1. "Safety Net" Fails Single Mothers During Downturns (external link) Abstract: In the era of welfare reform, one measure of the effectiveness of economic policy is the ability of the "safety net" to protect economically vulnerable families over the course of a recession and jobless recovery. In the most recent downturn, however, the safety net failed to adequately protect one particularly vulnerable group—low-income single mothers—from income losses. Resource Type: Article
2. 2006 Decline in SAT Scores (external link) Abstract: From the College Board, this press release/website contains information about decreasing SAT scores in 2006. It also contains tables and data about different states, genders, races, etc. Resource Type: Article
4. 25 Fascinating Facts about Personal Debt (internal link) Abstract: A list of 25 facts about personal debt in the US, including information such as: "The average credit card debt among all American households is $8,400." Resource Type: Article
5. A Critical Examination of Financial Literacy Education (external link) Abstract: This paper will take a critical look at the economics and industrial organization of the FLE industry through case studies of the homeownership education and counseling (HEC) and the consumer credit counseling (CCC) industries Resource Type: Article
6. A Guide to Graduation Rates in NYC (internal link) Abstract: A short guide to how graduation rates are calculated in NY, as well as data on different demographic groups and geographic areas. Resource Type: Article
9. Achieving Adequacy: Tax Options for New York in the Wake of the CFE Case (external link) Abstract: Achieving Adequacy is intended to provide a useful resource for understanding the impact of recent school finance legislation on the state’s tax and education system. The study examines options available to New York policy makers as they seek to adequately fund elementary and secondary education and other public services. Resource Type: Article
10. Administration Tax-Cut Rhetoric and Small Businesses (external link) Abstract: For the overwhelming majority of households with small-business income — about 99 percent of them — the reduction in the top income tax rate and the repeal of the estate tax offer no benefits at all. Resource Type: Article
11. Affirmative Action: What Do We Know? (external link) Abstract: This paper examines the research evidence on the benefits and costs of Affirmative Action, both for its intended beneficiaries and for society more broadly. Resource Type: Article
14. African Americans in the Current Recovery (external link) Abstract: Recent employment reports reveal consistent increases in hiring, providing evidence that the jobless recovery is finally behind us. Yet, while many indicators have begun trending in the right direction, the labor market fortunes of African Americans continue to lag behind. Resource Type: Article
15. Aid to Poor Faces Tighter Security (internal link) Abstract: This 2003 article begins: "President Bush's budget proposes new eligibility requirements that would make it more difficult for low-income families to obtain a range of government benefits, from tax credits to school lunches." Resource Type: Article
17. And Justice For Some (external link) Abstract: This paper provides an overview of the Juvenile Justice system, looking especially at the racial disparities of the young people caught up in it. Resource Type: Article
19. Astronomical Incomes (internal link) Abstract: This article uses a map of the United States and the distance between different cities to represent the extreme differences between the income of various people in this country. Resource Type: Article
20. Attempting to Connect Anti-Capitalist Work with Mathematics Education: (external link) Abstract: Pinochet’s regime measured malnutrition in relation to a person’s weight and height, in contrast to the usual comparison of weight and age. This talk will explore the connections between understanding the outrageousness of collecting such statistics, and acting to change the outrageousness of such situations Resource Type: Article
21. Attitudes Towards Immigrants and Immigration Policy: Survey Amoung Latinos in the U.S. and Mexico (external link) Abstract: e Pew Hispanic Center released findings from major new surveys conducted in the U.S. and Mexico on attitudes toward immigrants and immigration policy options. A survey of U.S. Latinos shows that views are not unanimous on unauthorized migrants and U.S. policy toward them. A separate survey in Mexico reveals the size of the Mexican population that is considering migration to the United States, including those inclined to come without legal status. Resource Type: Article
23. Banking on the Bottom (internal link) Abstract: A very important article that explores the financial options available to poor people and those living in low-income neighborhoods. It discusses the dual problem that these neighborhoods face with a paucity of banks and an abundance of check cashers and other fringe financial institutions that exploit low income people. Resource Type: Article
24. Basic Family Budgets Better Reveal the Hardships in America (external link) Abstract: A basic family budget is the amount required to adequately afford a safe and decent, yet modest, standard of living. These budgets are estimated for six family types—one or two parents with one, two, or three children—in over 400 U.S. communities. Resource Type: Article
26. Between Hope and Hard Times in NYC (external link) Abstract: This report explores the current demographics of poor people in New York City. It contains data on who these individuals and families are, as well as related documentation on education and skills training, economic development, and policies that support low-income workers. Resource Type: Article
27. Big Rise in Profit Puts Oil Giants on Defensive (internal link) Abstract: This article explores the staggering incomes of large oil companies around the world, how it has come that they've become so profitable, and the impact this is having on other sectors of the global economy Resource Type: Article
31. Bush Tax Cuts Effects on NY (external link) Abstract: This issue brief summarizes the findings of several previously released CTJ analyses of the Bush tax cuts, focusing on their impact on New Yorkers at different income levels and on how New York residents are affected by the ballooning federal debt. Resource Type: Article
32. Calculating Family Budgets (external link) Abstract: The items that are included in the basic family budgets represent the necessary components for a family to adequately meet its needs: housing, food, child care, transportation, health care, other necessities, and taxes. Resource Type: Article
33. Can Financial Literacy Enhance Asset Building? (external link) Abstract: Even when incentives to save and invest are strong, many low- and moderate-income families lack the basic knowledge to manage their income wisely, build wealth, and avoid excessive debt. This brief examines financial literacy research and programs to improve financial knowledge and decision-making. While research suggests that existing programs do make a difference in financial behavior, data collection and policy concerns make financial literacy a fertile ground for further development as part of an asset-building agenda. Resource Type: Article
34. Car Title Lending: Driving Borrowers to Financial Ruin (external link) Abstract: RL and CFA issued a first report on the car title pawn/loan industry, titled “Car Title Lending: Driving Borrowers to Financial Ruin,” which describes the title loan product and industry, illustrates predatory aspects of these over-secured small loans, and makes recommendations for stronger protections for borrowers. Resource Type: Article
