Policy Topics

Poverty and social policy

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News

U.S. News and World Report posts previously-released grad school rankings

Mar 14, 2017

In rankings originally published in March 2016, the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan is recognized in the top ten of America’s “public affairs” programs. According to the re-released U.S. News and World...

Michelmore and Dynarski publish “The gap within the gap” in education journal

Feb 21, 2017

A paper by Katherine Michelmore and Susan Dynarksi titled, “The gap within the gap: Using longitudinal data to understand income differences in educational outcomes” was published on February 1 in AERA Open, a journal from the American Educational...

News

Seefeldt on Making Sen$e: Fix social safety net—don’t shame those who need it

Feb 6, 2017

Kristin Seefeldt’s (MPP '96, PhD '10) recent op-ed, featured in Making Sen$e on February 2, highlights the need to “fix the social safety need, not shame those who need it.” Seefeldt notes that “the [social] safety net is perpetually under...

Shaefer weighs in on state's faulty unemployment insurance fraud claims

Jan 27, 2017

A January 18 Detroit MetroTimes piece by Jack Lessenberry, "Politics & Prejudices: Screwing the poor, and ourselves," features quotes from Luke Shaefer.Lessenberry's opinion piece profiles the issue of a faulty fraud detection system implemented by...

Faculty publication on Michigan merit curriculum now in educational policy journal

Jan 27, 2017

A paper by Brian Jacob, Susan Dynarski, Kenneth Frank, and Barbara Schneider titled, “Are Expectations Alone Enough? Estimating the Effect of a Mandatory College-Prep Curriculum in Michigan” was published in Educational Evaluation and Policy...

Brian Jacob, Sue Dynarski, and members of the Education Policy Initiative stand along the winding main staircase of the Ford School's home, Weill Hall

News

This year’s Charity Auction to benefit Foundation for Flint's 'Flint Kids Fund'

Jan 26, 2017

For more than two decades, the Ford School has hosted an annual student-led fundraising effort that spans both semesters and raises money for a nonprofit nominated and selected by students. The initiative is headed by members of the Charity Auction...

News

Detroit News features two programs funded by U-M Poverty Solutions initiative

Jan 26, 2017

Kim Kozlowski of The Detroit News featured U-M’s new Poverty Solutions initiative in her Jan 17 article: “UM addressing Detroit poverty with initiative.” The initiative, directed by H. Luke Shaefer, has just announced its first round of funded...

Shaefer compares poverty in United States to poverty in world's poorest countries

Jan 25, 2017

A paper by Luke Shaefer, Pinghui Wu (University of Michigan), and Kathryn Edin (Johns Hopkins University), "Can Poverty in America Be Compared to Conditions in the World's Poorest Countries?" is forthcoming in the American Journal of Medical...

Luke Shaefer explores how low-wage work is defined in article for Bureau of Labor Statistics

Jan 25, 2017

Luke Shaefer's article, "How should we define “low-wage” work? An analysis using the Current Population Survey," was published in the Monthly Labor Review, the flagship journal of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in October...

News

U-M announces first Poverty Solutions grants: Nine projects test poverty alleviation strategies

Jan 17, 2017

Poverty Solutions, a new initiative at the University of Michigan to prevent and alleviate poverty, recognized its first round of grant recipients today. Read the University Record story, by Kristen Kerecman, "U-M announces new investments in...

McCall and Starr: “Effects of autism spectrum disorder on parental employment in the US”

Jan 16, 2017

An article by Brian McCall and Elizabeth M. Starr (University of Windsor) titled the "Effects of autism spectrum disorder on parental employment in the United States: evidence from the National Health Interview Survey" was published on October 9,...

Paula Lantz publishes article on early results of Pay for Success on population health

Jan 16, 2017

An article co-authored by Paula Lantz titled, "Pay for Success and population health: Early results from eleven projects reveal challenges and promise," was published in November 2016 in Health Affairs. Abstract: Pay for Success (PFS) is a...

Ayanian and Levy publish article on the economic effects of Medicaid expansion in Michigan

Jan 16, 2017

An article by John Z. Ayanian, Gabriel M. Ehrlich, Donald R. Grimes and Helen Levy titled, "Economic Effects of Medicaid Expansion in Michigan" was published in The New England Journal of Medicine on January 4, 2017. Introduction: Under the...

Axinn studies how level of “husband-wife emotional bond” influences use of contraception

Jan 16, 2017

An article by William Axinn, Dirgha Ghimire, and Smily Smith-Greenaway, "Emotional Variation and Fertility Behavior," is forthcoming in Demography. Abstract: Emotional influences on fertility behaviors are an understudied topic that may offer...

Pilkauskas studies links between private financial transfers and material hardship for families

Jan 16, 2017

Natasha Pilkauskas, Colin Campbell (East Carolina University) and Christopher Wimer (Stanford University) have a forthcoming paper, "Giving Unto Others: Private Financial Transfers and Material Hardship Among Families with Children," that will be...

