Texas
State Government
Governor
Greg Abbott (R)
State Senate
12
Democrats,
19
Republicans
State House
64
Democrats,
86
Republicans
Economic well-being - Texas
Extreme poverty rate
0.08
Food insecurity
0.176
Minimum wage
7.25
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.313
Poverty rate
13.4%
Unemployment rate
4.1
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
16.7
Poverty by demographic - Texas
Child poverty rate
0.18
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
79000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
463000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
1915000
Senior poverty rate
12.3 %
Women in poverty
15,455,699
The Houston Chronicle, June 8, 2012: Thousands of area high school students fail new state tests
"To pass, students had to score at the 'satisfactory' or higher 'advanced' level. Districts with greater percentages of low-income students tended to perform the worst. The highest scores came on the biology test, with 84 percent passing in HISD and 97 percent passing in Clear Creek, for example. The Texas Education Agency is expected to release statewide results Friday."
Houston Chronicle, May 8, 2012: Student demographics change at some Texas schools
"Much of the state's enrollment increase is made up of children from low-income families, which could affect the state's future prosperity depending on how state leaders and legislators handle the new reality."
The Dallas Morning News, April 29, 2012: Dallas magnets attract best-in-state rankings
"The high school rankings are based on test scores, percentage of students taking advanced classes, graduation rates and other measures. Children at Risk also rates middle and elementary schools. The analysis credits schools that have high poverty rates but manage to excel."
The Dallas Morning News, April 15, 2012: Dallas ISD chafes at tutor 'racket,' but program required by state
"Enacted in 2002, No Child Left Behind promised to raise student achievement, particularly in reading and math. If schools fail to make gains, students from low-income families qualify for free tutoring. Companies apply with the state to become providers; families pick an approved tutor; and the school system pays with federal Title I funds earmarked for educating children from low-income families."
Austin American-Statesman, April 8, 2012: Austin unprepared for wave of poor seniors
"The number of elderly residents living in poverty has increased 42 percent in Central Texas over the past 10 years, according to the U.S. census, and demographers say the city is seeing the first signs of a growing wave that's been dubbed the 'silver tsunami.'"
Corpus Christi Caller-Times, April 5, 2012: Texas Births: State adds 1M kids in decade
"Texas has the second-highest birthrate in the nation, and more than 25 percent of those children live in poverty, according to the annual Kids Count survey released Thursday. The number of children in Texas rose by nearly 1 million between 2000 and 2010 and accounted for more than half of the U.S. child population growth."