36. Cheaters Monopoly (internal link) Abstract: A satirical article that discusses how the game of Monopoly could be recreated with new rules based on oppression of people of color and Native Americans by white people. Resource Type: Article
37. Chess and Origami (external link) Abstract: This article describes how to make a chess set out of paper using Origami folds. Amazing. Resource Type: Article
38. Child Living Arrangements by Race and Income: A Supplementary Analysis (external link) Abstract: This supplementary analysis to the study "Declining Share of Children Lived with Single Mothers in the Late 1990s," employs an alternative methodology to provide a clearer picture of changes in living arrangements within different income groups. It also briefly discusses possible explanations for those changes. Resource Type: Article
39. Child Poverty Among Racial Minorities (internal link) Abstract: This article examines the effects of changing family structures on child poverty rates. The article finds that child poverty rates declined in the 1990's, and presents some interesting arguments for why this has happened. Resource Type: Article
40. Choosing the High Road: Businesses that Pay a Living Wage and Prosper (external link) Abstract: For wealthy Americans, the economic miracle of the ’90s represented a dream-come-true. For tens of millions of others, it represented a dream shattered. It doesn’t have to be this way. This report shows why paying a living wage to all employees is good for business, as well as workers and communities. Resource Type: Article
41. College, Jobs, or the Military? Enlistment During a Time of War (internal link) Abstract: This article questions what factors are associated with joining the military after high school rather than attending college, getting ajob, or doing some other activity. Three areas of influence are highlighted: educational goals, the presence of the military in ones community, and race and socioeconomic status. Resource Type: Article
42. Community Development in Dynamic Neighborhoods: Synchronizing Services and Strategies with Immigrant Communities (external link) Abstract: Through a review of current research and interviews with leading experts and practitioners of community development organizations, private lenders and governmental agencies, this analysis explores (1) the importance of immigrants in community development, (2) the response of community development organizations to recent demographic shifts, and (3) the challenges and opportunities practitioners face when connecting immigrants to their communities. Resource Type: Article
43. Community Mapping: An Overview (external link) Abstract: This website/article presents a very useful overview of how to use mapping to help with community revitilization. Resource Type: Article
44. Comparing Minimum Wage Proposals (external link) Abstract: Despite its importance and popularity, lawmakers have not made raising the minimum wage a priority and have let its purchasing power fall every year since 1997. Resource Type: Article
45. Confronting Confinement: A Report of the Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons (external link) Abstract: The Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons held public hearings and met for over a year. This is there official report which looks at the conditions in confinement (violence, health care, etc)., as well as a lot of data, and recommendations for changes that need to be made. Resource Type: Article
48. Corporate Income Taxes in the Bush Years (external link) Abstract: This study details which companies have benefitted the most from the decline in corporate taxes over the past three years, and which have been less fortunate. It also measures the effects of loopholes in our corporate tax laws that predated the George W. Bush administration. Resource Type: Article
50. Creditors' Role in Counseling Draws Critics (internal link) Abstract: This investigative article looked at the ways in which Credit Counseling agencies often give bad advice to people, thus plunging them deeper into debt and the cycle of poverty. Resource Type: Article
52. Culturally Relevant Mathematics Teaching in a Mexican American Context (internal link) Abstract: This article examines mathematics instruction and its intersection with culturally relevant teaching in an elementary school in a Mexican American community. Based on a collaborative study, the paper proposes a three-part model for culturally relevant instruction. Resource Type: Article
53. Day Labor in New York: Findings from the NYDL Survey (external link) Abstract: This report examines data from the NY Day Laborer Syrvey. It asks and attempts to answer 6 questions: Who are day laborers? What are the earnings of Day Laborers? What do they do? Why do day labor? Who hires them? Are they abused? Resource Type: Article
54. Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect (external link) Abstract: This report looks at workplace injuries and deaths over time and in recent years, and contains data on different races, jobs, and states. Resource Type: Article
55. Debtors Throng to Bankruptcy as Clock Ticks (internal link) Abstract: This article was published just before the Bankruptcy laws in the U.S. changed drastically, and looked at different people and their reasons for filing for bankruptcy before the changes went into effect. Resource Type: Article
56. Deciding Who’s Poor (external link) Abstract: This paper looks at the bad old (but still used) way of counting the poor, and contrast it with some of the new ways that have been proposed. Resource Type: Article
57. Demographic Trends in the 20th Century (external link) Abstract: This thoroughly researched paper was published by the US Census Bureau, and contains both written analysis as well as data on demographic trends in the US over the past 100 years. Resource Type: Article
58. Did Falling Wages and Employment Increase US Imprisonment? (internal link) Abstract: This paper studies the effects of wages and employment on men's prison admission rates in the US from 1983 to 2001. It finds that there is a significant increased in educational inequality amongst incarcerated men, and regression analysis also demonstrates the negative efects of wages and employment on black men's incarceration. Resource Type: Article
60. Discrimination in Education Financing (internal link) Abstract: This article looks at the discrimination in education funding within African American communities. It discusses various causes for the lack of financial support, as well as remedies for this problem. Resource Type: Article
61. Do Fat Cats Pay Lower Tax Rates than Workers? (external link) Abstract: This paper looks at how the federal tax code has become so skewed in favor of investors over workers that personal taxes on earnings are now two-and-a-half times greater than personal taxes on investment income. Resource Type: Article
64. Doubly Divided: The Racial Wealth Gap (external link) Abstract: African Americans and other minorities hold far less wealth than whites. But why should the wealth gap be so large, greater even than the racial income gap? It turns out that government has played a central role. Throughout U.S. history, countless specific laws, policies, rules, and court decisions have made it more difficult for nonwhites to build wealth, and transferred wealth they did own to whites. Resource Type: Article
