DiscoverThe DailyMore Money Was Supposed to Help Poor Kids. So Why Didn’t It?
More Money Was Supposed to Help Poor Kids. So Why Didn’t It?

More Money Was Supposed to Help Poor Kids. So Why Didn’t It?

Update: 2025-08-064
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For many, the logic seemed unassailable: Giving poor families money would measurably improve the lives of their children. And so a few years ago, social scientists set out to test whether that assumption was right.

The results of the experiment have shocked them.

Guest: Jason DeParle, a Times reporter who covers poverty in the United States.

Background reading: 

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Photo: Andrew Seng for The New York Times


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Comments (4)

Jason DeLand

In general, but particularly considering the results, this study should have been cancelled, and or the results not published. Sooooo many unintended factors clearly affected this study that the only justification I can see for publishing was b/c they didn't want so much time/money/effort wasted.

Aug 6th
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More Money Was Supposed to Help Poor Kids. So Why Didn’t It?

More Money Was Supposed to Help Poor Kids. So Why Didn’t It?

The New York Times