January 30, 2025 / Education

GPEE’s Top Ten Issues to Watch in Education in 2025Image

This edition of the Georgia Partnership’s Top Ten Issues to Watch report addresses both immediate needs and long-term strategies to help Georgia reach its North Star goal. Each issue highlights the benefits of removing barriers that prevent all Georgians from achieving a good quality of life. The report is organized into three key areas: deeper learning, system improvements, and future-focused solutions.

Key Areas:

  • A Recipe for Deeper Learning: For the first time, the Georgia Partnership dedicates a section to accelerating student success through deeper learning. It explores three key factors—attendance, student motivation, and teacher quality—that significantly impact student engagement.
  • Building Momentum to Reach the North Star: This section recommends system and investment changes to support children, youth, and working adults. Topics include early childhood interventions, aligning K-12 staffing with student needs, and expanding post-secondary education access through nontraditional pathways.
  • Investing in the Solutions of the Future: This section looks ahead to 2033 and focuses on workforce readiness, responsible AI integration, and reimagining public education funding and evaluation to foster innovation.

Read the full report here.

January 30, 2025 / Criminal Justice, Economics, Equity

GBPI found disparities across race and income on the ability to pay fines and fees from traffic ticketsImage

Excessive reliance on fines and fees by local governments creates lasting barriers to economic security, particularly for Black Georgians and low-income individuals. The resulting debt can limit access to stable work, housing, and economic opportunities while increasing entanglement with the criminal legal system.

A survey conducted by the University of Georgia’s SPIA Survey Research Center on September 11, 2024, for the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute (GBPI), collected data to better understand the impact of everyday dynamics and historical discrimination on Black communities, which have led to overpolicing and the erosion of their income and wealth.

Statewide trends:

  • Nearly 15% of all Georgians have been unable to afford a traffic ticket at some point in their lives, with the rate rising to over 20% for Black Georgians and those earning $15,000–$49,000 per year.
  • Black Georgians are more than twice as likely as white Georgians to be placed on a payment plan for a traffic ticket they couldn’t pay on time.
  • Georgians of color are more likely to go into debt or face legal consequences, including criminal records, jail time, and misdemeanor probation, due to unpaid traffic tickets.

Read the full report here.

December 17, 2024 / Education

Annual Report: State of Education in Metro Atlanta 2024Image

At the 2024 State of Education in Metro Atlanta, Learn4Life shared data, perspectives, and solutions around three key regional themes:

  1. Stubborn literacy gaps: While 3rd-grade reading proficiency is above pre-pandemic levels, race, economic, and language disparities persist. Scaling efforts like Vision to Learn show promise, as an estimated 40,000 of 138,000 elementary students in underserved metro communities need glasses but lack access.
  2. Depleted teacher morale: Only 59% of Georgia teachers report being likely to remain in the profession in the next five years. The most significant factor is that half report feeling burned out, often (78%) noting a lack of administrative support. 
  3. Students’ limited access to critical supports: The 2024 FAFSA process led to a significant decline in form completion, disproportionately impacting those who need financial aid the most. FAFSA completion is a leading indicator of postsecondary success among low-income students, making this a critical issue.

Read the annual State of Education in Metro Atlanta report and watch the live stream on United Way of Greater Atlanta’s Facebook page.

November 25, 2024 / Health, Housing

Low-income Latinos in Georgia face deplorable and unstable living conditions.Image

The Latino Community Fund Georgia (LCF) and Ser Familia have released the State of the Latino Community Report, a digital publication that combines data from various sources with insights from experts and community members on key issues.

The report’s housing chapter identifies two major challenges for low-income Latinos in Georgia:

  • Deplorable and unstable living conditions, often exacerbated by abusive landlords.
  • The persistent threat of eviction.

Michael Lucas, Executive Director of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF), shares that about 60% of cases at AVLF involve housing repairs tied to health issues, mainly caused by mold and insects that can worsen respiratory problems like asthma.

Read the full report here.

October 30, 2024 / General, Immigration

Atlanta’s population surge is driven by domestic migrationImage

The Atlanta Regional Commission forecasts that the 21-county region will add 1.8 million people by 2050. The analysis is based on the 2018-22 Census Bureau’s State-to-County Migration Flows data, a special tabulation of the American Community Survey. It provides a detailed view into a key component of the region’s growth: domestic migration into the city area.

