Survey information from 1,616 farm families in Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Tennessee was used to construct a viability ratio measuring a family's ability to meet its obligations from total income. Coupled with other farm characteristics, the ratio allows policymakers to see why some farms are viable and others are not. (JHZ)

Suggests that social welfare policy focus on household assets. Asset distribution is less unequal than income distribution. Assets cushion income shocks, reduce household transaction costs, and provide a stake in the future. Reviews the current policy debate. Discusses policy directions in direct financial transfers, housing, and support for…

Describes the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, which has followed the economic fortunes of a nationally representative sample of American families since 1968. Presents data on and analysis of sex-based differences in wages, the relationship between family composition and economic well-being, poverty, and welfare dependency. Discusses implications…

The act of going to college and earning a degree is more important than ever to today's youth and our society. Individuals with a bachelor's degree earn much more than high school graduates, and society as a whole also gains from an educated citizenry. Unfortunately, access to a postsecondary education is not equal in America. Students…

This Issue Brief describes school-to-home communication practices and opportunities for parent involvement at school as reported by parents of U.S. school-age students from primarily English-and primarily Spanish-speaking households during the 2002-03 school year. Data are drawn from the Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey of the…

In the years since student loans first became available in 1958, borrowing has become a common way for students to pay for education after high school. As student borrowing has risen over time, some have raised concerns about the debt burden facing some borrowers once they complete their post-secondary education. In an effort to learn more about…

The existing housing crisis for Philadelphia's low income families has been exacerbated by a decrease in the real income of these families over the past 10 years, a shortage of affordable housing during the same period, and the deterioration of much of the existing housing stock. "Watching Out for Children in Changing Times," a joint…

This report illustrates how poverty rates vary by selected characteristics (age, race, and Hispanic origin, nativity, family composition, work experience, and geography), using data from the Census Bureau's March 2001 Current Population Survey. The 2000 poverty rate dropped half a percentage point from 1999, to 11.3 percent. This decrease was not…

This paper uses the 1997 National Survey of America's Families to examine child care patterns for young children in the United States. The paper examines three general features of children's early care and education participation: (1) primary care arrangements, classified as center-based care, family child care, relative care, nanny or babysitter,…

This report presents poverty data from the 2000, 2001, and 2002 Current Population Survey Annual Demographic Supplements, which provide information for caledar years 1999, 2000, and 2001. The poverty rate changed from 11.3 percent in 2000 to 11.7 percent in 2001. People below the poverty thresholds numbered 31.6 million in 2000 and 32.9 million in…

This monograph synthesizes findings from five large-scale studies investigating welfare and employment programs in order to examine the effects on children of key policies: providing financial support for working families, requiring single parents to work, and limiting time on welfare. It identifies program features associated with effects on…

This report illustrates how official poverty rates vary by age, race and Hispanic origin, nativity, family composition, work experience, and geography. The official poverty rate rose from 11.7 to 12.1 percent between 2001-2002. In 2002, people below the official poverty thresholds numbered 34.6 million, 1.7 million higher than in 2001. At 16.7…

This report describes 39 successful initiatives that illustrate what 27 cities have been able to accomplish for working families across four goal areas: improving job access and quality employment for residents of underemployed neighborhoods (e.g., connecting quality labor-seeking employers in metropolitan markets with placement and training…

The Family Support Act of 1988 and the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 provided the basis for a comprehensive reform of welfare programs. This document provides examples of how five states have chosen to implement new provisions in their welfare programs to aid families in achieving greater economic…

The purpose of this study was to collect facts and figures on the cost of vegetable foods to city families, the possibilities of raising much of this food in the city, and the educational value of garden training to the people, especially the children, of the city of Richmond, Indiana. Although located in the center of a farming region, the prices…