Family Economic Security

On Top of All the Back-to-School Jitters

Back-to-school season brings both excitement and anxiety, but this year parents at my child’s school were asked to donate $350 per student—far more than in past years—to cover programs the district doesn’t fund, like specialty teachers, software, and field trips. While I support my school, the growing reliance on parent contributions highlights inequities: wealthier schools benefit while high-need schools fall further behind. Declining federal and state funding, especially recent cuts, worsens the gap.

How We Got Here

Why does it feel like it is so hard to afford a decent life? Not decadent, not luxurious, just decent. And why does it seem like it used to be easier to afford that decent life? There is a very straightforward explanation that answers both of these questions. An economist would say, it comes down...

Fighting Back Against Health Care Cuts, Education Under Threat, Pushing Back Against False Crime Narratives, National Breastfeeding Month

On the radio show this week, we cover the cuts to our health care pushed through by Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, with many of the most harmful cuts delayed until after the midterms. We dive into Trump’s cuts to public education -- and tips on fighting school funding cuts and...