IRP-Morgridge Poverty Fact Sheets

IRP is collaborating with the UW Morgridge Center for Public Service to raise awareness in the campus community, especially among undergraduate students, of important social issues through sharing research findings in a series of fact sheets. The sheets are developed by Morgridge student interns with guidance from IRP faculty affiliates and under the mentorship of IRP Editor Deborah Johnson. IRP IS Resource Technician Dawn Duren is the graphic designer. The sheets are distributed to Morgridge Badger Volunteers, who perform community service, as well as the broader campus community and general public. See the IRP-Morgridge Campus Partnership for more information.

Poverty Fact Sheet No. 14: Suburban Poverty

"Suburban Poverty," released in February 2018, was prepared by intern Will Maher. The sheet examines the significant growth in U.S. suburban poverty in recent decades and looks at characteristics of the suburban poor, the safety net response to suburban poverty, and concerns related to suburban poverty in the coming years.

Poverty Fact Sheet No. 13: Falling Further Behind: Inequality in College Completion

"Falling Further Behind: Inequality in College Completion," released in September 2017, was prepared by intern Jacob Roble. The sheet explores recent research into differential rates of college completion by socioeconomic status (SES), including variation in graduation rates between high- and low-SES students, the factors researchers think are behind them, and key aspects of promising efforts to help level the playing field and increase college completion among disadvantaged students.

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #13

Poverty Fact Sheet No. 12: Financial Barriers to College Completion

"Financial Barriers to College Completion," released in March 2017, was prepared by intern Jacob Roble. The sheet notes major shifts in the labor market that make having college education increasingly important to economic self-sufficiency, and concurrent trends of increasing college costs, decreasing government support for higher education, and inadequate financial aid for low- to moderate-income students and their families. Combined, these trends have created financial barriers to completing a college degree for many students. The sheet also explores policy ideas for opening paths to college completion among disadvantaged students.

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #12

Poverty Fact Sheet No. 11: Which Families Are Poor and Why?

"Which Families Are Poor and Why?" released in September 2016 explores the evidence and suggestions for improving opportunity and reducing poverty among struggling families. It draws heavily from a recent report by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI)/Brookings Working Group on Poverty and Opportunity, a working group of top poverty experts from across the political spectrum, which highlights differences in three major factors—education, work and wages, and family—which are associated with whether families are poor.

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #11

Poverty Fact Sheet #10: Wisconsin Poverty 101 Updated, prepared by Helen Powling

"Wisconsin Poverty 101 Updated" prepared by intern Helen Powling and released in September 2016 draws from the Wisconsin Poverty Report by Timothy Smeeding and Katherine Thornton to explore the latest descriptive statistics on disadvantage in the state. Information is presented using the official poverty measure, Supplemental Poverty Measure, and the relatively new Wisconsin Poverty Measure, and researchers' perspectives on the significance of the differences among these three measures is explored.

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #10

Poverty Fact Sheet #9: No Place to Call Home: Child and Youth Homelessness in the United States, prepared by Neil Damron

"No Place to Call Home: Child and Youth Homelessness in the United States," prepared by intern Neil Damron and released in May 2015, presents the statistics on child and youth homelessness and recent trends in Wisconsin and the United States. It explores the major challenges faced by homeless minors, and, drawing from recent research by IRP affiliates, looks at the major factors that contribute to a young person or family becoming homeless, including a shortage of affordable housing and rising rents. Also explored is federal legislation that seeks to protect homeless children and youth, and to ensure their access to education while they find permanent housing; and policy suggestions for the future. In conducting his literature review and research, Damron received guidance and mentoring from IRP affiliate Peter Miller (Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis), and consulted in particular the research of Matthew Desmond (Sociology, Harvard University).

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #9

Poverty Fact Sheet #8: Brain Drain: A Child's Brain on Poverty, prepared by Neil Damron

"Brain Drain: A Child's Brain on Poverty," released in March 2015 and prepared by intern Neil Damron, explores the brain's basic anatomy and recent research findings suggesting that poverty affects the brain development of infants and young children and the potential lifelong effects of the changes. The sheet draws from a variety of sources, especially work by IRP affiliates and Professors Barbara Wolfe (Economics, Public Affairs, and Population Health Sciences), Seth Pollak (Psychology, Anthropology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Public Affairs), and Katherine Magnuson (Social Work), who provided guidance and content review.

