Break down poverty and unemployment by race and it is worrisome.

If you go back to 2019, Oregon’s economy was zooming. But there still were large disparities in poverty rates by race.

• 10.2% for white, not Hispanic Oregonians.

• 11.8% for Asian Oregonians.

• 14.8% for Hispanic Oregonians.

• 25.2% for Black Oregonians.

The pattern isn’t all that different for unemployment rates. And there are substantial gender inequities, too. Women are employed at lower rates than men, and earn lower wages as well.

What could or should Oregon do about it? It’s lost potential for families and individuals to build wealth and for Oregon’s labor force. Josh Lehner, Oregon’s state economist, recently took a look at the issue.

“To really address this disparity, the availability and affordability of child care and extended care after school would really need to be addressed,” Lehner wrote in his report. “The unemployment rate between women and men is not noticeably different, but that’s largely due to many moms indicating they are not looking for work specifically because they are taking care of the home or family. Flexible schedules, working from home, and broader societal changes are also likely needed to help address the gender employment gap.”

It’s a complicated problem with no single policy solution. But what we do know is the value of a college degree in improving wages and in employment.

The median wage for college graduates is about 80% higher than for noncollege graduates.

“Therefore the biggest economic and societal boosts to raising educational attainment and addressing racial disparities will not be seen in the raw number of workers in Oregon,” the report said. “Rather, the bigger boosts will be seen in the income, poverty, homeowner, and taxes paid data.”

Of course, college is not for everyone. There will be gains from other post-high school professional training, too.

Getting more Oregonians on the path to college degrees or other post-high school training could slowly change those disparities. That’s not a particularly new finding nor a surprising one. When we think about priorities for Oregon’s children, it’s worth remembering.