65. Driving While Black: Racial Profiling on our Nations Highways (external link) Abstract: A short paper from the ACLU about the prevalence of racial profiling of drivers, some of the legal/policy issues behind this issue, as well as stories and examples of where and why this problem occurs Resource Type: Article
67. Effects of High School Exit Exams on Dropout Rates (external link) Abstract: The Center for Education Policy convened a panel in March 2003 to discuss the most recent research on the possible link between high school exit exams and dropouts. This piece summarizes that day's discussion and includes recommendations for a research agenda and steps states should take to better understand this phenomenon. Resource Type: Article
71. Entreprenuership Programs that Reach Minority Youth (external link) Abstract: Youth entreprenuership programs have blossomed in the US since the mid-1980's. This report looks at 30 examples of such programs and evaluates their work, successes, and ongoing challenges. Resource Type: Article
73. Events that Trigger Poverty Entries and Exits (internal link) Abstract: This article examines how events - such as changes in household composition, employment status, disability status, and economic conditions - affect poverty entries and exits. Resource Type: Article
74. Every Door Closed: Barriers Facing Parents with Criminal Records (external link) Abstract: Each year, approximately 400,000 mothers and fathers finish serving prison sentences. As they struggle to make s fresh start, many face a barrage of problems and barriers. This set of fact sheets details the scope of the challenges that these families face. Resource Type: Article
76. FactSheet: AIDS and HIV in the US (internal link) Abstract: Compiled from by the World Health Organization, this brief fact sheet highlights data about HIV and AIDS in the US, including number of cases and growth rates in different communities and parts of the country. Resource Type: Article
77. Federal Regulation of Credit: The Cause or the Cure for Predatory Lending (external link) Abstract: This paper looks at how, since the 1980's, developments on the federal level have been a significant – if not the primary – cause for the escalation of the predatory lending problem which is steam rolling through communities across America. Resource Type: Article
78. Female Offenders in the Juvenile Justice System (external link) Abstract: A statistics summary of patterns in the arrest, judicial management, and correctional placement of female offenders. Citing data from diverse sources, the study finds that females are entering the juvenile justice system more frequently and at younger ages. Resource Type: Article
82. For Blacks, A Dream in Decline (internal link) Abstract: This article explores the sad story of job loss in African American communities, including loss of low-skilled and unionized jobs. Resource Type: Article
85. Gender Differences in Pay (internal link) Abstract: This article considers the gender pay ga in the US. While there have been important gains over the past 25 years, the article examines other significant remaining gender differences. Resource Type: Article
86. Getting Ahead: A Survey of Low-Wage Workers (external link) Abstract: This survey was designed to explore the opinions and experiences of low-wage workers regarding career advancement, opportunities for education and job training, and job search resources, with a focus on awareness of, interest in, and usage of public resources. Resource Type: Article
88. Global Child Poverty (external link) Abstract: A PowerPoint Presentation on the status of global child poverty. It looks at things like mortality rates, compares wealthy/poor countries, and discusses various commitments (and failures) that different nations have made to eradicate this problem. Resource Type: Article
92. Health Disparities in New York City, 2004 (internal link) Abstract: This comprehensive report on a 2004 city-wide survey provides data on health issues for New Yorkers including: life expectancy, cause of death, smoking, drugs and alcohol, health insurance, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, etc. The report also compares rates for different races, economic classes, and geographic areas within the city. Resource Type: Article
93. Health in the United States, 2005 (external link) Abstract: The chartbook assesses the Nation’s health by presenting trends and current information on selected determinants and measures of health status and utilization of health care. Determinants of health considered in the chartbook include demographic factors, poverty, health insurance coverage, and health behaviors and risk factors, including obesity, cigarette smoking, and physical activity. Resource Type: Article
94. Here Illigally, Working Hard Paying Taxes (internal link) Abstract: The article reports on undocumented immigrants who are paying taxes, and works to counter the argument that these immigrants are a financial burden on the U.S. Resource Type: Article
98. Hitting the 9 Million Mark (external link) Abstract: Some experts predict there will be 9 million New Yorkers by 2030. But are such forecasts reasonable? This article explores the numbers. Resource Type: Article
99. Hitting the Wall: Credit as an Impediment to Homeownership (external link) Abstract: This paper focuses on one such barrier to home ownership – poor credit quality – and analyzes trends in credit quality for the overall population and demographic subgroups in the United States, focusing on estimated credit quality among renters in comparison to owners. Resource Type: Article
101. Home Buying While Brown or Black (external link) Abstract: An article about exploring the issue of racism in home-buying and discrimination in lending practices to homeowners of color. Resource Type: Article
102. Home Sweet Home: Why America Needs a National Housing Trust Fund (external link) Abstract: This paper shows that owning an affordable home or even finding a safe and affordable rental unit is financially unattainable for nearly half of Americans and makes an argument for why a housing trust fund would help. Resource Type: Article
103. Housing Costs Change List of Top Areas for Poverty (internal link) Abstract: This article reports on new findings that adjust the poverty line to reflect housing costs, and find that New York, California, and Washington, DC have highest percentage of people living in poverty. Resource Type: Article
104. How Debit Cards Can Burn a Hole in Students Pockets (internal link) Abstract: The article begins: "To avoid sending their children off to college with a financial time bomb -- a credit card -- in their pockets, many parents have begun telling them to carry a debit card instead. But though its pitfalls are not as well known, this substitute can be just as dangerous to a student's finances and credit rating." Resource Type: Article
106. How Latinos Pay for College (external link) Abstract: A brief fact sheet detailing key statistics about how Latino students pay for college, including data on financial aid and grants as compared to students of other races Resource Type: Article
108. How The Other Half Still Lives (internal link) Abstract: Borrowing from the Jacob Riis book, this article reports on the living conditions of poor people in this country and how poverty is still hidden from the public eye and agenda. The author looks at issues including wages, homelessness, housing, and job availability. Resource Type: Article
109. If you work, then you shouldn’t be poor (external link) Abstract: A brief editorial that contends people who work should not be poor, but because the Minimum Wage is so low, and because of other policies, many who have jobs are still living far below the poverty line. Resource Type: Article
