Pennsylvania
State Government
Governor
Josh Shapiro (D)
State Senate
22
Democrats,
28
Republicans
State House
102
Democrats,
101
Republicans
Economic well-being - Pennsylvania
Extreme poverty rate
0.07
Food insecurity
0.132
Minimum wage
7.25
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.273
Poverty rate
11.6%
Unemployment rate
4
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
5.8
Poverty by demographic - Pennsylvania
Child poverty rate
0.15
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
29000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
191000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
215000
Senior poverty rate
10.4 %
Women in poverty
6,429,348
The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 16, 2012: Russell Byers Charter School guides students long after they graduate
"For a recent study on houses, kindergartners met residents from a homeless shelter, performed a play at LOVE Park about being homeless, and then raised $4,000 from the crowd for the shelter. The school consistently meets state academic benchmarks. "
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 10, 2012: Some city schools to start earlier
"In addition to an already difficult financial forecast, Ms. Lane said she learned on a recent trip to Harrisburg that the district probably will receive $2 million less in federal Title 1 money aimed at helping the math and reading achievement of low-income students."
The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 29, 2012: People who will be affected by Corbett's cuts
"In addition to disabled adults, the rollback in funding affects the homeless, people with mental-health and substance-abuse problems, HIV patients needing hospice care, children aging out of foster care, and those in the city-run nursing home."
Patriot News, January 15, 2012: Schools step in to alleviate stress poor students face
"Kids living in poverty can face a lot of extra challenges that hurt learning... Every public school district in the midstate saw an increase in the percent of children living in poverty 2007-2010 and some saw percents nearly double, according to a report recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau."
The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 25, 2011: Multiple paths for a pilot preschool
"The center was designed by Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, LEAP Academy University Charter School founder and a Rutgers distinguished professor. Funded with grants, private donations, and appropriations from the Camden City School District, it serves low-income families from the city."
The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 14, 2011: Students staff shelters to get the homeless on track
"The men, all homeless, are called 'guests' and treated as such. Care and comfort are provided by an exuberant, dedicated, rotating cadre of 200 volunteers from Villanova, Swarthmore, Penn, Temple, and Drexel, who cook, dine with guests, play games, and converse, with three to five students spending the night every night."