Children's Issues / Public News Service

More than 328,700 students are enrolled in 244 K-12 Nebraska school districts, according to Ballotpedia. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Report: Two-thirds of Nebraska 4th graders not reading proficiently

Nearly two-thirds of Nebraska fourth graders are not reading at grade level and math scores are also lagging. The findings come from the 2025 Kids …

The 2025 Kids Count Data Book found in Minnesota in 2023, 28% of Black children, 16% of Hispanic children, 10% of Asian children and 6% of white children under age 18 lived in families with incomes below the federal poverty level. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Thursday, June 12, 2025

New reports says MN children face troubling health and education disparities

The 2025 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its findings for Minnesota. The report examines results for children in …

Each year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book aggregates national and state data from 16 indicators in four domains including economic well-being, education, health, and family and community factors, and ranks states according to how children are faring overall. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Report: IL shows mixed results in child well-being despite high ranking

A national report finds mixed results in child well-being in Illinois with improvements in health care coverage for children and poverty rates and dec…

While Oregon ranked poorly for education overall, the 2025 Kids Count Data Book showed high school graduation rates are up in the state, as well as nationwide. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Kids Count report shows Oregon kids falling behind in education

Oregon maintained a troubling ranking, holding at 43rd in the nation for children's education, according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book, a national …

In 2022, New Mexico voters approved a constitutional amendment to dedicate funds to early childhood education and care. (Bonsales/AdobeStock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Report: NM's child well-being shows mixed momentum

A traditional marker used to measure child well-being in the U.S. shows New Mexico notched both improvements and declines in several areas. The …

While Wisconsin ranked high overall in the areas of economic well-being and education, it ranked 17th and 25th in the categories of health, and family and community. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

WI leads nation in racial disparities, but ranks high in child well-being report

A national report found Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in racial disparities affecting children's well-being across the state. Wisconsin …

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2025 Kids Count Data Book shows education is lacking nationwide. Nearly three quarters of fourth graders are not proficient in reading, and 73% of eighth graders are not proficient in math.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Report: Michigan kids improve in finances and family, lag in education

Michigan kids are making progress when it comes to family life and finances but they are still struggling in school. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's …

A new annual report finds, despite high housing costs, Rhode Island has fewer children living in high-poverty areas and also fewer living in poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Report: RI child well-being falls despite efforts to improve it

A new annual report found children's well-being has slipped in Rhode Island despite previous gains. The state ranks 19th in this year's Annie E…

According to the 2025 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book, 16% of children still live in poverty, and nearly one in three children live in households struggling with high housing costs. <br />(Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Kids Count Data Book: Missouri thrives economically, lacking in education

Missouri ranks 27th in an annual national report on child well-being, with solid marks in kids' economic stability but setbacks in education…

A new annual report found more New Jersey teens are working or in school and fewer kids are living in homes with a higher cost burden. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Report: NJ’s improved economy aids child well-being

A new annual report found New Jersey's economic well-being is helping improve the well-being of its children. The state ranked 7th in the nation in …

Iowa's fourth grade students score at or slightly above average in national reading assessments but almost two-thirds are not reading proficiently, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Report: Young Iowans' reading scores teeter, SNAP cuts prompt concern

Iowa kids are doing well overall in new national findings on children's well-being, although they are slipping in a few key areas. The numbers in …

About 387,000 Arizona children have parents who lack secure employment. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Report: AZ has 2nd-highest rate of uninsured children

Arizona is one of the lowest-performing states for overall child well-being, according to a new national report. This year's Kids Count Data Book …

Pennsylvania would need to lift 198,000 children out of poverty to rank first in the nation for the lowest child poverty rate. (luckybusiness/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

PA ranks 20th in children's well-being, despite health challenges

Pennsylvania ranks 20th in the nation for overall child well-being, in the new 2025 Kids Count Data Book. The Annie E. Casey Foundation report ranks …

The percentage of Virginia high school students who do not graduate on time dipped from 13% to 11% in the 2025 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Report: Virginia ranks high for child well-being

New data show Virginia ranked 13th in the nation for overall child well-being and while the quality of Virginia children's families and communities im…