110. Immigrants and TANF: A Look at Immigrant Welfare Recipients (external link) Abstract: Key findings, based on case studies of New York, Los Angeles, and Houston, show that: immigrants and limited English speakers make up a significant share of those on welfare; many have significant barriers to work including less education and work history than natives; and immigrants on welfare are less likely to be working and more likely to be working in dead-end jobs. Job training programs often have English language requirements, limiting immigrants' access. The authors conclude that combining part-time work and language training can help immigrant welfare recipients move into jobs and off the welfare rolls. Resource Type: Article
111. Improving TANF for Teens (external link) Abstract: This paper explores which teens TANF reaches, and which teens the program does not. It also spotlights new resarch on adolescents in TANF families, and the impact of TANF rules for minor parents. Resource Type: Article
113. Indexing the Minimum Wage for Inflation (external link) Abstract: A look at reasons why minimum wage should be indexed to inflation, and several states/people that are pushing for this to happen on a Federal level. Resource Type: Article
115. Indicators of Childhood Well-Being: Charactertics (external link) Abstract: This article presents data that illustrate changes in the population and family contexts in which America's children are being raised. Nine key measures present data on trends in the size and composition of their families and the environment in which they live. Resource Type: Article
117. Indicators of Childhood Well-Being: Education (external link) Abstract: This section presents key indicators on how well children are learning and progressing, including data on family reading to young children, participation in early childhood care and education, scores on national assessments, and more. Resource Type: Article
118. Indicators of Childhood Well-Being: Health (external link) Abstract: This section of this multi-part report presents information on meaures of child health, including: chronic disease, birth outcomes, mortality rates, obesity, immunization. Resource Type: Article
121. It Pays to Study Hard (external link) Abstract: A brief guide to the relationship between educational attainment and job stability, income, and other work-related issues. Resource Type: Article
122. Jeopardizing Hispanic Homeownership: Predatory Practices in the Homebuying Market (internal link) Abstract: This report is the first to provide a comprehensive analysis of the mortgage products and lending tactics targeted at Hispanic homebuyers. The report examines the homebuying and refinancing experiences of Latino homebuyers and the abusive lending tactics that steer Latino families into unnecessarily expensive products Resource Type: Article
125. Jobs: Some Organizing Strategies (external link) Abstract: This paper focuses on the types of issues and policies that can be the subject of campaigns by grassroots community groups taking on issues of jobs, targeted hiring, and improved wages and benefits. Resource Type: Article
127. Leaving Boys Behind: Public High School Graduation Rates (external link) Abstract: This study uses a widely respected method to calculate public high school graduation rates for the nation, for each state, and for the 100 largest school districts in the U.S. Rates are calculated by race, gender, and overall. Resource Type: Article
128. Let the War on the Poverty Line Commence (external link) Abstract: The poverty line should categorize families such that those who fall below it cannot adequately meet their basic needs, given what we know about human needs and prevailing living standards. Resource Type: Article
129. Life at the Top in America Isn't Just Better, It's Longer (internal link) Abstract: This article looks at three different New Yorkers, one rich, one poor, and one middle-class, and compares their experiences after each suffering heart attacks. In a broader sense, the article looks at the connection between wealth and health. Resource Type: Article
131. Low Cost Pay Day Loans: Opportunities and Obstacles (external link) Abstract: The report describes several payday loan alternative models for institutions interested in offering them, as well as data on predatory lending institutions in the U.S. Resource Type: Article
134. Math Emerges as Big Hurdle for Teenagers (internal link) Abstract: This article looks at a study that was done of High School dropouts, primarily young men of color, who all gave 'math' as one of the primary reasons they left school. Resource Type: Article
135. Math, Maps, and Misrepresentation (external link) Abstract: A goal of the map project was for students to use mathematics to analyze diverse map projections and to raise questions about what the various maps showed - and why. This article discusses this unit and reflections on it. Resource Type: Article
136. Math, SATs, and Racial Profiling (external link) Abstract: The author writes about how he and his students have used technology to investigate racial profiling and to analyze the relationship of family income level to scores on standardized tests. Resource Type: Article
137. Mathematics from another World: Traditional Communities and the Alienation of Learners (external link) Abstract: This paper reports upon a study of students learning mathematics in six English schools. It is argued that teaching and learning practices are central to the knowledge students learn and that those of traditional classrooms are sufficiently strange and other worldly to limit students’ use of mathematics in non-classroom situations Resource Type: Article
138. Measuring Water With Justice (external link) Abstract: This is a multidisciplinary unit that explores water issues, developed by Bob Peterson, one of the authors of Rethinking Mathematics. Resource Type: Article
139. Minimum Wage Increased (internal link) Abstract: An article from Jan 1, 2006 about the introduction of the new Minimum Wage in New York and its effect on poor people. Resource Type: Article
140. Minimum Wage, the EITC, and Inflation (external link) Abstract: The EITC and minimum wage are important policies in helping poor people, but the fact that they are not indexed to inflation mean that they are becoming increasingly less impactful. Resource Type: Article
141. Minorities in Business, 2001 (external link) Abstract: A report on the ownership, formation, management, financing, growth, and other social and economic characteristiscs of minority business in the US. Resource Type: Article
143. More Hard Times for New York's Working Families (external link) Abstract: This brief details key statistics on NY's low-income families. It also provides several suggestions for what the city can do to help this group of people, as well as decrease the increasing numbers of poor people. Resource Type: Article
144. Mortgage Loans-Is Racism a Factor? (external link) Abstract: This lesson explores the issue of racism in mortgage loans, and uses data from Chicago to help students seek an answer to this question. Resource Type: Article
147. NAEP Findings Related to Gender: Achievement, Affect, and Learning Experiences (internal link) Abstract: This article reports on gender-related differences in student performance on the mathematics portion of the 2003 NAEP assessment. It begins by reporting overall trends in scale scores, followed by a description of gender differences within content strands and a discussion of gender and student affect data taken from the NAEP student survey Resource Type: Article