News

Shaefer cited in Toledo Blade story about societal attitudes toward the poor

Jan 13, 2017

Since Michigan’s Unemployment Agency switched to an automated system in 2013, more than 20,000 people have been falsely accused of unemployment fraud, writes Jack Lessenberry in his January 13 article for The Blade: “Michigan’s actions snapshot of...

Yang on BBC about enhancing impact of remittances for economic development

Jan 10, 2017

BBC’s “World Hacks,” a new weekly show dedicated to solving world problems, featured Dean Yang on its December 23 program: “Respect My Remittances.” Reporter Sahar Zand describes a tricky problem affecting 230 million migrant workers who send...

Inside Philanthropy highlights David Bohnett Leadership and Public Service Fellowship Program

Dec 21, 2016

In the early 2000s, L.A. philanthropist David Bohnett noticed that Los Angeles City Hall was in need of mayoral staffers to work on salient policy issues such as housing and public transportation. At the same time, UCLA was training public policy...

State & Hill

Engines for growth: U-M faculty, students support Detroit entrepreneurs of color

Dec 19, 2016

While small businesses have always been a critical engine of growth for urban economies, new business startups have slowed nationwide in the wake of the Great Recession. In the city of Detroit, expanding small businesses means confronting the...

State & Hill

Microfinance breakthrough: Dean Yang uses fingerprints to boost microlending in Malawi

Dec 16, 2016

Eight years ago, development economist Dean Yang spent a week in Malawi visiting microfinance institutions, the banks and credit unions that provide financial services to some of the world's most vulnerable citizens. Yang, who works to combat...

News

Kristin Seefeldt interviewed by Lakeshore Public Media's “Regionally Speaking”

Dec 7, 2016

Kristin Seefeldt (MPP '96, PhD '10) recently spoke with Lakeshore Public Media’s "Regionally Speaking" for a podcast about research from her forthcoming book, “Abandoned Families: Social Isolation in the twenty-first century.” Seefeldt’s research...

Dynarski on "Fulfilling the promise of community college: The ASAP demonstrations"

Dec 7, 2016

Community colleges throughout the United States have low graduation rates, yet preliminary evidence from a new randomized trial suggests an effective policy prescription, write Susan Dynarski and Meghan Oster. Their article, “Fulfilling the promise...

Youth Policy Lab announces application for new technical assistance program

Nov 30, 2016

The Youth Policy Lab has issued a request for proposals to organizations seeking to use data to improve service delivery or program design for Michigan youth. Applications for the Michigan Technical Assistance Partnership (M-TAP) Program are due...

"To me, it is immoral to deny children a better education" - Dynarski featured in NYT

Nov 4, 2016

David Leonhardt’s November 4 New York Times op-ed, “Schools that work,” features charter school research and commentary by Susan Dynarski, co-director of the Ford School’s Education Policy Initiative. The op-ed concerns a controversial ballot...

News

Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan announces two research grant competitions

Nov 2, 2016

Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan has issued two requests for proposals for action-oriented research. Junior faculty small grants competition The first request for proposals is intended for junior faculty at the University of...

News

In New York Times, Luke Shaefer discusses new policy proposal on childhood poverty

Oct 19, 2016

With a forthcoming paper on childhood poverty about to be released by the Russell Sage Foundation, Luke Shaefer spoke with New York Times Economic Scene columnist Eduardo Porter for the October 18 story, “Giving Every Child a Monthly Check for an...

Luke Shaefer delivers a talk at the Ford School

U-M attracts 262 HAIL Scholarship recipients from 52 Michigan counties in first year

Oct 17, 2016

Enrolling at the University of Michigan seemed like a far-fetched dream for Devin Raymond.Despite his 3.9 high school GPA, being the president of student council, and his involvement in choir, band, musical theater and other extracurricular...

Ford School, Survey Research Center faculty launch Youth Policy Lab to improve young lives

Oct 13, 2016

Researchers at the University of Michigan have launched a new lab designed to help state and local agencies, social service providers, nonprofits and educators improve life outcomes for Michigan youth, from birth through age 25.The Youth Policy Lab...

News

"Redline with Bankole Thompson," airs live from the Ford School's great hall

Oct 7, 2016

Bankole Thompson, host of “Redline,” a public affairs program that airs daily on 910 AM Super Station Detroit, delivered a live broadcast from the Ford School on October 7. Thompson interviewed a number of guests, including Josh Rivera (MPP...

News

Washtenaw Reads selects $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America, for 2017

Oct 6, 2016

$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America, by Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer, has been selected as next year’s pick for the Washtenaw Reads community initiative. Washtenaw Reads aims to “promote reading and civic dialogue through the...