Indicators are facts that help show how a region is doing, the way the unemployment rate helps show the health of the economy. Measuring these kinds of data helps communities to identify existing conditions, measure progress toward goals and to mobilize action to improve the region. The Long Island Index has been providing this data for ten years which allows residents, researchers, civic organizations and others to assess our change over time and evaluate our path for future action.
1
Economy
Gross Metropolitan Product
Long Island’s economy has contracted, and compared to the national average, Long Island is slower to return to economic growth.
Growth in Wages over the Past 10 Years
Long Island wages show a flattening trend, while converging with U.S. wages.
Industry Clusters
Employment declines continue following the recession. The largest employment losses occurred in the highest-paying sectors.
Business Churn
Long Island continues to be home for new firms with a net gain but firm closings ticked up and the number of firms moving off Long Island is almost double what it was in the mid-1990’s.
Venture Capital Financing
Long Island firms receive relatively little venture capital, although there was an increase in 2010.
Federal Small Business Innovation Research Technology Transfer Awards to Long Island
Small technology companies on Long Island remain competitive in attracting federal funding under the SBIR/STTR programs.
Arts and Entertainment Industry
Although Long Island’s number of artists and entertainers per capita is not as high as other innovation centers, the number of arts and entertainment establishments has increased 57 percent from 1995 to 2009, and two percent between 2008 and 2009.
2
Population
Long Island’s Changing Population
Long Island continued to slowly add residents through the recession and its aftermath.
3
Housing
Housing Affordability
Homes are the major source of wealth for most people, and housing costs
represent the largest part of household budgets. Home values and rents
are also indicators of the health of the economy. Since 2006 the sudden
drop in home values has prevented many home owners from selling their
homes or forced them into foreclosures.
4
Education
College Readiness
Our measure of college readiness reflects mastery of the New York State
High School Curriculum. It indicates the percentage of scores in a
school at 85% or better across numerous state-wide Regent’s
examinations, including English, Chemistry, Physics, US History, Global
History, and the two highest-level Mathematics exams.
Academic Performance: 4th Grade and 8th Grade
Schools are ultimately about student performance and below we provide
several indicators that measure performance throughout the educational
queue, including 4th grade English and math, 8th grade English and math,
and a composite measure of “college readiness” which reflects student
scores across numerous high school Regent’s examinations.
Teacher Education and Turnover
The demographics of a school are not solely based on the students;
teachers also contribute to the social environment. We look at three
indicators about teachers in a school: The percentage that are “highly
educated,” the annual turnover rate among all teachers, and the turnover
rate among “new” teachers (those with fewer than five years of
experience).
Student Stability
Another aspect that measures the school environment is student
stability. As reported by each school, it is the percent of students in
a school’s highest grade who were enrolled in the same school the
previous year.
Race and Ethnicity
The racial and ethnic composition of Long Island schools is also
noteworthy as Long Island remains one of the most residentially
segregated areas of the United States.
English Language Learners
Limited English proficiency can be another obstacle to learning, as
English language learners (ELL) not only have to attempt mastery over
the curriculum, but they also have do it in a non-native tongue.
School Poverty
A high quality education remains the surest route to upward mobility in
American Society. The good jobs in our modern economy require high
levels of education. For most children, public schools provide the
underpinnings for workforce readiness and higher education.
5
Environment
Water Quality
Long Island is experiencing a rapid rise in contaminants in our aquifer system and in our surface waters.
6
Open Space
Land Preserved
It is virtually guaranteed that Long Island will not meet its
goal to preserve 10% of the Island’s land mass as open space and
farmland by 2016.
7
Governance
Local Government Expenditures
The growth in local government costs has slowed substantially since 2008.
8
Health
Paying for Healthcare Costs
Healthcare costs are a major factor in almost every household budget. Costs associated with a single hospital stay may quickly wipe out
savings and move people into debt. Thus, having some reliable and
comfortable way of covering major medical expenses is an important
element in preserving our quality of life.
Perinatal Risk
Health care continues to be a crucial issue for Long Islanders. Ensuring that all residents, children and adult, have access to quality
care that they can afford is an essential ingredient in the social
fabric.
9
Transportation
Transit Ridership
The LIRR’s ridership continued to fall in 2011, and was
surpassed by Metro-North Railroad as the busiest commuter railroad in
the U.S.
10
Safety Net
Poverty
Poverty rates increase dramatically.
For both individuals and for families, the experience of economic
hardship places greater strains on the quality of life in many aspects. The ability to obtain adequate shelter, nutrition, clothing, and
education are directly tied to one’s economic situation.
Hunger
Reliance on Food Stamps rises sharply. The existence of a growing population of people without reliable access
to adequate nutritious food is a major national concern.