68% of Ohio fourth graders are not proficient in reading, according to new study
Reading proficiency has dropped 4 points since 2019 despite Ohio's science of reading mandate, though the state still outperforms the national average.
Poverty
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Climate change could double household water costs in some cities, study finds
Stanford researchers project Santa Cruz's poorest households could see water bills jump from $60 to $111 monthly by midcentury without state or federal help.
Food stamp changes will cost states billions, raising fears about SNAP’s future
Ohio is among 36 states facing new SNAP cost-sharing rules starting fall 2027, tied to payment error rates that advocates call unfair and unworkable.
Medicaid meal deliveries reduce hospital visits and costs
Massachusetts researchers found the meals cut hospitalizations 31% and saved $3,433 per person, nearly offsetting the program's full cost to taxpayers.
Ohio children unable to access mental healthcare because of insurance, costs, and lack of providers
A Health Policy Institute study finds nearly half of Ohio families cite insurance barriers, with out-of-network therapy costing $220 monthly versus $28 in-network.
One year after biggest SNAP cuts ever, 100,000 Ohioans without help, state bracing for costs
Ohio faces $160 million in new SNAP costs after federal cuts shifted 75% of administrative expenses to states, threatening food security for 1.4 million monthly users.
‘It’s a big help.’ Weekly mobile routes provide meals to hundreds of Ohio children during summer
Children's Hunger Alliance operates four mobile routes across Ohio, serving hundreds of kids weekly as summer hunger peaks for families losing school meal access.
Jon Husted opposes making the wealthy pay their fair share into Social Security
Husted opposes the bipartisan plan to lift the Social Security payroll tax cap, which would require higher earners to pay more into the system.
People experiencing homelessness in Ohio went up 3% in 2025, according to federal report
Ohio's count rose to 12,196 even as U.S. homelessness fell 3%, with Franklin County projected to see a 68% spike in unsheltered homelessness by 2028.
Ohio will lose 51,000 jobs, $5.3 billion due to Trump cuts by 2029, new analysis finds
The Commonwealth Fund projects Ohio loses $368 million in state and local tax revenue, while the $200 million rural health fund Republicans added fails to offset ACA subsidy losses.
More Americans are hungry in the face of federal cuts, rising grocery prices
More than 4 million Americans lost SNAP benefits since February 2025, and 23 state attorneys general are now urging the Senate to reverse cuts in the pending farm bill.
If Social Security isn’t fixed, average Ohioan will lose $487 a month, report estimates
AARP Ohio says 700,000 seniors could be pushed into poverty by 2032, as Sen. Jon Husted's office declined to comment and a balanced-budget amendment drew Democratic fire.
Spending among Ohio consumers slows as gas threatens to go even higher
Exxon and Chevron warn oil could hit $150–$160 a barrel as diesel stocks hit a 40-year low, while U-M sentiment data shows consumers already cutting spending.
Projected Social Security benefits cliff creeps up to 2032
A new SSA report shows the trust fund depletes a few months sooner than last year's estimate, which would cut benefits to 78% for 68 million recipients unless Congress acts.
The affordability crisis is getting worse in Ohio and the U.S., but it’s not new
A Brookings Institution analysis finds 40% of Ohio households can't make ends meet, a crisis dating to 2014 with steeper impacts on families of color and single parents.
Care for seniors is sucking wealth out of families — especially in Ohio
A Roosevelt Institute study shows long-term care costs force even wealthy families to spend down assets to Medicaid limits, while Trump's healthcare law threatens to cut another $150 billion from nursing home payments.
13,000 more Ohioans to lose food stamps for not meeting requirements under Trump law
The cuts follow 80,000 Ohioans losing SNAP benefits since July, with older adults ages 55-64 hit hardest after losing work requirement exemptions.
Ohio’s most populous county sees 43% increase in unsheltered homelessness, according to report
Franklin County’s annual Point-in-Time Count identified 2,587 people experiencing homelessness — a 1.2% increase from 2025. Sheltered homelessness decreased by…
Under one Trump cut, Ohio families lose the most
A new analysis finds Ohio families could lose more than $15,000 a year in child care assistance after the Trump administration moved to scrap a Biden-era affordability cap — the largest projected loss of any state in the country.
Food pantries on Ohio college campuses help students experiencing food insecurity
About 40% of college students report experiencing food insecurity. A bipartisan Ohio House bill would create a statewide Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program, providing $625,000 annually to help schools expand food pantry services and earn a hunger-free designation.
