to say I don't understand all the dynamics that lead to that."
The report presents only broad outlines on how the state should work to improve the lives of African-American children.
Taylor is quick to acknowledge that making headway could take generations. But the report, he said, shows the need to do something.
"We all have responsibility," he said, "and it is in all our best interests to address this and do more."
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| Milwaukee demonstration outside Chase Bank in the Summer of 2011. (Photo: Abayomi Azikiwe) |
Sept. 10, 2014
African-American children still face dismal odds in Wisconsin.
The state ranks last in the country in the overall well-being of African-American children based on an index of 12 measures that gauge a child's success from birth to adulthood, according to a new report being released Wednesday by the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families.
The measures, while not new, are bleak:
■ Four out of every five African-American children in Wisconsin live in poor households, compared with roughly two out of three Latino children and three out of 10 white children.
■ Seven out of 10 African-American children live in single-parent families, compared with fewer than four of 10 Latino children and roughly two of 10 white children.
■ Fewer than one in 10 in eighth grade are proficient in math, compared with almost one in five for Latino children and a bit less than one in two for white children.
Ken Taylor, speaking for the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families, is quick to acknowledge that people have become inured to the widespread poverty among African-Americans in the state.
"The indifference is one of the core challenges we need to face," he said.
The report by the advocacy group calls for a sense of urgency and a long-term commitment to improving the lives of African-American children.
"We need to come together as a community — as a state — to say that this is an abomination that is not in keeping with our values or how we view ourselves as Wisconsinites," Taylor said.
He noted that the gap affects the economy and quality of life for everyone.
"This does makes the state less competitive and less desirable," he said.
It also is a waste of human capital — the accumulated skills, knowledge and expertise of the workforce — that has become increasingly important to economic growth and prosperity.
The report builds on an earlier national report released this year by the Annie E. Casey Foundation that drew attention to the effects of widespread poverty among African-Americans in Wisconsin — and the state's ranking last in the country for African-American children.
The Casey Foundation report found that the state ranks 13th nationally in the overall well-being of children.
"This is a more in-depth look at the rankings," Taylor said.
The gap between African-American and white children isn't limited to Milwaukee or southeastern Wisconsin. A previous report by the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families found a wider gap in Madison and Dane County.
A hopeful statistic
One bright spot is the percentage of African-American children — 64% — who attend preschool.
A high-quality preschool can have an outsized effect on a child growing up in poverty, although the results may not show up for years, said Owen Thompson, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Young children are easier to influence than older children and adults.
"That's where we think we might be able to change the basic trajectory of their economic life," Thompson said.
The importance of preschool, and its potential role in helping children develop self-control and the skills involved in organization and planning, is getting more attention in policy circles, Taylor said.
"Now the challenge is to make sure that kids are in high-quality child care," he said.
The state's effort to rate child care centers — the YoungStar program, made available online in 2011 — is an important step, he added.
But Taylor also said the problem requires more than a government response.
"Government needs to be part of the solution," he said. "But what is the responsibility of the faith and business communities?"
At the same time, he acknowledged the perception that government poverty programs have been ineffective, and that government often is not good at acknowledging when programs or initiatives aren't working.
"We absolutely need to take a hard look at all programs to see if they are being as effective as they could be," Taylor said. "But I would take issue with the contention that all our poverty programs have failed."
A changing economy
That, too, is Thompson's view.
"There have been changes in the labor market that have made it much more difficult for people with limited education to find living-wage employment," Thompson said.
Among the measures of well-being are the percentage of teenagers ages 15 to 19 who delay having children and the percentage of children living in single-parent households. Both are key factors in poverty.
"There is personal responsibility and family responsibility in this," Taylor said. "We need to discuss that."
The report calls for people to move beyond placing blame, but Taylor said it is an issue.
"That is one of the areas that is more difficult to talk about, and we have to have those conversations," Taylor said. "I see those numbers, and I'm alarmed by them. And I am the first to say I don't understand all the dynamics that lead to that."
The report presents only broad outlines on how the state should work to improve the lives of African-American children.
Taylor is quick to acknowledge that making headway could take generations. But the report, he said, shows the need to do something.
"We all have responsibility," he said, "and it is in all our best interests to address this and do more."
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