There have been substantial changes made to the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) questions on labor force participation and number of weeks worked. After thoroughly investigating the extent to which each of the Kids Count indicators of economic well-being may be affected, we believe that the changes in methodology were significant enough to constitute a break in the trend. We therefore do not recommend that you make comparisons to previous years’ estimates.
For more detailed information about the changes made and tables comparing 2007 and 2008 state-level estimates of employment and unemployment read The Census Bureau notes at: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/laborfor/researchnote092209.html