Applications for the Graduate Policy Scholar program are now open to all graduate students at Washington University in St. Louis! The Graduate Policy Scholar program provides students from all fields of study with impactful opportunities and training in policy. Offered by the Social Policy Institute and the Clark-Fox Policy Institute, the yearlong program provides students […]
Tag: 2021
Expanded Child Tax Credit payments have not reduced employment
Approximately 60 million American children living in 35 million households received monthly payments from the federal government as part of the temporary Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansion. Discourse over whether or not the expanded CTC caused parents to leave the workforce emerged during the period of the expanded credit. On one side, a large number […]
Suspended While Black in Majority White Schools: Implications for Math Efficacy and Equity
This article explores whether racial disparities in mathematics arise in majority White schools for students who receive in-school suspensions (ISS). Using data from the High School Longitudinal Survey and machine learning generated propensity scores to estimate average treatment effects, we find Black suspended students in schools with low White enrollment have math test scores and […]
Put partisan politics aside — The Child Tax Credit must be renewed immediately (Links to an external site)
The Hill shares results from an SPI study which shows the benefits of the CTC for low-income families.
Congress must renew expired child tax credit (Links to an external site)
The Baltimore Sun highlights a recent SPI study which analyzed how unemployment was affected by the child tax credit payments.
Six months of advance CTC payments have dramatically reduced childhood poverty and improved family finances (Links to an external site)
A Joint Economic Hearing Report highlighted SPI’s study on the usage and impacts of the Child Tax Credit in the U.S.
Clalit Health Services: 30% increase in immunization among 5-11 year olds (Links to an external site)
Clalit Health Services cited SPI in a printed article about the increase in vaccinations among young children in Israel.
GOP senator wants to strip child tax credit from nonworking parents (Links to an external site)
The American Independent quoted an SPI study on the usage of the expanded child tax credit in an article combatting criticism of the payments.
Anxious men, depressed women: Welcome to the dark side of working from home (Links to an external site)
The Marker discussed SPI findings on the impacts of working from home on the Israeli workforce.
To achieve their full potential, enhanced child tax payments must remain monthly – Press Telegram (Links to an external site)
Leah Hamilton, SPI faculty affiliate, discusses SPI findings while arguing for the continuation of CTC payments in an article for the California News Times.
Child tax credit close to lapsing as December checks go out (Links to an external site)
CBS 12 reports on the future of the CTC while highlighting SPI’s study on families’ usage of the payments.
‘People Feel Protected’: Why Are 1 Million Israelis Not Getting the Booster Shot? (Links to an external site)
Haaretz interviewed Dr. Oren Heller, SPI research associate, about hesitancy in Israel to get the COVID-19 booster shot.
COVID-expanded child tax credit benefit nears lapse – Boston 25 News (Links to an external site)
Boston 25 News reports SPI findings that families in New Mexico spent almost 46% of their CTC payments on food. This article was syndicated by Westport News.
Child tax credit benefit launched during COVID nears lapse (Links to an external site)
PBS highlights SPI’s findings on the ways in which families in New Mexico are using the expanded CTC payments.
Child tax credit close to lapsing as December checks go out (Links to an external site)
California News Times cited SPI’s study on the usages of the CTC by families in New Mexico in an article about the future of the expanded payments.
Allowing the expanded child tax credit to expire would be a major mistake (Links to an external site)
Vox cites Stephen Roll, SPI research professor, about the potential consequences of ending the CTC payments.
“It’s not burning anymore”: what motivates a million Israelis who refuse a third vaccine (Links to an external site)
Haaretz cites an SPI survey explaining why many Israeli citizens are not receiving the COVID-19 booster shot.
What we can learn from Israel’s COVID-19 vaccination of children (Links to an external site)
As many parents are still unsure whether or not to immunize their children against COVID-19, regardless of whether they themselves have received the shot, Oren Heller, Yaniv Shlomo, and Michal Grinstein-Weiss discuss the need for increased governmental transparency to increase the number of vaccinated children.
Building a better safety net for small businesses (Links to an external site)
In an op-ed by Michal Grinstein-Weiss, SPI, and Salah Goss, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, SPI research suggests that more equitable financial policies and services are needed to support small businesses.
