Living on the Brink: The State of the American Family

New policy report from the National Parents Union explores American childhood and provides solutions through the lens of education, economic certainty, and health for Generation A

Boston, MA—The National Parents Union released a policy report today, Living on the Brink: The State of the American Family, to explore American childhood through the lens of three well-being indicators, education, economic certainty and health, with targeted recommendations for improving the state of American childhoods and the experiences of American families.

The report builds on recent National Parents Union polling and highlights the particular concern of children who make up Generation A – the group of children born between 2010 and 2020 – who have experienced the majority of their childhood during a global pandemic and are in desperate need of academic and mental health support amid a worsening economic outlook and federal cuts to regular supplemental payment programs to alleviate the financial burdens on families.

“Lawmakers need to meet this moment with urgency to implement bold action that ensures that every child who grows up in the United States is prepared for a life of opportunity,” said Ariel Smith, Senior Director of the NPU Center for Policy and Action. “President Joe Biden made clear during his State of The Union address that we must make education an affordable ticket to the middle class, yet we still do an abysmal job at delivering a quality education to millions of children in need by ignoring classroom hunger, relegating mental health resources in schools, and shrugging at the financial challenges experienced by American families by not reinstating the Expanded Child Tax Credit. How we respond to these compounding crises will have a profound impact on Generation A and future generations.”

Living on the Brink: The State of the American Family is broken down into three sections with accompanying recommendations:

PART I: ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR GENERATION A

Recommendations: Provide extended learning opportunities, increase access to high-quality school options, facilitate pathways to college and career, increase access to quality curriculum and assessment

NPU Polling Data:

• 77% of parents support providing funding directly to families of public school students to help them pay for additional educational support for their children (e.g., tutoring outside of school).
• 73% of parents think school should focus more on preparing students for the future
• 60% of parents say schools are not doing enough to evaluate learning loss and identify areas students need support.

PART II: THE ABILITY TO THRIVE THROUGH ECONOMIC CERTAINTY FOR GENERATION A

Recommendations: Reinstate the Expanded Child Tax Credit; support for the expansion of hunger, nutrition, and health initiatives

NPU Polling Data:

• Overall, 81% of parents, including 84% of registered Democrats, 81% of Independents, and 75% of Republicans support reinstating the Child Tax Credit
• Overall, 84% of families support providing free lunch at school for all K-12 public school students, including 88% of registered Democrats, 82% of Independents and 81% of Republicans

PART III: THE ABILITY TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE THAT ALLOWS GENERATION A TO REALIZE THEIR ABILITIES

Recommendations: Support for more proactive social-emotional learning programs and expansion of access to mental health supports

NPU Polling Data:

• 45% of parents believe that schools are not doing well in addressing student mental health needs
• 79% of parents support providing funding directly to families of public school students to help them pay for additional mental health support for their children (e.g., counseling outside of school).

Toplines from polling data referred to in this can be found here.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION

The National Parents Union is a network of highly effective parent organizations and grassroots activists across the country that is united behind a set of common goals and principles to channel the power of parents. Our family advocates improve the quality of life for children across the United States and define the education conversation. Learn more at: https://nationalparentsunion.org/