Policy Research Shop Testimony: January 31, 2011

PRS Students Testify Before the Vermont Child Poverty Council

Three Dartmouth undergraduates from the Policy Research Shop of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center provided formal testimony to members of the Vermont Child Poverty Council on January 31, 2011 at the State Capitol Building in Montpelier, Vermont. Eric Yang ’14, Austin Major ’14, and Jae Hyuk Chang ’11 presented the findings of their research, which evaluated the accessibility of data necessary to track a series of benchmarks created by the Council. The resulting policy report, “Tracking Child Poverty in Vermont: An Evaluation of the Vermont Child Poverty Council Benchmarks,” includes a guide for finding available data on each of the Council’s benchmarks, as well as suggestions for improving data collection in the future.

The Vermont Child Poverty Council is a working group composed of Vermont state legislators, non-profit leaders, and representatives from executive agencies who deal with child poverty issues in Vermont. Representative Ann Pugh of South Burlington chairs the Council. Several state representatives, non-profit leaders, and agency heads attended the meeting, including the Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families, the Commissioner of the Department of Labor, and the Executive Director of the School Superintendents’ Association.

Full list of Council Members in attendance at 1/31 meeting:

• Rep. Ann Pugh (Committee Chair; South Burlington)
• David Yacavone (Commissioner, Dept. of Children and Families).
• Donna Bister (Dept. of Health)
• Karen Lafayette (Advocate Council)
• Rep. Carolyn Partridge (Windham)
• Carolyn Finn (Voices for Vermont Children)
• Jeff Francis (Executive Director, School Superintendents' Association)
• Rep. Johannah Donovan (Burlington)
• Annie Noonan (Commissioner, Dept. of Labor)