Projections: Child Poverty
Where Will Your State Be in 3, 5, or 10 Years?
As policymakers focus on achieving results it is essential to examine the direction in which an indicator is likely to move. This section is a resource for policymakers requesting information on future trends.
Questions to Consider
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What do we know about projections for factors that are likely to influence future poverty rates, such as economic growth or wage growth?
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What is the likely future impact of existing policies?
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What impact might projected poverty rates have on state tax revenues and expenditures on programs such as nutrition support or unemployment insurance payments?
What You Need to Know
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Employment and wage data are published regularly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for states and regions within states, providing a basis for economic projections.
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Projections should be understood not simply as percentages of children in poverty, but also in terms of the numbers of children affected.
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Few states that have worked to reduce child poverty have examined projections. Instead, they have set targets based on the most recent actual poverty data.