149. New York Asks Help From Poor in Housing Crisis (internal link) Abstract: As the NYC Housing Authority brings in less revenue and has increasing expenses, they've turned to requiring poor people in public housing to pay for more and more of their living expenses. Resource Type: Article
151. New York States of Mind (internal link) Abstract: An article summarizing the results of a poll of 1000 New Yorkers about NY-related issues ranging from housing, sports, city government, politics, September 11th, and more. Resource Type: Article
153. On The Corner: The First National Survey On Day Laborers in the U.S. (external link) Abstract: This report highlights the findings in the first ever survey of day-laborers in the United States by surveying over 2,000 of the estimated 117,600 day-laborers in this country. It highlights the widespread abuses, economic struggles, and demographic information about this large but until recently ignored segment of our population. Resource Type: Article
156. Outside the Law: How Lenders Dodge Community Reinvestment (external link) Abstract: This report examines whether or not the CRA encourages lenders to do business with low income or minority borrowers, and looks specifically at loan and denial rates for different races in different parts of the country. Resource Type: Article
157. Payday Lending and the Military (external link) Abstract: Writing within the relatively new interdisciplinary “law and geography” movement, this Article provides geographic evidence that payday lenders do aggressively target American military personnel, irrespective of most forms of legal regulation. Resource Type: Article
158. Paying More for the American Dream: A Multi-State Analysis of Higher Cost Home Purchase Lending (external link) Abstract: An analysis of 2005 federal mortgage lending data shows that African American and Latino borrowers remain much more likely to pay more for their home purchase loans than white borrowers. This report examines the cost of borrowing in six metropolitan areas in the United States, and confirms that large disparities remain in the pricing of home purchase loans. Resource Type: Article
159. Plight Deepens for Black Men, Studies Warn (internal link) Abstract: Looking at new scholarly analysis, this article reports that Black men in this country are facing an even more dire situation than is commonly cited by employment and education statistics. Resource Type: Article
161. Poverty in California: Moving Beyond the Federal Measure (external link) Abstract: This report examines poverty rates in the U.S., and adjusts for housing costs, which end up making NY, Washington DC and California the poorest places in the country. The report also challenges traditional models of measuring poverty. Resource Type: Article
162. Poverty in the United States, 2001 (external link) Abstract: The Census Report on Poverty in the US. Includes current and historical data by age, race, worker status and experience, depth of poverty, etc., for different regions across the United States. Resource Type: Article
163. Poverty Trends for Families Headed by Working Single Mothers (external link) Abstract: his analysis focuses on poverty in families headed by single mothers who work. In recent years, large numbers of families headed by single mothers have moved from welfare to work. This report addresses the question whether and to what degree those who work have improved their economic situation. Resource Type: Article
166. Prisoners in 2004 (external link) Abstract: From the Bureau of Justice Statistics, this is the most recent report on prisoners in the US, including detailed charts on prisoners by race, age and gender in different geographic tracts throughout the US. It also contains some historical data and analysis of trends over the past decade. Resource Type: Article
168. Promising Practices in Revenue Generating for Community Organizing (external link) Abstract: The sole purpose of this report is to strengthen the revenue base of community organizing. Intended audiences are organizers, organizing networks and other organizing intermediaries, funders, academics, and other allies of organizing. Resource Type: Article
169. Providing the Missing Link: A Model for a Neighborhood-Focused Employment Program (external link) Abstract: This new report, written by Wendy Fleischer and Julie Dressner for the Casey Foundation, provides a model for a neighborhood-focused workforce development strategy. With dual goals of increasing residents' employment and income, as well as increasing the quantity and quality of career opportunities, the strategy outlined in this document helps bridge the gap between low-income neighborhoods and regional workforce development programs. Resource Type: Article
172. Rapid Rip-Offs: Tax Refund Anticipation Lending in New York City (external link) Abstract: This report by the NY Economic Development Advocacy Program (NEDAP) explores how much money low-income New Yorkers are spending on rapid-refund tax loans. It contains both written analysis, graphs, and maps. Resource Type: Article
173. Real World Math Projects (external link) Abstract: An article from Rethinking Schools briefly highlighting 17 social-justice based math projects Resource Type: Article
175. Restaurant Hiring May Lead the Way to Wider Job Gains (internal link) Abstract: This article looks at the increase of restaurants and restaurant jobs, including fancy establishments and fast food chains. It also explores benefits offered to restaurant workers, and the finances of running such a business. Resource Type: Article
176. Rethinking Highschool Graduation Rates and Trends (external link) Abstract: This report examines a huge amount of data on high school graduation rates, and looks into recent and historic trends along primarily racial lines. It finds, amongst other things, that students of color are actually graduating high school at higher rates than previous studies have shown. Resource Type: Article
178. Rise, Peak, and Decline: Trends in US Immigration, 1992 - 2004 (external link) Abstract: This report provides the first detailed analysis of recent year-to-year immigration flows to the United States. It breaks down the overall increases in the foreign-born population that the United States has experienced since the early 1990s into estimates of annual flows and charts key changes in its major components, including countries of origin and legal status. Resource Type: Article
182. Small Busines and Micro Business Lending in the US, 2003-2004 (external link) Abstract: This study provides a brief review of banks’ lending activities in 2003-2004 based on two types of data reported by banks to their regulating agencies—the call reports for June 2004 and the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) reports for 2003. Resource Type: Article
186. State of African American Business (2001) (external link) Abstract: A short report from the Minority Business Development Agency on national data about African-American owned businesses from a national survey from 1997 Resource Type: Article
187. State of Hispanic Business (2001) (external link) Abstract: A short report from the Minority Business Development Agency on national data about Hispanic owned businesses from a national survey from 1997 Resource Type: Article
188. State of Minority Business (2001) (external link) Abstract: A short report from the Minority Business Development Agency on national data about minority owned businesses from a national survey from 1997 Resource Type: Article
