Biography

Jane Waldfogel is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children and Youth Problems at the Columbia University School of Social Work, and co-Director of the Columbia Population Research Center. She is also Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics. Waldfogel received her Ph.D. in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School in 1994 and has written extensively on the impact of public policies on poverty, inequality, and child and family well-being. Her books include: Too Many Children Left Behind: The U.S. Achievement Gap in Comparative Perspective; Britain’s War on Poverty; Steady Gains and Stalled Progress: Inequality and the Black-White Test Score Gap; What Children Need; Securing the Future: Investing in Children from Birth to College; and The Future of Child Protection. She is also the author of over 150 articles and book chapters. Her current research includes studies of paid family leave, poverty, and inequality in achievement.

2-051 - Poverty, Inequality and Child Development: Learning from Other Countries

Session Type: Invited Address

Integrative Statement

Although the US has made more progress in reducing poverty over the past five decades than conventional estimates suggest, child poverty remains high relative to other countries, and inequality is a growing challenge. Of particular concern, children’s school readiness and subsequent achievement are closely tied to their parents’ socioeconomic status (SES). Analysis of data from peer countries – where SES is not so strongly tied to child development - suggests that it does not have to be this way and provides some clues as to why the US is an outlier. The analysis also has implications for policies to promote more equality of opportunity in the US. Such policies would focus on providing more support for early learning, raising family incomes for the poor and near-poor, and improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools.

Sub Unit

• Invited Program on Poverty, Inequality & Developmental Science

Chair

• Chelsea Derlan, Virginia Commonwealth University

Speaker

• Jane Waldfogel, Columbia University