Kansas saw a slight dip in the percentage of kids not graduating from high school on time in the Annie E. Casey Foundation 2025 Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Kansas ranks high in child economic well-being but lack in other areas

Kansas ranked in the top third of states for child well-being, according to a new report. While the state earned a high rank for economic well-being…

The rate of childhood obesity for South Carolina children dropped by a little more than 3% from 2019 to 2023, although 34% of 10- to 17-year-olds in the state are considered overweight or obese. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

SC ranks near bottom on list of states for child well-being

South Carolina has made slight improvements in children's well-being, mentioned in a new national report but groups working to support kids said much …

In 2023, 6% of Ohio teens ages 16 to 19 were neither in school nor working, a rate unchanged since 2019. (Craig Adderley/Pexels)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Ohio urged to prioritize kids as education, poverty trends worsen

New national data show worsening outcomes for Ohio kids, especially in the areas of education and family economic stability, and state and national …

According to 2025 Kids Count Data Book, nationally nearly one in three children live in households burdened by high housing costs and Washington follows the trend. (Louis-Photo/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Report ranks Washington down in overall child well-being

Washington state has dropped to 16th in the nation for overall child well-being, according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book, a national report …

Wyoming ranks eighth in the nation for children's well-being in the category of family and community, but is 37th in terms of kids' health. (Cavan/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Wyoming makes strides on children’s health but ranks low nationally

Wyoming slipped five spots this year in an annual report on children's well-being by state, ranking 23rd in the nation. The 2025 Kids Count Data …

The 2025 Kids Count report showed Indiana had a reduction in the percentage of teens not in school and not working from 7% to 5%, indicating more young people are staying engaged in education or jobs. (Adobe stock)

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

New report shows gains and gaps for Indiana kids

Indiana now ranks 25th in the nation for child well-being, up from 27th last year. The data comes from the 2025 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E…

Research shows between 65% and 90% of families receiving vouchers already had their children enrolled in private schools or were homeschooling or entering kindergarten. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

KY teachers: Just say 'no' to national school voucher program

Congress is considering a bill which would for the first time create a nationalized school voucher program, redirecting billions in federal funding …

Delaware's academic outcomes are still worse than before the pandemic. Fewer children are in school, fourth grade reading and eighth grade math proficiency scores have plummeted and fewer high school students are graduating on time. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Report: Delaware ranks 30th in providing for children's well-being

Children's advocates said Delaware is improving in how it provides for children's health, economic, and family and community needs but is losing …

The Kids Count Data Book showed an improvement in low-birth-weight rates in Tennessee but worsening in health insurance coverage, with 93,000 children in the state now uninsured. (Miss Irine/Adobe Stock)<br />

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Kids Count Data Book ranks TN 37th for child well-being

Tennessee ranks in the middle among states for the well-being of its children, at 37th overall in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

The percentage of Utah children whose parents lack secure employment dropped from 19% in 2019 to 18% in 2023. (Irina K. / Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

UT ranks high in kids' well-being. Advocates still encourage action

Utah still ranks as one of the best states for children's overall well-being, according to a new national report but advocates are stressing the need …

A new report found more kids in Hawaii have parents lacking secure employment. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Report: HI housing costs severely impact child well-being

Hawaii's housing cost burden is affecting child well-being, according to a new report. The state ranked 24th in this year's Annie E. Casey …

The percentage of Nevada children living in high-poverty areas diminished from 9% between 2014 and 2018 to 6% between 2019 and 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

National report: Nevada sits near bottom for overall child well-being

Nevada ranks as one of the lowest-performing states for overall child well-being, according to a new national report. This year's Kids Count Data …

In 2023, 25% of Louisiana's kids lived in poverty, well above the national rate of 16%. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Louisiana kids improve reading proficiency in new national rankings

Louisiana performed better than many states in connecting young children to early care and education, and on fourth grade reading proficiency…

Data show 56% of California 3- and 4-year-olds are not in school, a statistic worsening in recent years. (Ajr_images/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Report: CA 32nd in nation for child well-being