189. State of New York's Homeless Youth, 2005 (external link) Abstract: This detailed report provides information on the homeless youth living in NYC. Issues it covers include: alternatives to incarceration, education, housing, HIV and AIDS, medical care, legal issues, substance abuse, and more Resource Type: Article
190. State Of The Dream 2005: (external link) Abstract: This second annual report points out that today’s Ownership Society disowns too many Americans along racial lines. This report also offers a range of federal strategies, the community empowerment programs needed to bring them to life, and the tax policies needed to fund them. Resource Type: Article
191. State of the Nation's Housing 2005 (external link) Abstract: House prices, residential investment, and home sales all set records again in 2004. But higher short-term interest rates and the strongest one-year price appreciation since 1979 made it more difficult for first-time buyers to break into the market. With low-wage jobs increasing and wages for those jobs stagnating, affordability problems will persist even as strong fundamentals lift the trajectory of residential investment. Resource Type: Article
192. State Policies to Assist Working-Poor Families (external link) Abstract: This report outlines a number of policy options that states could adopt to assist working poor families. The rationale for each option is followed by a brief discussion of key design issues and examples of states that have adopted these policies. Resource Type: Article
194. Student Debt: Bigger and Bigger (external link) Abstract: This study explores the rising debt that young people are taking on to pay for college, and the implications for their future employment and lifestyle that having this burden will have on them. It also looks at differences in college-related debt between lower-income and high-income families. Resource Type: Article
195. Student Debts, Stunted Lives (external link) Abstract: This article looks at the rising costs of college tuition and how increasing debt on graduates will have an effect on their future lives and families Resource Type: Article
196. Study: Teacher-Designed Math Curriculum is Effective (internal link) Abstract: The article begins… "A teacher-made math curriculum that stresses problem-solving and mixing high school students of different academic abilities in the same classes can lead to learning gains, a California study released last week suggests." Resource Type: Article
197. Survey of Latino Attitudes on the War in Iraq (external link) Abstract: Attitudes towards the war in Iraq are more negative among Latinos than in the general population, according to a Pew Hispanic Center survey conducted as President George W. Bush began his second term. A slight majority of Hispanics (51%) think U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq as soon as possible. Significantly fewer (37%) say that the United States should keep military troops in Iraq until the situation has stabilized. Resource Type: Article
198. Survey of Retail Bank Services in NY (external link) Abstract: In the fall of 2006, the NY State Banking Department surveyed 43 banks about services they offer to consumers, particularly related to the unbanked and immigrants, and their answers are summarized in this report. Resource Type: Article
199. Sweatshops vs. CEO Pay (internal link) Abstract: A one-page flyer comparing the wages of Nike's CEO and a sweatshop laborer who makes Nike products Resource Type: Article
200. Taking Stock: Housing, Homelessness, and Prisoner Reentry (external link) Abstract: This report examines how those who have spent time in prison or jail fare in securing safe and affordable housing following their release and discusses housing programming and practice designed to assist them. First, the report discusses what is known about the barriers to housing for those returning from prisons and jails. Then, the report summarizes the proceedings from a one-day forum with experts in housing and corrections policy and practice. Last, the report highlights a number of promising housing programs available to returning prisoners and ex-offenders. Resource Type: Article
201. Tax Cheats & Their Enablers (external link) Abstract: A somewhat satirical look at individuals and companies that are some of our nations most egregious tax cheats, as well as the laws that enable their actions Resource Type: Article
203. Teaching About Stocks for Fun and Propaganda (internal link) Abstract: This article provides an important critique of the way many schools teach students about the Stock Market, including the often used (and generally fun) Stock Market Games. It focuses on the downside of these games, specifically what they teach students about capitalism, consumerism, greed, etc. Resource Type: Article
205. Teaching Math and Social Justice: Multidimensionality and Responsibility (internal link) Abstract: This paper draws from a larger longitudinal study that follows approximately 1000 students over four years in three California schools, and focuses on interactions among curriculum, teaching and learning which trying to understand how particular teaching approaches influence learning. Resource Type: Article
208. The Accidental Landlord (internal link) Abstract: An article about a Latino man in the Gentrifing neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, who became a successful real-estate owner and developer. Resource Type: Article
209. The Benefits of the Boom (internal link) Abstract: The article begins… "It seems counterintuitive, but the luxury real estate market is helping to build housing for low- and moderate-income people." Resource Type: Article
211. The Condition of Education 2004 - Degrees Earned by Women (external link) Abstract: A summary of the data on women in college, this short article looks at both graduation rates and degrees attained by women in both the present as well as looking back as far as 1970 Resource Type: Article
212. The Condition of Education 2005 - Employment Outcomes of Young Adults by Race/Ethnicity (external link) Abstract: Young adults with a Bachelor's Degree are less likey to be unemployed than their peers with less education, although there are differences between people of different races. This article looks at the relationship between educational attainment and employment status in general, as well as in racial categories. Resource Type: Article
214. The Condition of Education 2005 - Status Dropout Rates by Race/Ethnicity (external link) Abstract: Since 1972, dropout rates for kids age 16-24 have declined. Nonetheless, rates for Hispanics remain higher than for other groups, and rates for kids of color remain higher than that for White students. This report summarizes data about dropout rates in the US in 2005. Resource Type: Article
215. The Condition of Education in 2005 - Educational Attainment (external link) Abstract: The percent of 25 - 29 year-olds who have completed some level of schooling has increased since the 1970s, but racial and ethnic differences in educational attainment remain. This article looks at the data and analyzes these trends. Resource Type: Article
221. The Facts About Marketing To Children (internal link) Abstract: Background information and data about marketing to children, including how much companies spend, tactics they use, and the effects all this has on our youth. Resource Type: Article
222. The Fall (and Rise) of Public Housing (external link) Abstract: The authors argue in this paper that the reengineering of failed inner city public housing projects that is underway is one of the most important and positive developments in urban America in many years. Resource Type: Article
