The Growing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Household Wealth

It probably comes as no surprise that there are substantial disparities in wealth between Whites, Blacks and Hispanics.  However, figures released last week by the Census Bureau drives home the point by documenting the extent of those disparities and showing how the gaps have been growing over the past decade. As I wrote in today’s WI...

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Maryland’s Remarkable Progress in Increasing School Readiness

Maryland has been a leader in improving school readiness over the last 12 years, dramatically increasing the percentage of children that are “fully ready” as they enter Kindergarten. Here’s a snapshot of progress from their recent Maryland Report on School Readiness 2013-14: • 83% of entering kindergarteners are fully ready in...

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Teen Birth Rates Decline Sharply, but Large Racial Disparities Persist

One of the good news stories in public health is the very substantial decline in teen births over the last couple of decades. This decrease is important because we know that births to teens create long term challenges for both the children and the parents, including increased health complications, lower education levels and lower...

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Wisconsin Life Expectancy Gap Continues to Widen

Two new analyses released this week provide further evidence of the sharp disparities between African Americans and whites in Wisconsin. The latest evidence comes from a study of trends in life expectancy rates from the journal Health Affairs and new health insurance data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). The study...

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Four New Polls Show Strong Support For Early Childhood Education

A set of recent public opinion polls has shown remarkable support for early childhood education. Clearly public opinion has shifted to an understanding of the importance of early learning and toward support for more investment. Ready Nation, a business partnership for early childhood and economic success, has released information on...

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Gallup Releases Survey Data on Insurance Coverage by State

New Gallup survey data released this week indicates that the portion of adults in Wisconsin who are uninsured dropped by an estimated 2.1 percentage points in the first half of 2014. The Gallup analysis of the survey data divides states into two categories: 21 states that have expanded Medicaid to adults up to 138% of the federal...

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No Welcome Mat for Kids in Wisconsin

Advocates Seek DHS Help in Understanding What’s Causing a BadgerCare Decline The BadgerCare changes that Wisconsin put into effect this year have had a surprising and worrisome effect.  Over the last 9 months, the total number of children in BadgerCare and Transitional Medicaid has been falling, at a time when budget experts expected a...

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