The Number of Food Insecure Children Grows

A new report from the Center for Children in Poverty provides the most current information about food insecurity in the United States and policy recommendations.  While the report paints a grim picture, these figures are from 2008 and preceed the worst of the current recession.  Most notably, of the 39.5 million households with children (approximately 34% of all households) 21 % were food insecure. "Households where no one has a high school degree are nearly seven times more likely to report food insecurity among children than households where at least one adult has a bachelor’s degree."  As we noted previously, policymakers should consider poverty as part of their education reform agenda, and this report underscores the need to consider education as part of a poverty reduction agenda.
For more on state policies to reduce child poverty and to increase early academic achievement.