As the Seattle Times reported today, Washington reached a sad milestone in March: Our unemployment rate broke 9 percent.  That has distressing implications for kids. As we reported last month, the new State of Washington’s Children report projected that when Washington’s unemployment rate reached 9 percent, at least 37,000 children would fall into poverty. 

Washington voters have spoken, and more than 70 percent of you support providing a preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds living in poverty.

A new report on child poverty by the research organization Child Trends makes for disturbing reading. Its findings—among them that child poverty has been on the rise since 2000—are especially ominous in the current economic crisis. 

A new report on child poverty in Washington projects that nearly 40,000 additional kids will drop into poverty by early next year.

The report, The State of Washington’s Children, was prepared by Washington Kids Count, housed at the Human Services Policy Center at the University of Washington.

Another 40,000 children will be living in poverty in Washington by this spring, if the economic forecast holds true, according to a report released this week by Washington Kids Count.

...With the announcement Thursday that the state's shortfall has reached $9 billion, children's advocates urged legislators to save programs that help families.