About Northwest Pasadena:
- 49% of adults 25 years and older do not have high school diplomas;
- 40% of families with children under five years old live below the federal poverty level;
- 77% of housing is rented, not owned;
- Unemployment rate is 10.1%; and
- The median family income is $27,355
About Los Angeles:
The United Way’s Report From Cradle to Kindergarten (2001) looks at key risk factors for Los Angeles’ youngest children and lays out an agenda for the community that will best prepare children to succeed in school and in life.
Key risk factors to Los Angeles children ages 0-5:
- Poverty is the most reliable predictor of failure to achieve in school.
- Mothers’ education is the best predictor of school success.
- Language skills are crucial to school success.
Families need support during a child’s crucial early years – between birth and age 3.
- A strong parent-child bond is essential, yet there were nearly 50,000 reports of child abuse for children under 6 in 2000.
- Quality early childhood education and childcare can bridge the gap to school readiness – yet most quality programs are too expensive for low to moderate income families.
- Childcare providers’ level of education is the best predictor of quality care.
Investment in early childhood – parent education, health services, and quality ECE/childcare – has a fundamental role in developing children who are able to succeed in school and prepare for a productive working life.
