Education

Institute Outlines ‘Progressive’ Policy for Families

By Deborah L. Cohen — October 10, 1990 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Washington--Arguing that both liberals and conservatives have failed to offer viable solutions to strengthen the family, a Washington-based policy center has called for changes in the federal tax code and reforms in divorce laws, the foster-care system, and the workplace to ease family stress.

The Progressive Policy Institute--a nonprofit organization launched a year and a half ago to fashion a public policy that “transcends the limits of the conventional, left-right debate"--argues in a new report that policies of recent decades have posed economic, educational, and emotional barriers to families with children.

In addressing family issues, the group contends, conservatives have focused too little on economic pressures families face; liberals, meanwhile, have downplayed the importance of family values, it says.

The report, “Putting Families First: A Progressive Family Policy for the 1990’s,” criticizes conservatives’ “largely rhetorical” support for family issues and President Bush’s “misguided veto” of legislation requiring firms to grant workers leave to care for family members.

Conversely, it says, “liberals’ unwillingess to acknowledge that intact two-parent families are the most effective units for raising children has led them into a series of policy cul-de-sacs” and “bureaucratic” solutions.

The report cites research to support the view that intact families are better for children, and it offers several proposals to ease the stresses that cause family breakups and to aid parents and children affected by them.

Tax-Policy Changes Urged

On the subject of tax policy, the report recommends:

Raising the personal income-tax exemption for dependents of low- and middle-income families from $2,000 per child to from $6,000 to $7,500--an increase the group contends would restore the exemption to its 1948 level in real dollars.

To cut costs and to focus on the age group most in need of child care, the group advises offering the increased exemption at first only for children under age 4.

Changing the tax-filing status for single-parent families and cutting payroll-tax rates.

Expanding the earned-income tax credit and linking it to the number of children in the home to provide a “guaranteed working wage” for families currently earning too little to benefit from tax breaks.

Citing research from studies highlighting the negative effects of divorce on children, the group recommends restricting the use of “no fault” divorce laws for couples with chil8dren, federalizing the child-support system, and figuring “the cost of motherhood to women’s earning capacity” into child-support costs. It also advises a “braking mechanism” that would set a mandatory waiting period for parents considering divorce.

Noting that the foster-care system is “plagued by multiple placements that inflict grave damage on children,” the group also advocates intensive, home-based services for troubled families with the goal of preserving the family unit.

Finally, the report urges employers to offer “family friendly” workplaces by helping workers find child care and by establishing policies and schedules that make it easier for parents to care for children, consult teachers, and work at home.

Copies of the report are available free to city, state, and federal government employees and for $3.25 each to others from the Progressive Policy Institute, 316 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E., Suite 555, Washington, D.C. 20003.

A version of this article appeared in the October 10, 1990 edition of Education Week as Institute Outlines ‘Progressive’ Policy for Families

Events

Ed-Tech Policy Webinar Artificial Intelligence in Practice: Building a Roadmap for AI Use in Schools
AI in education: game-changer or classroom chaos? Join our webinar & learn how to navigate this evolving tech responsibly.
Education Webinar Developing and Executing Impactful Research Campaigns to Fuel Your Ed Marketing Strategy 
Develop impactful research campaigns to fuel your marketing. Join the EdWeek Research Center for a webinar with actionable take-aways for companies who sell to K-12 districts.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Privacy & Security Webinar
Navigating Cybersecurity: Securing District Documents and Data
Learn how K-12 districts are addressing the challenges of maintaining a secure tech environment, managing documents and data, automating critical processes, and doing it all with limited resources.
Content provided by Softdocs

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: March 13, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 7, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: January 31, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read