The economic well-being of kids in Maine is improving, but chronic school absence is impacting learning, according to a new report.

The 2024 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows fewer children living in poverty. But the number of high school students not graduating on time has slightly increased, and the number of eighth-grade students lacking math proficiency has jumped to 76%.

Melissa Hackett, policy associate with Maine Children's Alliance, said post-pandemic trauma and learning loss remain a challenge.

"We know families are experiencing a lot of stressors at home and that makes it more challenging for young people to show up at school ready to learn," she said.

Hackett added she'd like to see greater state investment in community schools, which often have additional capacity to serve as a hub for student and family services - helping ensure basic needs are met so families can thrive.

Indicators for families and communities in Maine are improving, with fewer children living in single-parent households and more parents finding secure employment. Still, Hackett contended schools and families need to find non-punitive ways to ensure kids are in the classroom.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said rates of chronic absenteeism among students are nearly double pre-pandemic rates.

"Their test scores tend to be lower, they tend to be more likely to be suspended and less likely to complete school on time. It also affects the overall atmosphere of the classroom as the teacher is always working to catch students up," she noted.

Studies show students who don't advance beyond lower levels of math may be 50% more likely to be unemployed after high school.

Boissiere added the state can increase investment in its students with unspent federal pandemic money, and said ensuring students access to low-or-no-cost meals, in-person tutoring and mental health services will go a long way in helping to boost achievement.

A majority of California children are failing to meet educational standards, according to this year's County Scorecard on Children's Well-Being.

Researchers from the nonprofit Children Now have published the scorecard every other year since 2008, so policymakers from all 58 counties can track progress over time.

Kelly Hardy, senior managing director of health and research for Children Now, said academic scores have begun to rebound to pre-pandemic levels, which are still much too low.

"Only 43% of third graders met standards in reading, only 33% of fifth graders met standards in science, and only 32% of eighth graders met standards in math," Hardy reported.

The percentages are even worse for Black and Latino students. For example, among eighth graders, only 20% of Latinos and 14% of Black students meet standards in math. Kids in Marin, Orange and San Francisco counties fared better, while children in the rural north counties face greater challenges in education and health.

Youth in foster care are falling behind even further, with 21% meeting standards in English, 11% in science and 7% in math. Hardy hopes lawmakers keep the issues in mind when crafting the next state budget.

"It really makes no sense for a relatively high-tax state like California to be so far behind other states in outcomes for education," Hardy contended. "We need the state to provide more funding."

The report does reveal some bright spots. More than 97% of kids in California now have health insurance, and more low-income families with kids are accessing CalFresh food support.

Free school lunch and breakfast may soon be the law in the Commonwealth.

House Bill 1958 would require local school boards to participate in federal school lunch and breakfast programs through the Department of Agriculture. The programs make school lunches and breakfasts available to any student who asks for one.

Some schools are already taking part in the programs but the legislation would make it a requirement statewide.

Emily Hardy, deputy director of the Center for Healthy Communities at the Virginia Poverty Law Center, said there is a need for expanded free school meals across the state.

"Almost 400,000 kids would qualify financially currently to get school breakfast that don't," Hardy reported. "We do know there are a lot of children in Virginia who are food insecure, but aren't currently getting the service in their school."

Nearly 1.3 million Virginia children are currently enrolled in public schools across the Commonwealth.

Research from No Kid Hungry suggested free school breakfast also cuts down on rates of chronic absenteeism, where students miss 10% or more of the academic year.

Hardy noted sometimes, a free school meal could come with a stigma for students. A blanket policy, she added, can also help other parents, not just those in a tough financial position.

"Reducing stigma, making it so that all children have access to this, it both helps parents who could afford to pay for meals but maybe don't have the time to make them, or are struggling with other things," Hardy emphasized. "It also helps those children who are low-income, who then don't have to face the stigma of being the only kid getting the free meal."

Other states have already taken steps to provide blanket school meals to students, including in Minnesota, New Mexico and Maine.

Finding appropriate placements for youths entering Ohio's child welfare system has become increasingly difficult.

Rachel Reedy, outreach and member engagement manager for the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, said the complex needs of children in the system, ranging from behavioral and mental health care to justice involvement, require specialized placements, which can drive up costs.

"Across the state, we have just heard more and more about the challenges in finding affordable, accessible and appropriate placements for our youths coming into our child welfare system," Reedy reported.

The challenges are compounded by rising costs, even as fewer children are entering care. County commissioners play a critical role in funding child welfare through a combination of federal, state and local dollars, including property tax levies in some areas.

A lack of trained professionals is another significant obstacle. Reedy elaborated on the capacity challenges within the system.

"We need workforce supports as well," Reedy urged. "When you do not have enough workforce in the system and facilities available, that leads to these capacity challenges, which, in a sense, drives up the cost."

She highlighted initiatives at the state level, such as efforts to encourage students to pursue careers in social work and human services. However, the solutions take time, underscoring the urgency for collaboration at all levels. Reedy added addressing the challenges requires a united effort from local communities, state leaders and lawmakers to ensure every child receives the care they need.


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