223. The Financial Returns to Low-Income Homeownership (external link) Abstract: This paper presents focuses on two central questions: what are the most important reasons why so many low income households do not hold a checking or savings account? Second, to what extent do households with bank accounts also participate in the fringe financial sector, and in what ways are unbanked households connected to the mainstream financial sector? Resource Type: Article
225. The Health of Immigrants in NY (external link) Abstract: This detailed report summarizes data about the health of immigrants in NY. It looks at several specific health areas such as access to medical care, smoking, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS rates. Resource Type: Article
227. The Impact of Community Development Corporations on Urban Neighborhoods (external link) Abstract: Supporters of urban revitalization have relied on community development corporations (CDCs) to carry a major share of the front-line burden. This research presents new evidence that these community-controlled, market-responsive organizations can indeed spark a chain reaction of investment. Advanced econometric analysis shows that CDC residential and commercial investments have led to increases in property values--the single-best measure of neighborhood improvement--as great as 69 percent higher than they would have been otherwise. To achieve these results, CDCs did more than just develop projects; they also brought business people, civic organizations, and public agencies into the neighborhood improvement process. Resource Type: Article
228. The Impact of Gentrification on Voter Turnout (internal link) Abstract: The goal of this article is to explore the impact of gentrification on political participation. Controlling for relevant individual and contextual factors, the authors find that gentrification decreases turnout among longstanding residents. Resource Type: Article
232. The Lottery and Income Inequality in the States (internal link) Abstract: This article finds that state lotteries foster income concentration, and that states with lotteries have higher levels of income inequality than those states that don’t have a lottery. Resource Type: Article
234. The New Demography of America's Schools: Immigration and the NCLB (external link) Abstract: The demographics of US schools are changing rapidly as a result of immigration, which are occuring alongside implementation of the NCLB. This report explores how immigration is changing the profile of our student population during this era of reform. Resource Type: Article
235. The New Math on Graduation Rates (external link) Abstract: As it turns out, the national graduation rate is not the widely broadcast 85 percent. In our public schools, the correct figure is much closer to 68 percent. When nearly one- third of all students are failing to graduate, it's time to recheck the arithmetic. This editorial explores these issues. Resource Type: Article
236. The New Neighbors: A User's Guide to Data on Immigrants in U.S. Communities (external link) Abstract: This guidebook is designed to help local policy makers, program implementers, and advocates use U.S. Census and other data sources to identify immigrant populations in their local communities—their characteristics, their contributions, and their needs. Resource Type: Article
238. The Power and Potential of the EITC in 27 Cities (external link) Abstract: This study looks at the effect that the EITC has had on different communities throughout the U.S. in terms of helping poor people. It focuses on these different areas as well as different types of jobs, family structures, etc. Also includes great maps of each region. Resource Type: Article
240. The Rental Housing Affordability Gap: 2001 to 2003 (external link) Abstract: This report compares the number of housing units available for low-income families (6 million) with the number of low-income families (7.7 million) and both the reasons for and implications of this discrepency Resource Type: Article
241. The Self Sufficiency Standard for the City of New York 2004 (external link) Abstract: This report looks at how much an individual, especially women, need to survive in NYC. It also looks at wages needed for self-sufficiency in different boroughs, and for women in different economic and family situations. Resource Type: Article
242. The State of New York's Housing and Neighborhoods (external link) Abstract: This independent report looks at the situation with housing in NYC, looking at issues including rent increases, property values, gentrification, low-income housing, etc., in the five borough Resource Type: Article
244. The Triumph of Hope Over Self Interest (internal link) Abstract: This fascinating article explores the disparity between what people's economic situations really are and how they see themselves. It focuses largely around surveys done in 2004 where people of different economic backgrounds were asked questions about where they saw themselves compared to other Americans, and how far off most of them turned out to be. Resource Type: Article
246. The Uninsured Healthcare Crisis in America (external link) Abstract: This paper explores the problem where although the US spends more on healthcare than any other nation in the world, we still have millions of people without it Resource Type: Article
247. The Use of Citizen Surveys as a Tool For Police Reform (external link) Abstract: Citizen surveys, long used by researchers to test hypotheses about police-citizen interactions, have recently be deployed as a tool for promoting police reform. This paper examines the citizen survey's potential role in creating more accountable and effective police forces, drawing on examples from Chicago, Illinois; Queens, New York; and St. Petersburg, Russia. Resource Type: Article
248. The Weak Effect of Imprisonment on Crime: 1971 - 1998 (internal link) Abstract: This article studies the impact of increasing incarceration rates on crime rates. It finds that imprisonment rates are not significantly related to crime in the majority of states for the seven crimes studied. Resource Type: Article
251. Too Much Month and the End of the Paycheck (external link) Abstract: This photo essay documents people who have suffered as a result of payday loans. It also contains important facts and data on this serious issue. Resource Type: Article
253. Two Different Kinds of Math, and Two Spins on Unemployment (internal link) Abstract: During the 2005 Mayoral race in NY, Michael Bloomberg and Fernando Ferrer used the same information to come to two very different conclusions about the state of unemployment in the city. This article looks at how they could have come to such different conclusions, and what math was used by each candidate. Resource Type: Article
255. Understanding Large Numbers (external link) Abstract: An article about how to explore number concepts, including very large numbers, within a social justice context Resource Type: Article
258. Understanding the Politics of Mathematical Knowledge as an Integral part of Becoming Critically Numerate (external link) Abstract: This talk focuses on the politics of mathematical knowledge as an integral part of criticalmathematical literacy: understanding that political struggles/ choices are concealed in supposedly neutral statistical descriptions of our world; understanding how numerical data can explode the myths about the institutional structure of our society; and, understanding the limitations of the knowledge we gain from mathematical analyses of our world. Resource Type: Article
