Utah is among the best states in the nation for children's overall well-being according to a new national report, but experts are emphasizing the need for further investments in education.

Utah ranks third in this year's Kids Count Data Book, which examines 16 indicators of economic well-being, education, health, and community and family.

Martín Muñoz, Kids Count director with Voices for Utah Children, says policymakers should be concerned that this year's data book shows 63% of Utah fourth-graders weren't proficient in reading and 65% of eighth-graders weren't proficient in math. He said another issue is chronic absenteeism, which is when a student misses 10% or more days of school.

"The national average is 30%, and Utah is at 28%. And in that 28%, we're seeing higher percentages within our minority communities, with Latino students seeing around 37% in absenteeism," Muñoz explained. "But the highest one is our Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders, at 52%."

Muñoz said lawmakers should embrace positive approaches rather than criminalizing students or parents due to attendance challenges. He said through outreach, educators and policymakers could do better to find out what is happening at home and inhibiting students from arriving to the classroom.

The report also recommends children have access to low-cost or no-cost meals, a reliable internet connection and a place to study and spend time with friends, teachers and counselors.

Muñoz said the nation's overall vitality depends on how well states are doing, in terms of equipping children with the foundation and tools they'll need to be contributing members of society. He said more can and should be done.

"Education is definitely one of the tools of an equalizer within poverty. And so, it is very concerning to see the numbers that we have, the most current is 2022, and locally it is just continuing to be a concern," he said.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president for external affairs with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said the extraordinary drop in learning outcomes from 2019 to 2022 translates to decades of lost progress. She added it's important that parents are engaged with their children as schools, and that communities look at ways to better meet their future needs.

"It is an all-hands-on-deck moment. Both the resources within school, the resources within communities, and engaging parents as part of the process to make sure that students have the support that they need and that children have the support that they need in order to succeed," said Boissiere.


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Tens of thousands of children in Pennsylvania are still missing out on essential health care coverage, according to a new report.

The "State of Children's Health" report revealed Pennsylvania has the fifth-highest number of uninsured children in the nation.

Becky Ludwick, vice president of public policy at Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, said factors like race, where you live and family income play big roles in whether children have health insurance. And while the number of uninsured kids has stayed relatively steady, a stable uninsured rate does not signal there has been progress.

"There's still a little over 5% of kids who don't have health insurance in the state of Pennsylvania," Ludwick pointed out. "What that translates into, in terms of the number of kids is, we are seeing that 147,000 Pennsylvania children do not have coverage."

In Pennsylvania, younger children are more likely to be uninsured than school-aged children. Ludwick added one possible solution is the Department of Human Services' recent federal approval of continuous Medicaid coverage for kids up to age 6.

Ludwick noted the Medicaid "unwinding" process, to re-qualify families for coverage after the pandemic public-health emergency officially ended, did not significantly increase the number of uninsured children in the state. But her organization initially worried about a greater disruption when renewals resumed.

"Fortunately, what the numbers yielded were that eight out of 10 kids that went through the Medicaid unwinding process were either able to keep their Medicaid coverage, or they were able to transfer coverage over to CHIP, or to plans through PENNIE," Ludwick outlined.

Ludwick added nearly half of Pennsylvania's children depend on Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program or plans from PENNIE, the state's insurance marketplace, for their health insurance, emphasizing the critical importance of these programs not only to children but to parents and policymakers.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is making a comeback and a Tennessee medical expert stressed the preventable, highly contagious bacterial infection requires urgent attention.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, year-to-date, Tennessee has recorded more than 200 cases, while more than 25,000 cases have been reported nationwide.

Dr. Anthony Flores, professor of pediatrics and director of pediatric infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said rising cases are largely due to vaccine hesitancy, and taking action now is essential to combat the serious illness.

"I think of our severe cases that we're seeing here in Tennessee, and nationwide as well, almost all of those severe hospitalized cases are in unvaccinated children," Flores explained. "I think the lower vaccination rate, kind of the periodicity with which we see whooping cough come back and surges, are contributing to the current numbers we're seeing."

Flores noted typical symptoms include a runny nose and low-grade fever, although fever is less prominent. The cough can develop and persist for weeks, becoming particularly bothersome in older children and adults. The name "whooping cough" comes from the severe coughing fits, which cause difficulty breathing, followed by a "whoop" sound as the afflicted person gasps for air.

Flores pointed out in newborns, especially before they begin receiving their initial vaccinations at 2, 4, and 6 months, their protection relies solely on the antibodies passed to them by the mother during pregnancy.

"In pregnant women, it's actually recommended that if they haven't received a booster, that they receive a booster in their third trimester, and that's again to pass on those antibodies to the newborn baby," Flores emphasized. "But then what can protect them from severe disease?"

Flores recommended children receive the whooping cough vaccine as part of their routine immunizations. He added as they grow, they get booster shots, and adults receive a different formulation called Tdap every 10 years to maintain immunity. He added it is important to follow a schedule to prevent waning immunity over time.


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CLARIFICATION: We updated language to clarify the timing for when the study's authors began tracking certain outcome measures for children within the foster care system. (9:30 a.m. CST, Nov. 22, 2024)

This Saturday is National Adoption Day and the latest findings showed Minnesota has made progress in helping kids in the foster care system secure a better future.

Aaron Sojourner, labor economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, helped lead a study of reforms Minnesota approved in 2015. He said states often provide financial support to children in foster care but support ends when a child is adopted or placed in a kin guardianship.

Minnesota decided to continue payments to households who take a child in permanently. Sojourner pointed out three years after foster cases started, positive outcomes became clear.

"The kids were scoring much higher on standardized achievement tests," Sojourner reported. "They were experiencing less turnover in schools and school instability."

He noted the incentives also boosted the chances of kids age 6 and older exiting the foster care system and moving into permanent home settings by 29%. Sojourner added while the results are encouraging, it is just one aspect of the child welfare landscape. Other research has shown racial disparities in Minnesota's foster care system, especially when looking at reducing entry rates.

Sojourner stressed if state lawmakers revisit the extended monthly payments in budget talks, they will need to realize the long-term payoff from these investments.

"The state is paying more money now but they're going to reap the benefits down the road," Sojourner contended. "In terms of increased earnings and employment."

His team's study said prolonged exposure to foster care is tied to poor transitions into adulthood, including homelessness.


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