Joblessness for minority youth reaches historic high

Stat house
August 2004

Joblessness for minority youth reaches historic high
Washington, D.C.—The August 6 release of a Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows that only 32,000 jobs were created in July. Experts were expecting 215,000 to 247,000 new jobs.

Hidden in today's report, according to the Children's Defense Fund, is the "exceptionally unsettling picture for minority youth." In July, the jobless rate for African American youth hit a historic high and the rate for Latino youth was near the all time worst. The jobless rate for all 16 to 19 year olds reached 56.1 percent in July, while the jobless rate for African American youth reached 75.1 percent and Latino youth reached almost 66 percent.

The Bush Administration and Congress could do much more to create jobs and lift families out of poverty, according to CDF.

• Fully funding the Child Care and Development Block Grant (a major source of child care funding) would generate an additional 1.8 million teaching positions. In addition, new management, custodial and bus driver positions would be generated. This child care assistance would also enable the parents of an additional 13,450,000 children to work and attend higher education programs to update their skills and earn additional income."

• Fully funding the 21st Century Community Learning Centers would generate an additional 554,272 jobs in addition to giving up to 6 million children a supervised place to go after school.

• If Head Start were fully funded within the current framework of the law, to serve all eligible children, an additional 135,644 jobs would be generated. Further, if Early Head Start were fully funded within the current framework of the law, it would generate at least 807,821 additional jobs.

"Today's children are the backbone of tomorrow's economy," Deborah Cutler-Ortiz of CDF's Family Income Division said. "The current dismal jobs report clearly calls for action. Instead of passing more tax breaks, which is not stimulating the economy nor creating jobs, the Bush Administration should do more to lift families out of poverty by investing in programs that help children."

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