California ranks 32nd in the nation for overall child well-being, according to the new 2025 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest Kids Count Data Book showed more than 31,000 South Dakota <br />children are living below the federal poverty level. (Adobe Stock)

South Dakota slides in latest child well-being ranking

South Dakota has fallen five spots in an annual national ranking that summarizes child well-being data. At 26th in the nation, policy experts pointed …

In the latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, North Dakota saw gains in reducing the number of children not covered by health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Bright spots for ND child well-being but work is needed

North Dakota is moving up in the ranks when measuring child well-being but policy experts said there are cracks beneath the surface. The Annie E…

Children whose parents lacked secure employment dropped 16% from 2019 to 2023. (Adobe Stock)

MD ranks top 10 in kids' economic well-being, dips in education

Maryland ranks 21st in the U.S. for the well-being of its children, according to a new report. While the report found children living in Maryland …

The 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book shows teen births are down in Vermont along with the number of children living in single-parent households. Children in families where the household head lacks a high school diploma also fell to just 3%. (Adobe Stock) <br />

State investments boost VT’s ranking for overall child well-being

Vermont ranks high in overall child well-being, with fewer children living in poverty, according to a new report. Released today, the 2025 Kids …

The new KIDS COUNT Data Book found 83% of Oklahoma 8th graders were not proficient in math. (Adobe Stock/AI)

Report: OK ranks 46th nationally in child well-being

Today, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its annual Kids Count Data Book, and the report shows Oklahoma ranks low in measures of child well-…

According to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book, nearly 1.4 million Texas children live below the poverty line. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

Report: TX has room for improvement in children's well-being

Texas has fallen to 44th place nationally in this year's 2025 Kids Count Data Book released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report …

Mississippi's education ranking continues to improve. It ranked 16th in the Nation in the 2025 Kids Count Data Book. However, it ranks 50th in child and teen death rates and the percentage of low-birthweight Babies. (Adobe Stock)

New report shows mixed outcomes for MS children

Mississippi's education system has made remarkable strides, climbing from 48th to 16th in national rankings over the past decade, according to the 202…

Sixty-four percent of Colorado's fourth graders are not proficient in reading, and nearly 70% of eighth graders are not proficient in math. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado jumps up five spots to 12th nationally for child wellness

Colorado has moved up five spots to 12th among the states in the 2025 Kids Count Data Book released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which …

The number of Kentucky children living in poverty decreased by 1% between 2019 and 2023, according to data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: KY has made progress on child well-being

Kentucky kids are now faring better than they were before the pandemic but one of five live in poverty, according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book …

The Sunshine State Ranks 35th in Child Well-being in the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book, which advocates say appears to be a concern as the state seems to be reversing previous Gains in fourth-grade reading proficiency. (Evgeniy Kalinovskiy/Adobe Stock)

Child well-being stagnates in FL amid education, housing challenges

Florida ranks 35th in child well-being - with notable declines in education and ongoing struggles with housing affordability, according to the 2025 …

West Virginia has made strides to reduce the number of kids without health insurance, according to data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WV child well-being has improved post-pandemic

A new report shows West Virginia has improved the well-being of its children but the Mountain State still ranks the in the bottom tier of states for m…

The annual Kids Count Data Book found 12% of Alaska's children live in poverty, 78% of fourth graders are not proficient in reading, 7% lack health insurance and 32% live in single-parent families. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Alaska ranks 40th among states for child well-being

Children's advocates said Alaska has failed to adequately fund essential child and family services, consistently leaving critical programs under-…

Arkansas is ranked 44th for child poverty in 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

New report ranks AR near bottom for child well-being

Arkansas did not fare well in this year's 2025 Kids Count Data Book, released today. The report, developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

A 2025 report on childhood well-being showed Montana ranks 10th in the nation on family and community indicators but much lower on health indicators, at 29th. (Kristin Eldridge/Adobe Stock)

MT ranks 39th in U.S. for child health insurance coverage

An annual report on the well-being of children in each state shows Montana slipped two spots this year, ranking 22nd in the nation. The 2025 Kids …

Nationally, more than 117,000 children in the U.S. foster-care system are waiting to be adopted. The children range in age from infants to 21 years old, with the average age being older than 8. <br />(Photo courtesy the Wright family)