Key takeaways:

  • By 2050, the Atlanta region is expected to grow to around 7.9 million residents.
  • The largest in-migrations to our region come from Florida, the most populous states (California, Texas, New York), and our closest neighbors (the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Alabama).
  • The top 10 states account for about 54% of the new population in the Atlanta area, indicating a concentrated pattern of in-migration.

See the blog post here.

October 30, 2024 / Environment

Understanding Georgia’s Carbon Emission ChallengesImage

Drawdown Georgia is an initiative leading the charge to make the state net zero in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This ambitious target aims to decrease emissions from 156 megatons to just 67 megatons through strategies such as expanding solar energy, promoting electric vehicles, enhancing public transportation, and reducing food waste.

On their research blog, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) shared some key data insights about Georgia’s carbon footprint, according to Drawdown Georgia’s GHG Emission Tracker:

  • Georgia’s carbon dioxide emissions decreased from 55.6 million metric tons in 2022 to 50 million in 2023, translating to approximately 9,839 pounds per person.
  • Transportation’s share of total emissions rose sharply from 44.1% in 2013 to 55.6% in 2023, indicating increased vehicle usage and urban sprawl, while residential and commercial emissions declined.
  • The analysis reveals that the Atlanta metropolitan area is the primary source of emissions, driven by dense populations, industrial activities, and extensive transportation networks.
  • The reductions in residential (from 31.5% to 26.0%) and commercial emissions (from 24.4% to 18.4%) suggest progress in energy efficiency and sustainable building practices over the past decade.

Read the full blog post here.

September 27, 2024 / Economics, Equity

Black-owned Businesses Improve Neighborhood Well-BeingImage

A recent Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) brief outlines how supporting Black-owned businesses can significantly improve neighborhood well-being.

Key takeaways:

  • Black-owned small businesses in Atlanta contribute significantly to neighborhood well-being, including a measurable increase in child well-being scores.

  • Black-owned businesses in Atlanta are disproportionately affected by rising commercial rents, making commercial affordability a significant barrier.

  • There are seven Black-owned small businesses for every 1,000 Black residents in Atlanta, but these businesses earn only $0.17 for every $1.00 earned by other small businesses.

  • The majority of Black-owned businesses in Atlanta have fewer than 20 employees and face challenges accessing capital due to systemic barriers.

  • Commercial rents in majority-Black neighborhoods have increased at a faster rate than in majority-white neighborhoods, contributing to the displacement of Black-owned businesses.

The brief advocates for policies that facilitate access to capital and resources for Black businesses, emphasizing that equitable support can lead to broader community improvements.

Read the full brief on AWBI’s website.

September 27, 2024 / Health, Mental Health

Addressing Parental Stress: A Call for ActionImage

In a recent New York Times opinion piece, the Surgeon General highlights the growing stress faced by parents in today’s society. Here are some key insights:

  • High Stress Levels: A study found that 48% of parents say most days their stress is completely overwhelming, compared with 26% of other adults who reported the same.
  • Mental Health Risks: There is a correlation between parenting stress and increased rates of anxiety and depression among parents, emphasizing the importance of mental health resources.
  • Impact on Children: Stress in parents can adversely affect child development, with studies indicating that children of stressed parents are more likely to experience emotional and behavioral issues.
  • Support Networks: The piece suggests that fostering strong community networks can significantly alleviate stress, as parents who engage with others report feeling less isolated and more empowered.
  • Policy Implications: Advocating for family-friendly policies, such as paid parental leave and accessible mental health services, can create a healthier environment for both parents and children.

For a deeper dive into this pressing issue, read the full article here.

August 27, 2024 / Education

Student absenteeism in Georgia has doubled since 2019Image

In a recent presentation, the Get Georgia Reading Campaign (GGR) showcased data about student absenteeism in Georgia as reported by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA). The data shows chronic school absenteeism has doubled for all grades since 2019.

Key takeaways:

  • While absenteeism of less than five days per school year has decreased since 2019, the percentage of students absent six days or more per school year has increased.
  • Chronic student absenteeism – the percentage of children missing school more than 15 days per school year – has doubled since 2019.
    This is true for every grade (pre-K to 12th) but is more dramatic for lower grades.
  • By the end of the third grade, about 25% of Georgia students have missed at least 75 days of school – two and a half months.
  • By the end of the fourth grade, almost 25% of Georgia students have missed at least three months of school.

