I was trying to find a ranking of states by their percentage of Free or Reduced Lunch Students and was frustrated that no one had compiled one.  So i did it myself.  It explains a lot.  As scientists of the 1870’s were affected upon first seeing Mendeleev’s Periodic Chart of the Elements, this should do the same for social scientists of this century.

It was compiled from this Appendix at the back end of some report by PRRAC (Poverty and Race Research Action Council) who did the original  legwork and compiled it from Census data. There is plenty of other data to mine as well.  This is just a starter.

Find your state’s percentage here.

Alabama 53.9%
Alaska n/a
Arizona 54.4%
Arkansas 57.5%
California 63.7%
Colorado 36.0%
Connecticut 21.4%
Delaware 44.3%
Florida 58.1%
Georgia 52.7%
Hawaii n/a
Idaho 37.5%
Illinois 39.4%
Indiana 46.1%
Iowa 34.0%
Kansas 39.0%
Kentucky 50.4%
Louisiana 75.2%
Maine 31.2%
Maryland 34.9%
Massachusetts 22.9%
Michigan 40.8
Minnesota 28.5
Mississippi 63.4%
Missouri 35.1%
Montana 36.8%
Nebraska 39.4%
Nevada 41.5%
New Hampshire 13.4%
New Jersey 22.2%
New Mexico 56.5%
New York 54.0%
North Carolina 34.9%
North Dakota 29.4%
Ohio 38.5%
Oklahoma 57.5%
Oregon 48.0%
Pennsylvania 31.2%
Rhode Island 34.7%
South Carolina 50.6%
South Dakota 28.0%
Tennessee 52.6%
Texas 55.4%
Utah 27.6%
Vermont 19.3%
Virginia 32.1%
Washington 37.2%
West Virginia 49.4%

Now… find it’s ranking … here…

48.Louisiana 75.2%

47. California 63.7%
46. Mississippi 63.4%

45. Florida 58.1%
44. Arkansas 57.5%
43. Oklahoma 57.5%
42. New Mexico 56.5%
41. Texas 55.4%
40. Arizona 54.4%
39. New York 54.0%
38. Alabama 53.9%
37. Georgia 52.7%
36. Tennessee 52.6%
35. South Carolina 50.6%
34. Kentucky 50.4%

33. West Virginia 49.4%
32. Oregon 48.0%
31. Indiana 46.1%
30. Delaware 44.3%
29. Nevada 41.5%
38. Michigan 40.8

27. Nebraska 39.4%
26. Kansas 39.0%
25. Illinois 39.4%
24. Ohio 38.5%
23. Idaho 37.5%
22. Washington 37.2%
21. Montana 36.8%
20. Colorado 36.0%
19. Missouri 35.1%
18. Maryland 34.9%
17. North Carolina 34.9%
16. Rhode Island 34.7%
15. Iowa 34.0%
14. Wyoming 32.3%
13. Virginia 32.1%
12. Maine 31.2%
11. Pennsylvania 31.2%

10. North Dakota 29.4%
09. Minnesota 28.5
08. South Dakota 28.0%
07. Wisconsin 27.9%
06. Utah 27.6%
05. Massachusetts 22.9%
04. New Jersey 22.2%
03. Connecticut 21.4%

02. Vermont 19.3%
01. New Hampshire 13.4%

There was no data given for Alaska and Hawaii.  They are usually separated from the rest in most poverty/income/educational reports, so those state’s data may be still floating in cyberspace somewhere….

But for those struggling to find answers for all of life’s questions… they should look at those near the top of the list and “do what they do”. Apparently going all out to celebrate Mardi Gras, is not one of our nation’s best practices.   Such a shame, too. 🙂