Louisiana
State Government
Governor
Jeff Landry (R)
State Senate
11
Democrats,
28
Republicans
State House
32
Democrats,
73
Republicans
Economic well-being - Louisiana
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.2
Minimum wage
7.3
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.4
Poverty rate
18.7%
Unemployment rate
4.4
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
7.7
Poverty by demographic - Louisiana
Child poverty rate
0.3
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
N/A
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
225000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
51000
Senior poverty rate
14.2 %
Women in poverty
2,308,952
The News-Star, July 14, 2013: Study says reducing dropouts could save $119M
"Since high school dropouts have few opportunities for good-paying jobs and often have to rely on publicly funded hospitals for health care, cutting the dropout rate by 50 percent could save the state as much as $119 million a year in Medicaid spending, a recent study shows."
Times-Picayune, May 17, 2013: (Op-Ed) Scholarship program shouldn't be a dream deferred
"The latest barrier being put in the way of children's interests is the decision by the Louisiana Supreme Court that the funding method for the Louisiana Scholarship Program is unconstitutional. Fortunately there is a fix. Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Legislature must find a different method to fund the program, which allows some low-income families to send their children to private and parochial schools."
The Times-Picayune, February 08, 2013: Fewer kindergarteners in high-poverty New Orleans neighborhoods 'developmentally vulnerable,' study finds
"A new study has unexpected good news for New Orleans' education system: Several high-poverty neighborhoods are sending a relatively low number of children to kindergarten who are considered developmentally vulnerable,' according to data released this week by the Orleans Public Education Network."
Daily World, January 04, 2013: Study looks at risk factors facing La. kids
"The Imagination Library mails age-appropriate books to impoverished homes for children up through age 5, in an effort to jumpstart their interest in reading and increase their literacy. From birth to 5 is when the brain is growing and absorbing the most,' Fisher said. If they start kindergarten and they're not prepared, they're already behind. A kindergarten teacher can tell when a child hasn't been exposed to books.'"
The Advocate, November 27, 2012: Teachers group to push repeal of Jindal's laws
"The chief targets of the LFT's wrath, as they have been for months, are two laws enacted earlier this year. One expanded Louisiana's voucher program from New Orleans only to a statewide choice for low-income students attending troubled public schools to switch to private and parochial schools at state expense."
The Advocate, October 23, 2012: School forum on challenges
"The Lafayette Parish School System should look for ways to diversify the student population on its campuses if it wants to improve achievement in its high-poverty schools, Lafayette City-Parish Council member Kenneth Boudreaux said during a Monday evening forum focused on the impact of poverty on schools."