California
State Government
Governor
Gavin Newsom (D)
State Senate
32
Democrats,
8
Republicans
State House
62
Democrats,
17
Republicans
Economic well-being - California
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.1
Minimum wage
16.5
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.3
Poverty rate
11.8%
Unemployment rate
5.5
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
5.9
Housing - California
Home foreclosure rate
1 in 3407
People experiencing homelessness
187,084.0
Households paying more than 50% of income on housing
1,633,600.0
Percent renters
0.4
Poverty by demographic - California
Child poverty rate
0.2
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
251000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
192000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
1981000
Senior poverty rate
12.0 %
Women in poverty
19,461,027
Libraries' literacy program helps meet families' needs
"Through the generosity of Times readers and a match by the McCormickFoundation, nearly $450,000 was granted to local literacy programs thisyear as a result of the Los Angeles Times Holiday Campaign. The campaign,part of the Los Angeles Times Family Fund, a McCormick Foundation Fund,raises contributions to support established literacy programs run bynonprofit organizations that serve low-income families whose children arereading below grade levels, who are at risk of illiteracy or who havelimited English proficiency."
The Daily News of Los Angeles, December 26, 2012: California may lose 'No Child Left Behind' waiver bid
"Federal education officials are poised to reject California's self-styled bid to avoid the strict requirements of the No Child Left Behind law, which could lead to radical reforms at hundreds of low-income schools."
Sacramento Bee, December 26, 2012: Jerry Brown pushes new funding system for California schools
"Gov. Jerry Brown is pushing hard to overhaul California's convoluted school funding system. His plan has two major objectives: Give K-12 districts greater control over how they spend money, and send more dollars to impoverished students and English learners."
The Press-Enterprise, December 19, 2012: RIVERSIDE: Family literacy class parents get free computers
"Smart Riverside, a nonprofit group that provides computers and training to low-income families, was to deliver the computer processor towers to the parents' homes later in the day, said Kathy Pitchford, staff development specialist with the Riverside Unified School District."
The Daily News of Los Angeles, November 29, 2012: Apartments for seniors with mental health problems open in North Hollywood
"Residents will receive mental and health services from the San Fernando Valley Community Health Center and Northeast Valley Health Corp. A case manager will be on-site to help residents find activities through partnerships with area public and nonprofit agencies and faith communities. The five-story LEED Silver certified apartment already houses seniors age 55 and older who are considered very low income. Thirty of the units are reserved for seniors who are homeless and mentally ill at the time they enter housing."
Los Angeles Times, November 24, 2012: Lessons from the other side
"Of the 410 students on Para Los Ninos' elementary campus, 99% are Latino and 96% hail from low-income families. More than two-thirds of the students are not fluent in English. But the school is proving that demographics are not destiny. Its test scores are on par with many suburban public schools. And its curriculum relies on the sort of child-centered approach favored by progressive private schools with five-figure tuition."