6 Evaluating Antipoverty Policy Free Online FlashCards

What does the poverty rate measure?

The share of people whose resources fall below a chosen poverty threshold.

What can a basic benefit-accounting analysis establish?

It estimates the program’s immediate contribution to measured resources, but does not establish what would have happened without the program.

What child outcomes improved in evidence on EITC expansions and SNAP?

EITC expansions improved some child health and educational outcomes; SNAP improved birth and other health outcomes.

Why may eligible households fail to receive benefits?

Eligibility rules alone do not ensure receipt: application burdens, documentation, recertification, access barriers, stigma, and limited outreach can deter participation.

How might a benefit phase-out affect additional earnings?

A benefit phase-out can reduce the gain from additional earnings; evaluators should measure the actual effect rather than assume it makes a program fail.

How does the SPM differ from the official poverty measure?

The official measure uses pretax cash income; the SPM also counts benefits and tax credits, subtracts certain necessary expenses, and adjusts thresholds for housing costs and geography.

What should a broad policy evaluation measure beyond the poverty rate?

Poverty depth and gap, material hardship, longer-term outcomes, distribution, and cost, alongside the poverty rate.

Why does causal evaluation need a counterfactual?

A credible estimate of causal effects compares outcomes with a counterfactual: what would likely have happened without the policy.

What designs can help estimate a policy’s causal effects?

Randomized evaluations, when feasible, or strong quasi-experimental designs, such as policy changes affecting similar groups differently.

What did research find about housing assistance and later outcomes?

Evidence on housing assistance was mixed, though some children who moved to lower-poverty neighborhoods had better adult outcomes.

What did the National Academies conclude about cutting child poverty in half?

No single assessed option was estimated to cut child poverty in half; combinations of policies appeared more promising.

What should an evaluation track along the path from eligibility to benefit receipt?

Track who is eligible, applies, is approved, receives aid promptly, and continues receiving it; disaggregate results by relevant groups and locations.