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #8

Poverty Fact Sheet #7: Life Beyond Bars: Children with an Incarcerated Parent, prepared by Neil Damron

"Life Beyond Bars: Children with an Incarcerated Parent," prepared by intern Neil Damron and released in November 2014, examines the latest research findings concerning the effects of a parent's incarceration on children. The fact sheet draws from a variety of sources, including an IRP webinar featuring UW–Madison IRP faculty affiliates Michael Massoglia (Sociology) and Julie Poehlmann-Tynan (Human Development and Family Studies), and Poehlmann-Tynan's recent edited volume with co-editor Mark Eddy, Children of Incarcerated Parents: A Handbook for Researchers and Practitioners. Special thanks go to Professor Poehlmann-Tynan for feedback and review.

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #7

Poverty Fact Sheet #6: Is the American Dream Still Attainable?, prepared by Dan Simon

"Is the American Dream Still Attainable?", released in September 2014, prepared by intern Dan Simon explores recent research findings about income and wealth inequality in the United States and promising policy remedies. Special thanks go to Professor Timothy Smeeding, Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and former IRP director, for extensive guidance and content review.

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #6

Poverty Fact Sheet #5: Food Insecurity and Food Assistance Programs, prepared by Dan Simon

"Food Insecurity and Food Assistance Programs," released in July 2014, was prepared by intern Dan Simon relying on research by IRP affiliates and other sources (see fact sheet source list for complete reference information). Special thanks go to Professor Judith Bartfeld, IRP affiliate and director of the IRP RIDGE Center for National Food and Nutrition Assistance Research, provided extensive guidance and content review.

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #5

Poverty Fact Sheet #4: Young Dads and Disadvantage, prepared by Dan Simon

“Young Dads and Disadvantage,” released in February 2014, was prepared by intern Dan Simon relying on research by IRP affiliates and other sources (see fact sheet source list for complete reference information). Especially helpful were IRP affiliate and Professor Lawrence Berger’s IRP webinar, “Disadvantaged Men as Fathers”; Professor David Pate’s Focus article, “The Life Circumstances of African American Fathers with Children on W-2: An Ethnographic Inquiry”; the introduction to the special issue of The ANNALS, “Young Disadvantaged Men: Fathers, Families, Poverty, Policy: An Introduction to the Issues,” by Professors Timothy Smeeding, Irwin Garfinkel, and Ronald B. Mincy; and a slide presentation and report, “Holding Child Support Orders of Incarcerated Payers in Abeyance,” by Jennifer L. Noyes, Maria Cancian, and Laura Cuesta. Special thanks go to Professor Berger for his review of this fact sheet and helpful suggestions.

List of Sources for Fact Sheet #4

Poverty Fact Sheet #3: Poor and In Poor Health, prepared by Dan Simon

"Poor and In Poor Health," released in November 2013, was prepared by intern Dan Simon relying on research by IRP affiliates and other sources. Especially helpful were IRP affiliate and Professor Stephanie Robert's slide presentation for Badger Volunteers, "Social Policy is Health Policy: The Importance of Non-Medical Determinants of Health"; and "Poverty and Poor Health: Can Health Care Reform Narrow the Rich-Poor Gap?" Focus 28(2), IRP affiliate and former director Professor Barbara Wolfe, and The Biological Consequences of Socioeconomic Inequalities, edited by Barbara Wolfe, William Evans, and Teresa E. Seeman. Special thanks go to Professor Wolfe for her review of this fact sheet and helpful suggestions.

List of sources for Fact Sheet #3.

Poverty Fact Sheet #2: Family Complexity and Poverty, prepared by Rebekah Ludwig

"Family Complexity and Poverty," released in April 2013, was prepared by intern Rebekah Ludwig relying on the research of IRP affiliates and other researchers. Sources include especially "Family Structure, Childbearing, and Parental Employment: Implications for the Level and Trend in Poverty," in IRP's Focus newsletter 26(2); and the introduction to the edited volume entitled Social Class and Changing Families in an Unequal America, by Marcia Carlson and Paula England. Special thanks go to IRP affiliate Professor Marcia Carlson for her guidance in preparing this fact sheet.

Poverty Fact Sheet #1: Wisconsin Poverty 101, prepared by Anna Emmerich

"Wisconsin Poverty 101," released in May 2012, was prepared by intern Anna Emmerich using a variety of sources. Especially informative was The Wisconsin Poverty Report IV: How the Safety Net Protected Families from Poverty in 2010 by IRP researchers and Yiyoon Chung, Timothy M. Smeeding, and Katherine A. Thornton, and IRP Visiting Scholar Julia B. Isaacs.