Black, Latino, American-Indian children face greater barriers to achieving success, NC Policy Watch

April 2014

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New Report: Black, Latino, American-Indian children face greater barriers to achieving success, NC Policy Watch (04.01.2014)

new report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation explores the intersection of race and opportunity and finds that in North Carolina, children who are white or Asian are in a better positioned for success than black, Latino and American Indian children.

The report examines 12 indicators — such as high school graduation rates, teenage birthrates, employment prospects, and family income — to determine a child’s success from birth to adulthood.

In North Carolina, using a single composite score placed on a scale of one (lowest) to 1,000 (highest), Asian and Pacific Islander children have the highest index score at 746 followed by white children at 687. Scores for Latino (347), American-Indian (364) and African-American (346) children are distressingly lower.

“North Carolina’s future prosperity depends on our ability to ensure that all children can achieve their full potential,” said Rob Thompson, director of communications for NC Child. “By 2018, children of color will represent the majority of children in the United States, and as our state’s demographics follow suit, it’s more important than ever to create equitable opportunities for children of color.”

Thompson notes that public policies that promote access to high-quality early learning opportunities and alleviate financial hardship for working families can improve opportunities for children of color.

He also points to the expiration of the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and cuts early childhood programs like Smart Start and child care subsidies as policy decisions that will increase the barriers for many children of color in North Carolina.

– See more at: http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2014/04/01/new-report-black-latino-childr…