U.S. Census Data Shows Child Tax Credit Promotes Work, Entrepreneurship (Links to an external site)
Yahoo references an SPI study whose findings show that the CTC has enabled low-income families to work.
Check if the vaccines in the periphery are accessible (Links to an external site)
YNet highlights an SPI study in a printed article on the accessibility of the COVID-19 vaccine in Israel’s less-populated areas.
Child Tax Credit is Driving Americans Toward Entrepreneurship, Has little Effect On Workforce (Links to an external site)
SPI’s latest Child Tax Credit research, released in an exclusive with the Daily Caller, suggests that the expanded CTC payments have little to no impact on the workforce. This contradicts predictions that the payments would exacerbate the labor shortage. This article was syndicated by Shore News Network.
Is COVID-19 the spark for Palestinian violence spike? – three takes (Links to an external site)
The Jerusalem Post shares SPI findings that link quarantine to increased violent behavior in children in a discussion about surges in crime between Israelis and Palestinians.
People with disabilities were hit harder financially in Corona (Links to an external site)
CTech discusses a recent SPI study which found that almost half of all households with a person with disabilities suffered loss of income during the pandemic. Whereas employment rates for other households have increased, employment rates for households with a person with disabilities have not yet recovered.
The founder of “Savings for Every Child” admits that something went wrong along the way (Links to an external site)
Globes Magazine interviewed Michal Grinstein-Weiss, director of SPI, about her goals to increase the savings for children in Israel from underprivileged families.
Paid Sick Leave Heading into COVID-19
Paid sick leave is vital for controlling the spread of illness in the workplace and an invaluable public health tool, but too few workers have access to it. In this brief, we examine the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess paid sick leave coverage with a focus on the social and economic characteristics of […]
Vaccine hesitance during COVID-19
As rates of vaccination have slowed, concerns are growing about how to increase vaccine uptake among those who are vaccine hesitant, particularly with the emergence of new and contagious variants such as Delta. Using our national Socioeconomic Impacts of COVID-19 Survey, we examine the predictors of vaccine hesitance in the U.S. and report on findings […]
Black college grads sought college degrees as tickets to success. Now they’re buried in debt (Links to an external site)
The St. Louis Public Radio interviewed Jason Jabbari, researcher at SPI, about the harmful effects of student debt, especially on those who did not complete their degree.
Nevada families have netted $750 million from child tax credit so far this year (Links to an external site)
The Nevada Current cites a Social Policy Institute survey finding that payments from the expanded child tax credit were associated with a decrease in food insufficiency and is enabling parents to save for their children’s futures.
Thousands continue to fly abroad, despite the obligation of isolation: “We must continue to live” (Links to an external site)
YNet shares results of a recent SPI study that show majority support for closing the Ben Guion Airport in Israel and increasing restrictions with the rise of the new COVID-19 variant.
The destabilizing cost of a pandemic: What COVID-19 meant for renters already getting assistance (Links to an external site)
Data from SPI’s survey on the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 revealed the vulnerability of renters receiving federal assistance. The findings showed that low-income renters already receiving federal assistance are more likely to be evicted than low-income renters who do not receive federal support.
Confessions of a COVID-19 analyst: Unsure whether to vaccinate my kids (Links to an external site)
The Jerusalem Post discusses SPI findings about the harmful effects of quarantine on children as an argument for vaccinating kids
Food insecurity in Israel during the COVID-19 economic crisis: Prevalence and associations with children’s behaviors
Results from SPI’s Socioeconomic Impacts of COVID-19 Survey in Israel suggested a relationship between the pandemic and rising rates of food insecurity. To explore this, SPI launched another survey, with the results linking food insecurity to behavioral problems in children.
Israel approves vaccines for kids 5-11, will parents give kids the jab? (Links to an external site)
World Israel News shares SPI’s findings that only 37% of Israeli parents were likely to vaccinate their kids in light of Israel’s approval of the vaccine for children.
Israel greenlights COVID vaccines for kids aged 5-11 (Links to an external site)
The Jerusalem Post shared SPI findings on parents’ willingness to vaccinate their kids after Israel approved the vaccine for children.