Michigan family shines in national adoption spotlight

A new public service announcement spotlights a Michigan teen, in and out of foster homes, who was adopted after a holiday visit turned into a …

Summer food feeding sites can be found by texting

AR summer food programs prepare to feed students

With the start of summer, organizations across Arkansas are ramping up programs to ensure kids have access to healthy food. The No Kid Hungry …

The Eastern Iowa Arts Academy is transforming a 111-year-old schoolhouse into an arts refuge for kids. (Eastern Iowa Arts Academy)

Arts group revitalizes century-old rural Iowa school building

By Frankie (Amy) Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Coll…

About 38% of Montana public school districts have used the state's voluntary early literacy program, launched in 2023. (Ekaterina Pokrovsky/Adobe Stock)<br />

Montana funds early literacy programs but district buy-in is low

Buy-in on Montana's first state-funded early literacy program has been lower than expected in its first year of operation and a school administrator g…

Along with helping in the classroom, proponents of the Early School Success program said it has helped deepen connections between schools and families. As students became more engaged, families reported greater trust and partnership with educators. (spyrakot/Adobe Stock)

Report: Consistency key to success of innovative OR school program

Student engagement and staff collaboration are both up in some Oregon schools and a new report found it is the result of a unique approach to supporti…

Dr. Janel Gordon says autism prevalence is higher among Asian, Black and Hispanic children but the reasons behind the disparities remain unclear. (Adobe stock)

Indiana urges families to act early on signs of autism

By Dr. Janel Gordon for WISH-TV.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News …

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Children's

Report: Two-thirds of Nebraska 4th graders not reading proficiently

New reports says MN children face troubling health and education disparities

Report: IL shows mixed results in child well-being despite high ranking

Kids Count report shows Oregon kids falling behind in education

Report: NM's child well-being shows mixed momentum

WI leads nation in racial disparities, but ranks high in child well-being report

Report: Michigan kids improve in finances and family, lag in education

Report: RI child well-being falls despite efforts to improve it

Kids Count Data Book: Missouri thrives economically, lacking in education

Report: NJ’s improved economy aids child well-being

Report: Young Iowans' reading scores teeter, SNAP cuts prompt concern

Report: AZ has 2nd-highest rate of uninsured children

PA ranks 20th in children's well-being, despite health challenges

Report: Virginia ranks high for child well-being

Kansas ranks high in child economic well-being but lack in other areas

SC ranks near bottom on list of states for child well-being

Ohio urged to prioritize kids as education, poverty trends worsen

Report ranks Washington down in overall child well-being

Wyoming makes strides on children’s health but ranks low nationally

New report shows gains and gaps for Indiana kids

KY teachers: Just say 'no' to national school voucher program

Report: Delaware ranks 30th in providing for children's well-being

Kids Count Data Book ranks TN 37th for child well-being

UT ranks high in kids' well-being. Advocates still encourage action

Report: HI housing costs severely impact child well-being

National report: Nevada sits near bottom for overall child well-being

Louisiana kids improve reading proficiency in new national rankings

Report: CA 32nd in nation for child well-being

South Dakota slides in latest child well-being ranking

Report: Bright spots for ND child well-being but work is needed

MD ranks top 10 in kids' economic well-being, dips in education

State investments boost VT’s ranking for overall child well-being

Report: OK ranks 46th nationally in child well-being

Report: TX has room for improvement in children's well-being

New report shows mixed outcomes for MS children

Colorado jumps up five spots to 12th nationally for child wellness

Report: KY has made progress on child well-being

Child well-being stagnates in FL amid education, housing challenges

Report: WV child well-being has improved post-pandemic

Report: Alaska ranks 40th among states for child well-being

New report ranks AR near bottom for child well-being

MT ranks 39th in U.S. for child health insurance coverage

Michigan family shines in national adoption spotlight

AR summer food programs prepare to feed students

Arts group revitalizes century-old rural Iowa school building

Montana funds early literacy programs but district buy-in is low

Report: Consistency key to success of innovative OR school program

Indiana urges families to act early on signs of autism