The report shows that in the Midwest, as nationally, welfare rolls plummeted during the 1990s, and most of those who left welfare went to work. Work supports--such as child care, food stamps, and the Earned Income Tax Credit--have helped thousands of working families make ends meet. But many of the jobs recipients took are part time or short term, and wages are low. As a result, many working families still face serious economic hardships. The challenge of the next round of policymaking is support work (through childcare and other forms of assistance that help people stay employed) and address poverty (especially through education and training). Released March 2002.

• Welfare Reform Ten Years Later
  Ten years after landmark legislation to "end welfare as we know it," welfare rolls in most Midwest states are a fraction of their early-1990s peak. This special report examines what we've learned and what we should do next.
• It's time for next step in welfare reform
  From the Chicago Sun-Times, Joyce President Ellen S. Alberding writes about the next steps of welfare reform, ten years after Congress passed and President Clinton signed landmark legislation to "end welfare as we know it."

Job Training + Education: A Pocket Guide for Policymakers
Millions of Americans work hard every day but struggle to support their families on low wages. Millions more have recently moved from welfare to work, but have been unable to escape poverty. Altogether, according to the U.S. Labor Department, more than six million Americans are counted among the working poor. Meanwhile, critical industries like health care and manufacturing have difficulty finding skilled labor.

Clearly the next big policy thrust must improve the skills and competitiveness of America's workforce through education and training. This year Congress will reconsider important pieces of federal legislation that address this issue, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and the Higher Education Act. Critical implementation decisions will be made by state and city leaders around the country.

We are pleased to provide this pocket guide to the often bewilderingly complex policy area of education and training. It summarizes the research, policy issues, and funding, and suggests where to get more information. We hope this will be a useful resource for policymakers seeking ways to improve the skills and competitiveness of America's working families. Released February 2003.

Keep it Moving
A new study by the Joyce Foundation finds that the Midwest--long the nation's transportation hub--is falling behind in addressing traffic congestion, air pollution, and other critical transportation problems.

The study examines Midwest spending on transit, rail projects, road repair and other improvements since the 1991 passage of ISTEA, the federal transportation bill, which is currently up for reauthorization in Congress. The study reports that over $42 billion in federal transportation dollars went to the Midwest, funding major projects in Chicago, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and other Midwest cities to improve bus service, create bike paths and repair roads. But the region has lagged behind in vital areas, such as increasing transit ridership and improving air quality. Meanwhile, traffic congestion costs the Midwest more than $10 billion annually; freight-rail tieups in Chicago (the world's third-largest intermodal port) slow down shipments nationally; and promising light-rail and high-speed rail projects remain stalled for lack of funds. Released June 2003.