Following the experts’ decision: the parents who vaccinated their children against Corona – and those who will not be in a hurry to do so (Links to an external site)
Walla News discusses the new SPI survey of Israeli parents’ likeliness to vaccinate their kids led by Michal Grinstein-Weiss, director of SPI. The survey found that 40% of parents were unwilling to give their children the shot.
The COVID-19 parent trap: To vax your kids or not? (Links to an external site)
The Jerusalem Post interviewed Michal Grinstein-Weiss, director of SPI, to discuss the results of the SPI survey examining parents’ likelihood to vaccinate their children.
33% of Ohioans missing out on child tax credit (Links to an external site)
Axios discussed recent SPI findings that of the estimated 92% of Ohio families eligible for the expanded Child Tax Credit, only two-thirds have received it.
Towards a decision: Ministry of Health experts discuss a corona vaccine for children (Links to an external site)
Walla News discussed recent SPI findings which showed that, of 900 Israeli families, 40% were unwilling to vaccinate their children, with many citing fear that the vaccine would harm child development.
Funding for monthly child tax credit through 2022 included in Build Back Better act (Links to an external site)
KTTN News interviewed Stephen Roll, assistant research professor at SPI, on the effects of child poverty and the expansion of the Child Tax Credit as a possible solution.
Calls to Shore Up Child Tax Credit Long-Term in Build Back Better Act (Links to an external site)
KMA radio interviewed Stephen Roll, assistant research professor at SPI, about the expansion of the child tax credit as a solution to increased financial instability in low-income families.
Graduate Policy Scholars 2021-2022 cohort expands university reach
The Graduate Policy Scholars program kicked off its fifth year with a cohort spanning the Washington University in St. Louis campus. Fifty-seven students were invited to participate in this year’s program. While originally founded as a program for Brown School students, SPI has helped to expand the program across the university, with nearly 1/3 of […]
Elevating Community Voice in Data Collaboration Practices
This event took place on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021. How can we meaningfully include community voices when working with data in the St. Louis social sector? Speakers started conversations about this question at the event hosted by the Social Policy Institute’s Data Science for Social Impact initiative. The event explored processes designed to center community […]
D.C. orgs help families utilize child tax credit (Links to an external site)
Following Biden’s plan to extend the child tax credit for another year, Axios shares an SPI study, finding that only about half of all eligible D.C. families received the CTC payments between July and September 2021.
Activating Inclusive Growth in St. Louis
On Dec. 9, 2021, we learned how to influence policy and collaborate with like-minded people to activate change in our last Inclusive Growth in St. Louis event. After a year of events investigating why economic growth in St. Louis benefits some groups of people more than others and how we can change systems to support […]
Child tax credits brings Nevada families more than $600 million since July (Links to an external site)
The Nevada Current shares recent SPI findings that the expanded child tax credit is helping parents save for their children’s future and is linked to a decrease in food insufficiencies.
How Did School Meal Access Change during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Analysis of a Large Metropolitan Area
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) resulted in school closures and contingencies across the U.S. that limited access to school meals for students. While some schools attempted to provide alternative meal access points where students or parents could pick up meals, many students—especially those in low-income households—lacked adequate transportation to these access points. Thus, physical proximity to meal access […]
Democrats may let the best weapon against child poverty fade away (Links to an external site)
Vox interviewed Stephen Roll, research assistant professor at SPI, about the expansion of the child tax credit and possible effects of ending the program.
Roundtable Recap: Mapping Your Data Impact Journey
How can social sector organizations use data to increase their impact, and how can they ensure that impact will lead to equitable outcomes? These are guiding questions addressed in our roundtable series hosted by the Social Policy Institute’s Data for Social Impact initiative, which kicked off on October 20, 2021, and continues through November 19, […]
COVID-19 Among Youth in Israel: Correlates of Decisions to Vaccinate and Reasons for Refusal
The primary aim of the present study is to examine the reasons for adolescents’ refusal to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and examine correlates of vaccination among adolescents aged 12–18 years in Israel. A total of 150 youth aged 12–18 years participated in the study. Following parental consent (30% response rate) from an online internet […]