See the data slides here.

August 22, 2024 / Early Childhood, Economics, Education

The cost of summer child care for Atlanta familiesImage

In June, Atlanta POV asked residents about summer childcare and the related needs of Atlanta families, whether they are being met, and how they impact their budget.

A total of 293 residents from Metro Atlanta responded to the survey, providing key insights to understand how families deal with the costs and planning related to their children’s summer programming.

Key takeaways:

  • Finding adequate child care during summer is a significant challenge for most families.
  • Finding and paying for summer programs for children is an economic stressor for families and their budgets.
  • Workforce participation and productivity of households with children are impacted by the lack of availability and affordability of program options during the summer months.

See the full survey report here.

July 30, 2024 / Basic Needs, Housing

Results from 2024 PIT Count for the City of AtlantaImage

The PIT Count takes an annual, unduplicated census of people experiencing homelessness on a one night in the last 10 days of January. Note that the PIT Count covers only people who are either in shelters or unsheltered. Therefore, it should not be viewed as an exact number of people experiencing homelessness. However, it is a useful tool that can be used to estimate characteristics of the City of Atlanta population of people experiencing homelessness and gauge changes over time.

Of the 2,867 persons counted through Atlanta’s 2024 Point-In-Time survey:

  • 92% of families experiencing homelessness are Black.
  • 35% of adults experiencing homelessness are over the age of 55.
  • 61% don’t earn any income of any kind, and 72% of them don’t receive benefits or additional support.

Read the full report here.

July 30, 2024 / Equity

Over the past 15 years, the Black-white gap in upward economic mobility shrank by 27%Image

In their new study (Chetty, Dobbie, Goldman, Porter, Yang), analyze changes in economic opportunity using new data on 57 million children born between 1978 and 1992 from anonymized Census and tax records. Although substantial racial gaps persist, we find rapid changes in the size of these gaps: over the past 15 years, the Black-white gap in upward economic mobility shrank by 27%. During the same period, class gaps expanded.

Some key insights:

  • The Black-white gap in upward mobility shrank significantly in the past 15 years.
  • In areas where Black children’s outcomes improved the most, white children also did relatively better.
  • Divergent trends in mobility by race and class were driven by changes in the communities in which children grew up, as measured by parental employment rates.
  • Social interactions are central to changing opportunity: children’s outcomes are shaped by parental employment rates of peers with whom they interact most.

Read the full report here.

June 26, 2024 / Health, Safety

Firearm violence was declared as a public health crisis – US Surgeon General ReportImage

This week, the US Surgeon General declared Firearm Violence a Public Health Crisis. The 40-page report outlines the scope of firearm violence and provides recommendations on firearm Risk reduction, as well as violence prevention strategies.

Here are some of the takeaways:

  • Firearm-related injuries have been the leading cause of death for children and adolescents since 2020.
  • The rate of firearm-related suicide increased by 20% across the population between 2012 and 2022, with the highest increase among younger people.
  • In 2015, the overall firearm-related death rate was 11.4 times higher in the U.S. compared to 28 other high-income nations.
  • More than three-quarters of adults (79%) in the U.S. report experiencing stress from the possibility of a mass shooting, and one in three adults (33%) say fear prevents them from going to certain places or events.
  • Local exposure to fatal school shootings is associated with a 21.4% increase in youth antidepressant use in the following 2 years.
  • About 56% of unintentional firearm deaths among children and adolescents between 2003 and 2021 happened in their own homes.

Click here to read the full report with more insights and information about firearm violence in the U.S.

June 26, 2024 / Equity, General

Less than 50% of prominent surveys collect any Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity dataImage

Last month, our partners from New Haven released their report “Invisible in Data, Excluded from Research,” showcasing the limited availability of disaggregated sexual orientation and gender identity data (SOGI).

Nationwide, the LGBTQ+ community is severely underrepresented in data and, therefore, missing from important conversations:

  • The American Community Survey just began collecting data on same-sex couples in 2019.
  • The Census does not ask questions about Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
  • Less than 50% of prominent public and private surveys collect any Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity data.
  • When data is collected, it is limited and fails to capture entire swaths of the LGBTQ community. Often, non-binary, trans, and two-spirit are left out as options altogether.

