RSF Affiliated Researchers Contribute to New NAS Report on Improving How Poverty Is Measured
Top row L-R: Akee, Bohn, Gould, Hardy, Johnson, Korenman, Levy
Bottom row L-R: Matsudaira, Waldfogel, Wolfe, Ziliak, Danziger, Barnes
A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS), Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) offers recommendations for updating how poverty is measured in the U.S., with a special focus on household needs and resources in the areas of health care, child care, and housing. Former RSF visiting scholar and grantee James Ziliak (University of Kentucky) chaired the NAS committee of experts that issued the report. The report recommends replacing the current Official Poverty Measure with the more comprehensive Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) as the primary statistical measure of poverty used by the U.S. Census Bureau. The report assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the SPM and recommends updating its methodology to achieve a more accurate and comprehensive accounting of the day-to-day needs of American families. In addition to Ziliak, RSF affiliated scholars who were members of the NAS committee include Randall Akee, Sarah Bohn, Ingrid Gould Ellen, Bradley Hardy, David Johnson, Sanders Korenman, Helen Levy, Jordan Matsudaira, Jane Waldfogel, and Barbara Wolfe.
Randall Akee (UCLA) is an RSF research grant recipient. Sarah Bohn (Public Policy Institue of California) is an RSF research grant recipient. Ingrid Gould Ellen (New York University) is the recipient of several RSF research grants and the author of the RSF book How to House the Homeless. Bradley L. Hardy (Georgetown) is a former visiting scholar. David S. Johnson (University of Michigan) is a former visiting scholar. Sanders Korenman, (Baruch College) is the recipient of multiple RSF research grants. Helen G. Levy (University of Michigan) is a former visiting scholar. Jordan Matsudaira (Columbia University) is an RSF research grant recipient. Jane Waldfogel (Columbia University) is a former visiting scholar, recipient of multiple RSF grants, and author/contributor to multiple RSF books, including Britain’s War on Poverty. and Barbara L. Wolfe (University of Wisconsin, Madison) is the recipient of multiple RSF research grants and author/contributor to multiple RSF books, including The Biological Consequences of Socioeconomic Inequalities. James Ziliak (University of Kentucky) is a former visiting scholar and recipient of multiple RSF research grants.
Related Event: Improving How Poverty Is Measured
On Thursday, September 28, from 4:00 to 5:45 PM, five members of the NAS committee that produced the report will present their assessment of the current Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) and what a change from the SPM to a new Principal Poverty Measure would accomplish. Following the committee presentations, a distinguished panel, including RSF president Sheldon Danziger and current RSF visiting scholar Carolyn Barnes, will discuss the report’s recommendations.
Event location:
Baruch College, Information & Technology Building,
151 East 25th Street, New York
Atrium, Rackow Room and Lounge, 7th Floor, Room 750
This event is co-hosted by:
Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College, CUNY
Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University
Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University of Social Work