Tracking Child Poverty in Vermont

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Tracking Child Poverty in Vermont

• An Evaluation of the Vermont Child Poverty
  Council Benchmarks

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Background

• Policy Research Shop (PRS)
• Task Assessment of Benchmarks
• Database
• Report

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Assessment of Benchmarks

• Definition of Benchmark
• Adequately Tracked
• Inadequately Tracked
• What made an Effective Benchmark
• Recommendations and Suggestions

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Benchmark Categories

• 1. General Poverty Demographics
• 2. Mending the Safety Net
• 3. Education
• 4. Getting Ahead Through Employment
• 5. Economic Stability
• 6. Strengthening Family and Communities

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Evaluation Criteria

• Ease of Access
• Clarity of Benchmark
• Quantifiable/Updatable

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1. General Poverty Demographics
Benchmark Accessibility Clarity Quantifiable
NAS Model Difficult to Track No Existing Model
ACS Children in Poverty
JFO Basic Needs Budget Missing Part
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2. Mending the Safety Net
Benchmark Accessibility Clarity Quantifiable
Homelessness Wording
Housing and Utilities
Reach-Up
3SquaresVT
Uninsured Children
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3. Education
Benchmarks Accessibility Clarity Quantifiable
Pre-K Wording
Kindergarten Readiness Missing Part
Aspiration Rate
Seniors Taking the SAT
19 Year Olds in College Difficult to Track
Cohort Graduation Rates
NECAP
NAEP
Post-secondary Education
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4. Getting Ahead Through Employment
Benchmark Accessibility Clarity Quantifiable
Not in School and Not Working
Not in School, No High School Degree
Job Payment
Median Income County Level Difficult to Track
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5. Economic Stability
Benchmark Accessibility Clarity Quantifiable
NCCP Benefit Cliffs
Child Care Schedules Wide in Scope Not Quantifiable
Child Care Subsidy
Child Care Assistance
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6. Strengthening Families and Communities
Benchmark Accessibility Clarity Quantifiable
Births to Unmarried Mothers
YRBS Survey Wide in Scope
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Findings

• 27 Benchmarks
• 3 not accessible
• 2 partially-tracked
• 22 tracked
• 15 tracked by Voices for Vermonts Children

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Plan of Action

• Standardize
• Scrutinize
• Specify

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Questions?