1. Martin Campbell
Policy Proposals
Education and Food Security in Iowa
Conclusion
Employment, Poverty, & Education
Acknowledgments
References
Food Research and Action Center. (2013, September). Iowa: Demographics, Poverty and Food Insecurity. Retrieved from
http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ia.pdf
Gordon, C. (2013, August). The State of Working Iowa 2013. Retrieved from
http://www.iowapolicyproject.org/2013docs/130830-SWI2013.pdf
Hemmingsen, J. (2013, March 4). A closer look at Iowa’s high school graduation rate. The Gazette. Retrieved from
http://thegazette.com
Iowa College Student Aid Commission. (2010). The Condition of Higher Education in Iowa: Preparedness, Access &
Affordability. Retrieved from https://apps.iowacollegeaid.gov/marketing/docs/conditionofhighereducation.pdf
“Population 25 Years and over: Bachelor’s degree or more – Iowa (5-Year Estimates)” Map. Social Explorer Professional.
Social Explorer, 2010.
Spotlight on Poverty. (2013). Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity: Iowa. Retrieved from
http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/map-detail.aspx?state=Iowa
U.S. Census Bureau. (2012, February 23). Bachelor’s Degree Attainment Tops 30 Percent for the First Time, Census Bureau
Reports. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/education/cb12-33.html
.
Criterion for evaluation:
Net impact on income in households most at risk of experiencing
food insecurity
•All policy recommendations target lower income brackets, i.e. those most likely to suffer
from food insecurity
•No policy recommendations directly raise income levels on the highest bracket
POL/PST 320
Prof. Hess
Prof. Lyons
Fall, 2013
Although Iowa lies at the heart of the Corn Belt, food insecurity in
the state remains a problem. Iowa’s economy has long been rooted in
agriculture, but the farm crisis of the 1980s brought about a major
expansion of its manufacturing, biotechnology, financial, and insurance
industries. Thanks to this economic diversification, Iowa managed to
weather the Great Recession better than most states.
However, pockets of the state continue to be marked by poverty, and
therefore also hunger. Since economic insecurity and food insecurity are
often linked, it makes sense that policies that increase the median income
in Iowa should help decrease the prevalence of food insecurity as well.
Employment in Iowa:
•Unemployment rate: 4.6%
•Long-term unemployment: ~27%
•Underemployment rate: ~18%
•Percent of jobs with annual pay below the poverty threshold for a family of four:
23.9% (U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, October 2013)
Poverty in Iowa:
•Poverty rate: 12.7%
•Extreme poverty rate: 5.4%
•Food insecurity rate: 12.6%
•Very low food insecurity rate: 4.8% (U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics)
Education in Iowa:
Iowa’s educational system is characterized by several striking educational disparities:
In addition:
•Iowa is among the worst in the nation in percent of students with student loan debt
and median student debt (Iowa College Student Aid Commission)
•Iowa’s median income has not kept pace with the escalating costs of Iowa’s colleges
and universities (Iowa College Student Aid Commission)
• As a result, many low-income Iowans are not able to afford the costs of further
education, limiting their employment opportunities and increasing their likelihood of
experiencing food insecurity
Policy
Recommendation:
Long-
term
Cost:
Political
Feasibility:
Effect:
Address racial
inequities in education $ *** +
Career-pathways
approach to post-
secondary credentials
$ ** +
Increase financial aid
at public institutions $ ** ++
Pass a living wage law $$$ * +
Increase opportunities
for post-secondary
education in rural areas
$$$ * +
In order to reduce food insecurity in Iowa, the following policy
recommendations are suggested:
1. Address racial inequities in education:
•Reduce institutional factors that result in minority students facing
harsher punishments for misbehavior
2. Introduce career-pathways approach to post-secondary
credentials
•Provides education and training for educationally-underprepared
youth and adults
3. Increase financial aid at public institutions:
•provide more financial aid at public educational institutions
•pay particular attention to minorities and rural Iowans
•A higher level of educational attainment should lead to increased income through
superior employment opportunities, therefore reducing food insecurity.
•Investing in education is one of the smartest investments a state can make. The
long-term dividends are huge: increased economic competiveness, reduction in
‘brain drain,’ increased levels of innovation, and reduction of food insecurity.
•1st in the nation in high
school graduation rate,
but…
•34th in undergraduate
degree attainment
•48th in race-based
educational equity
(Hemmingsen, 2013)
•1st in percentage of students
awarded need-based grants at
private, not-for-profit institutions,
but…
•49th in percentage of students
awarded need-based grants at public
institutions
(Iowa College Student Aid
Commission, 2013)
*Only five of Iowa’s 99 counties match or exceed the national
average for attaining a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Percent of Population 25 Years Old and Over with Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
(5-Year Estimates, 2006-2010)
A Brief Economic Overview of Iowa
The author would like to sincerely thank Professor Hess and Professor Lyons for
the guidance that helped make this project a reality.