The lack of data collected about LGBTQ+ people and issues materially impacts policy decisions and the (re)distribution of resources.

This is particularly relevant considering the hostile environment in which we currently live, where a record-breaking 600 anti-trans bills were introduced across 49 states in 2023 alone.

Read the full report here.

May 20, 2024 / Equity

Despite Atlanta’s diversity, there’s still a clear divide in access to opportunity between communitiesImage

The Annie E. Casey Foundation released the latest Changing the Odds report, showcasing the progress the city of Atlanta has made but also the disproportionate challenges Black Atlantans face in their neighborhoods, schools and access to economic opportunity, impeding their ability to thrive in a rapidly growing city.

Some findings:

  • Although increasingly diverse, metro Atlanta shows a clear divide in access to opportunity between wealthier, majority-white communities and lower-income communities where the majority of residents are black.
  • While the employment rate for all Atlantans has increased, the unemployment rate for Black residents is three times higher than that of white residents.
  • Citywide alliances helped improve children’s learning and well-being, allowing Atlanta providers to retain and slightly expand childcare capacity between 2019 and 2022.

Explore Atlanta’s data landscape and find recommendations to address racial disparities and support thriving communities by reading the full report here.

May 20, 2024 / Basic Needs, Environment

Energy insecurity disproportionately affects communities of color in the Southeast statesImage

Earlier this month, the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) Research team published the Energy Insecurity StoryMap. The project explores the intricate connections between energy, housing, and financial policies contributing to disparities in our communities.

Some highlights:

  • The Southeast has the lowest electric rates in the contiguous United States but the greatest proportion of energy-insecure households.
  • Communities of color still lack of equal participation in energy decision-making processes and access to clean and affordable sources of energy.
  • Research shows that redlined areas still have higher energy use intensity, less access to green space, higher urban temperatures, increased density of oil and gas wells, and more fossil fuel power plants.

Explore the full StoryMap here.

April 27, 2024 / Commuting

Only 10% of trips in Atlanta occur within a 15-minute radiusImage

Recently, a group of researchers published a study analyzing mobile-phone location data for 40 million Americans, measuring how often a neighborhood’s residents carry out essential trips within a quarter-hour radius.

The general results show that the median resident makes only 14% of their consumption trips within a 15-minute walking radius.

The study offers insights by region and state across the country. In Atlanta, only 10% of trips occur within a 15-minute radius.

Read more about the study here.

April 27, 2024 / Housing

KB: Approximately 715K housing units should be built in the next decade in GeorgiaImage

Enterprise Community Partners, in partnership with Georgia Advancing Communities Together and the Center for Community Progress, engaged KB Advisory Group to analyze trends related to housing underproduction and the increasing gap between working wages and home prices to make the case for investing in Georgia’s State Housing Trust Fund for the homeless and local housing trust funds.

Some key takeaways from the study:

  • Over half a million Georgia households are severely cost-burdened.
  • Black households pay a higher percentage of their household income on housing and housing-related expenses than White households.
  • Limited availability of housing options that are attainable at the wages earned by entry-level wage workers.
  • An estimated 715,000 housing units should be built in the next decade to accommodate future population growth, compensate for years of undersupply, and modernize the housing stock.
  • The state would see billions in added value, local income, and local taxes and hundreds of thousands of local jobs by reaching this goal.

Read the full report here.

March 27, 2024 / Equity, Workforce

Is Metro Atlanta bridging the gender pay gap?Image

This month, the Research and Analytics Division of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) published an analysis of the gender pay gap in Metro Atlanta using 1-year estimates from the American Community Survey, which the Census Bureau has produced for 2005 to 2022.

Here are some of the findings:

  1. Women in metro Atlanta earn about 82 cents on the dollar compared with their male counterparts.
  2. Metro Atlanta has the 7th largest gender pay gap among the twenty largest metros in the United States.
  3. The gender gap has reduced by three cents from 21.2 cents in 2005 to 18 cents in 2022. Thus, while the gap has narrowed slightly over the last decade and a half, it remains quite wide.
  4. Disparities are lowest among protective service occupations (where women earn 93.3 cents on the dollar) and highest among health practitioners (where women earn only 65.6 cents on the dollar)—the wage gap is nearly 28 cents higher in those health occupations.

Read the full analysis in the 33°n blog post here.