259. Undocumented Immigrants: Data at a Glance (external link) Abstract: There are over 10 million undocumented immigrants in the United States by the latest estimates. Over 90 percent of undocumented immigrant men work, and most pay payroll as well as consumption taxes. Two thirds of the children of undocumented immigrants are U.S.-born citizens. This piece uses fact-based evidence to dispel common myths about this controversial population. Resource Type: Article
260. Unemployment and Joblessness in NY City, 2005 (external link) Abstract: This article examines the other side of decreasing unemployment in NY - particularly what groups are still struggling and experiencing joblessness and poverty. Resource Type: Article
262. Uninsured Americans with Chronic Health Conditions: Key Findings from the National Health Interview Survey (external link) Abstract: This study examines how uninsured adults with chronic health problems are faring. The analysis is based on the 2003 National Health Interview Survey, relying on self-reports of chronic health conditions. Almost half of uninsured adults with chronic conditions forgo needed medical care or prescription drugs due to cost and that they forgo care at much higher rates than their insured counterparts. Serious identifiable gaps in needed medical care were found for every racial, ethnic, and chronic illness subgroup examined. Resource Type: Article
264. Urban Students Tackle Research on Inequality (external link) Abstract: A student-written article from Rethinking Schools about the lack of funding for education and the disproportionate access to resources for students in NYC public schools Resource Type: Article
265. US Census Bureau: 2004 Population Reports (external link) Abstract: A list of publications from the US Census Bureau about national population statistics, including a count of current estimates of tehe number of inhabitants by state, city, county, etc., as well as nationwide. It also looks a wide variety of information on social and economic characteristics of the population such as ethnicity, income, housing, etc. Resource Type: Article
266. US Pledges to Boost Minority Contracts (internal link) Abstract: This article came out a few weeks after Hurricane Katrina struck, and detailed the Bush administration's plans to give out more Federal contracts to minority-owned businesses after it was discovered that they were not giving out enough. Resource Type: Article
267. US-Europe Discord Rocks the Shared Economic Boat (internal link) Abstract: This article explores the financial relationship between the US and Europe in terms of international trade with one another, as well as their economic relations with other countries. The article also discusses how US policy has changed based on other nations' response to the Iraq War. Resource Type: Article
268. Using Census BITS to Explore Entreprenuership, Geography, and Economic Growth (external link) Abstract: Detailed analysis that summarizes findings on all industries, distinguishes between establishments and firms, identifies start-ups of both new firms and new secondary locations of old firms, and specifies the location, industry, and changing employment of each establishment through time. Resource Type: Article
273. We The People: Asians in the United States (external link) Abstract: This report provides a portrait of the Asian and Asian-American population in the US. It presents several demographic, social, and economic characteristics gather from the 2000 census. Resource Type: Article
274. We The People: Hispanics in the United States (external link) Abstract: This report provides a portrait of the Hispanic-origin population in the US. It presents several demographic, social, and economic characteristics gather from the 2000 census. Resource Type: Article
278. When Even Mathematicians Don’t Understand the Math (internal link) Abstract: This article looks at how within the field of mathematics, there are math problems and situations that are so complex that most mathematicians cant even understand them. Therefore, given this reality, the article looks at what kinds of math people are studying and working on, and which of these members of the general public can relate to. Resource Type: Article
279. When Learning No Longer Matters: Standardized Testing and the Creation of Inequality (external link) Abstract: This article considers the inequities that are created by standardized tests. It is argued that the standardized test upon which this judgment was based, and similar tests used throughout the country, stack the deck against language learners, and students from minority ethnic and cultural groups and low-income homes. Resource Type: Article
280. When Smoking is a Matter of Money (internal link) Abstract: This article looks at how an increase in the cost of cigarettes has decreased the number of teens who [can afford to] smoke. It also contains general information about teen smoking habits in the US Resource Type: Article
281. Who Are Low-Income Working Families? (external link) Abstract: Over the past decade, national policy has emphasized the centrality of parental work in strategies to support low-income families. This emphasis is exemplified by the fact that the earned income tax credit (EITC), the nation's largest cash assistance program for low-income families, is available only to those who are working. It is natural to ask, therefore, who working low-income families are and how they are faring. This paper addresses these questions. Resource Type: Article
282. Who Gets the Child Tax Credit (external link) Abstract: A 5-page summary of the current statistics on the Child-Tax Credit. It also looks at the economic impact on poor families from this credit. Resource Type: Article
283. Who Hurts? (internal link) Abstract: An article about gentrification in Brooklyn, NY, looking at various neighborhoods, people, and small businesses and how they have been affected by the recent changes. Resource Type: Article
284. Who's poor? Don't ask the Census Bureau (external link) Abstract: A critique of the methodology used to measure poverty which argues that in fact many more people are poor than our current method shows Resource Type: Article
287. Working Hard, Falling Short (external link) Abstract: The Working Poor Families Project examines both the conditions of low-income working families with children and public policies that can help improve their lives. This report builds on that work and takes a broader look at low-income working families across the nation and key facets of an economic and public system that affect their ability to achieve economic security. Resource Type: Article
288. Working to Make Ends Meet: Understanding the Income and Expenses of America's Low-Income Families (external link) Abstract: This report clarifies the discussion and debate over what constitutes a low-income working family, documents the size and characteristics of low-income working population, and examines their incomes and expenditures. Using data from the 2002 round of the National Survey of America's Families (NSAF), we find that low-income families (income below twice the federal poverty line) with at least one full-time, full-year worker have incomes that are roughly in line with their basic expenses thanks to their work effort, earned income, and a generous refundable Earned Income Tax Credit; however, low-income families without a full-time, full-year worker do not appear to have enough income to cover their basic expenses. Resource Type: Article
