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
Los Angeles Times, November 10, 2011: Relief from No Child Left Behind too expensive, state officials say
"It would cost cash-strapped California at least $2 billion to meet the requirements for relief from the federal No Child Left Behind law, state officials reported Wednesday to the California Board of Education."
Los Angeles Times, November 5, 2011: Where poor students soar
"The San Fernando Valley campus, in a working-class pocket of North Hills, was singled out by Los Angeles Unified Supt. John Deasy in a conversation we had last month about whether low-income, Latino students in this district are doomed to mediocrity."
Los Angeles Times, November 5, 2011: Romney presents plan for $500 billion in cuts
"It was unclear, for example, how a potential Romney administration would set the level of premium support for Medicare and how much that defined amount would increase as medical costs continue to skyrocket. Though Romney said wealthier seniors would be asked to pay more than low-income seniors, he did not explain how those differentiations would be made."
Los Angeles Times, November 3, 2011: Portrait of poverty changes as workers, Latinos hit hard
"As demonstrations against the unequal concentration of wealth in the United States ratchet up, research provides a statistical look at that distribution: The number of people living in poverty has increased; where the poor live is changing; and the faces of those struggling to make ends meet are becoming more Latino, elderly and working-class."
The San Francisco Chronicle, November 2, 2011: California test scores again come up short
"At Rosa Parks Elementary, for example, low-income and black students are reading better, apparently because of a laser-like focus on the subject.Teachers ensure that every child has books that not only fit their interests but their skill, which is often far below grade level. After-school programs and volunteers also help students read, said Principal Paul Jacobse"
Los Angeles Times, October 23, 2011: An education gap for illegal migrants' kids
"Moreno, the daughter of an illiterate Mexican bracero worker who worked the fields herself but graduated from high school, also blamed schools for failing to help the children of illegal immigrants graduate."