Florida
State Government
Governor
Ron DeSantis (R)
State Senate
12
Democrats,
28
Republicans
State House
36
Democrats,
84
Republicans
Economic well-being - Florida
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.1
Minimum wage
13.0
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.3
Poverty rate
12.0%
Unemployment rate
3.8
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
10.9
Poverty by demographic - Florida
Child poverty rate
0.2
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
31000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
445000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
628000
Senior poverty rate
12.1 %
Women in poverty
11,688,390
The News-Press, March 1, 2012: Lee school district, United Way help to build Bridges
"Tommila notified the Lee County School District of their new address. Through its program for homeless students, a social worker has helped provide clothes and shoes for the children in the past. The family moved from St. Petersburg in 2010. Tommila has been working full time at a dollar store but it wasn't enough to provide stability."
Naples Daily News, February 23, 2012: Study: More Florida children live in poverty than decade ago; Region mirrors trend
"It's worth noting that living in a distressed neighborhood doesn't mean that all of the children are living in poverty, she said. That's because a distressed subdivision or multifamily complex could be in the same general neighborhood as a wealthy one. In Florida, 341,000 children reside in neighborhoods where at least 30 percent of the residents are impoverished."
The Miami Herald, February 11, 2012: Poverty, Homelessness Rising Sharply Among Florida Students
"Since the economy collapsed in 2008, Florida's student population has become poorer each year with almost all school districts in the state experiencing spikes in the number of kids who qualify for subsidized meals. Children have become homeless at alarming numbers as well."
Tampa Bay Times, February 8, 2012: Ideas on school results abound
"The theory: Kim Black, president of the Pinellas teachers union, suggested a flood of low-income students weighed down Pinellas' progress. She wondered whether the district adjusted quickly enough to more challenging demographics. 'It hasn't been this bad here in years," she said of the numbers of kids in poverty.'"
The Miami Herald, January 27, 2012: Miami-Dade students in Liberty City get free laptops
"On Friday in Liberty City, more than 500 students at Holmes Elementary received their very own, green-and-white laptops. Students can use them in class and take them home. The idea is that their curiosity will spark learning in new ways."
The Bradenton Herald, January 26, 2012: FCAT alone: A poor way to judge public schools
"But some perspective is in order. The rankings do not factor in a district's size, progress or demographics, or consider graduation rates, Advanced Placement outcomes or other educational benchmarks like overall student progress. School superintendents from around the state justifiably cried foul over the rankings, especially those districts with high numbers of children living in poverty."