This document discusses racial inequities among children in Michigan compared to national benchmarks. It finds that African American and white children in Michigan have worse outcomes than their national peers across several key metrics like educational attainment, income level, and more. Hispanic/Latino children in Michigan are doing slightly better than average. The document recommends addressing concentrated poverty, improving education systems, and making economic and employment programs more inclusive to help reduce racial inequities for children in Michigan.

1. Race for Results:
building a path to opportunity
for all children
Jane Zehnder-Merrell, Kids Count in Michigan Project Director
Prosperity Coalition
May 6, 2014

2. 2
oAfrican American
oAmerican Indian
oAsian and Pacific Islander
oLatino/Hispanic
oWhite
oTwo or more races (US only)
(Mutually exclusive - OMB categories for racial and ethnic groups
as reported/collected by Federal Statistical Agencies)
Major Racial/Ethnic Groups

3. 3
• economically successful families,
• supportive communities,
• meeting developmental, health and educational milestones
12 key milestones/conditions to successful adulthood
• Range: birth to young adulthood – ages 0-29
• Collection: regular and comparable-state and national
Goals for All Children

4. 4
• Babies Born at Normal Birthweight (5.5 lbs)
• Children (3-5) Enrolled in Nursery School,
Preschool or Kindergarten
• Children living in Low-Poverty Areas (<20
percent)
Supportive Communities

5. 5
• Females Ages 15 to 19 Delay
Childbearing
• Children Living with a Householder
having at Least a High School Diploma
• Children in Two-Parent Families
• Children in Families with Incomes
Above 200 percent of Poverty
Economically Successful Familes

6. 6
• Fourth Graders at/Above Proficient in Reading
• Eighth Graders at/Above Proficient in Math
• High School Students Graduating on Time
• Young Adults (19-26) in School/ Work
• Young Adults (25-29) with Associate Degree +
Meeting Milestones

7. 7
Race for Results Index: US
775
701
398 380 348
0
300
600
900
Asian and
Pacific
Islander
White Latino American
Indian
Black

8. Michigan's two largest racial/ethnic groups have
worse outcomes/conditions than their national
counterparts.
Race for Results Index—higher scores reflect better results
Asian/Pacific Islander
White
American Indian/
Alaskan Native
Hispanic/Latino
Black/African
American
787
501
668
244
411
776
345
404
387
704
0 250 500 750 1,000

9. Almost one of every three children in
Michigan is a child of color—much less
diverse than the nation.
White
1,548,470
69%
American Indian
13,941
1% Asian/Pacific Islander
64,914
3%
Hispanic/Latino
173,982
7%
Other
97,437
4%
Black/
African American
367,603
16%
Source: Kids Count Data Center

10. White children in Michigan were worse off
than their national peers.
White Children (69%)- 1.5 million
0 250 500 750 1,000
Race for Results Index—with 1,000 as the best score
827
827
812
704
668
559
521
Massachusetts
New Jersey
Connecticut
Unites States
Michigan
Mississippi
West Virginia

11. Outcomes/conditions for Michigan’s white children
were substantially worse than their national peers
on four measures.
White Non-Hispanic Children (69%)
75%
50%
25%
0%
36%
44% 45%
37% 40%
47%
63%
69%
Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation: Race for Results
Math proficiency Reading proficiency Associate’s degree Income above 200%
(grade 8) (grade 4) or higher (ages 25-29) of the FPL

12. African American children in Michigan were worse
off than their peers in every state but Mississippi
and Wisconsin.
African American Children (16%) – 368,000
Hawaii
New Hampshire
United States
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Wisconsin
0 250 500 750
Race for Results Index—with 1,000 as the best score
583
538
345
252
244
243
238

13. African American children in Michigan fell well below
their national peers on most key indicators.
African American Children (16%)
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Math Reading Associate’s Above 200% Low-poverty Two-parent On-time H.S. In school or
proficiency proficiency degree+ of the FPL area (less families graduation working
(grade 8) (grade 4) (ages 25-29) than 20%) (ages 19-26)
7%
14% 12%
17%
30%
37%
50%
35%
26%26%
19%
32%
65%
59%
72%
66%
Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation: Race for Results

14. African American children in Michigan were less
likely to live in a low-poverty neighborhood than
those in any other state.
African American Children (16%)
64
50
45 41
35 31 30
Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation: Race for Results
75
60
45
30
15
0
New Jersey United New York Illinois Arkansas Mississippi Michigan
States

15. Overall Hispanic/Latino children in Michigan were
slightly better off than their national peers.
Hispanic/Latino Children (7%) – 174,000
Race for Results Index -- with 1,000 as the best score
540
573
521
411
404
336
331
Alaska
New Hampshire
Hawaii
Michigan
United States
Rhode Island
Alabama
0 250 500 750

16. Householder with a Math proficiency On-time H.S.
H.S. diploma (grade 8) graduation
14%
21%
71%
63%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Conditions/outcomes for Michigan Hispanic/Latino
children differ substantially from national averages
on three measures.
Hispanic/Latino Children (7%)
71%
63%
Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation: Race for Results

17. National RECOMMENDATIONS
• DATA
• CONNECT THE DOTS: DATA POLICY
• PROGRAMS – PROMISING/EVIDENCE-BASED
• INCLUSION – ECONOMIC & EMPLOYMENT
PROGRAMS

18. Reducing Racial Inequity
•Concentrated poverty
•Education
•Employment

19. 19
This is our future, and it is NOW.