Economic Disinvestment: Historically, industries have left the city, leading to job losses and reduced economic opportunities.

Education Inequities: Access to quality education varies widely, with many schools in low-income areas underfunded and overcrowded, affecting students' future prospects.

Housing Discrimination: Practices like redlining have contributed to concentrated poverty and limited access to homeownership and stable housing.

Health Disparities: Poor health outcomes and limited access to healthcare services can hinder economic mobility.

Racial Inequality: Systemic racism has led to unequal opportunities for Black residents, exacerbating poverty levels.

Share of Residents in Poverty:

• Percentage of residents living in census tracts where over 40% of residents are in poverty.

Equity Score:

• Current score: 30 (scale of 1 to 100).

• A score of 100 indicates no racial disparities in outcomes.

Disparity Ratio:

• Current ratio: 3.56 (black-white).

• Black residents are over three times more likely than white residents to live in areas of concentrated poverty.

Source:

• Data from American Community Survey 1-year PUMS.

Equity Goal:

• A score of 100 would reflect racial equity, indicating equal likelihood for white and Black residents to live in high-poverty areas.

• Focus not only on equity but also on improving overall outcomes for all residents.

Funding Disparities:

• Tax abatements often divert funds away from public schools, limiting resources for low-income and predominantly Black neighborhoods.

School Quality:

• Schools in areas receiving tax abatements may not see equivalent improvements, exacerbating existing inequities in educational quality.

Limited Investment:

• Wealthier areas benefit more from tax abatements, leading to better facilities and programs, while schools in poorer areas struggle.

Neighborhood Development:

• Tax abatements can lead to gentrification, pushing out long-term residents and disrupting community stability, which affects students' learning environments.

Inequitable Outcomes:

• The resulting educational inequities contribute to lower academic performance and fewer opportunities for Black and poor students.

Long-term Effects:

• These disparities can perpetuate cycles of poverty and limit future socioeconomic mobility for affected students.

Policy Implications:

• Addressing these disparities requires reevaluating tax abatement policies to ensure they support equitable educational funding and community investment.

Potential for Change: Illinois has the opportunity to get rid of childhood poverty with dedicated and sustained efforts alongside families and disadvantaged communities.

Upcoming Policy Forum: A policy forum hosted by Children’s Advocates for Change will address barriers to poverty reduction in East St. Louis, bringing together various stakeholders including social service providers, educators, and lawmakers.

Recent Advancements: Illinois has made strides in supporting families, including increased funding for schools in high-poverty areas, expanded early childhood education, and new benefits for housing, food, and healthcare.

Child Tax Credit: The introduction of Illinois’ first child tax credit is a significant achievement advocated by Cruzat’s organization.

Persistent Challenges: Despite progress, deep-rooted poverty remains, particularly in East St. Louis, which faces issues like systemic racism and economic decline.

Demographics of Poverty: East St. Louis has a poverty rate exceeding 30%, with nearly half of its children living in poverty, starkly higher than state averages.

Legislative Commitment: The Intergenerational Poverty Act aims to halve deep poverty by 2026 and eliminate child poverty by 2031, though its recommendations require legislative action for implementation.

Key Discussion Topics: The forum will analyze why poverty reduction efforts have stalled, despite federal support and investment.

Impact of Inflation: Many families are struggling as pandemic-related support has ended and costs for essentials have risen, leading to persistent poverty rates.

Education's Role: Schools in East St. Louis are vital for stability and support, yet they face challenges such as declining attendance post-pandemic.

Community Collaboration: The forum aims to foster dialogue among community partners to address needs and develop impactful strategies.

Ongoing Commitment: The organization plans to extend discussions statewide, emphasizing the importance of intentional and sustained efforts to combat poverty.