Early Childhood Education / Public News Service

North Dakota classrooms sit empty right now but when they fill up in late August, K-12 students and parents might notice more districts trying to juggle staff to help with lingering teacher shortages. (Adobe Stock)

ND school districts get no 'summer break' from budget maneuvering

It is only early summer but North Dakota school districts are preparing for the fall. As in recent years, some administrators are performing what …

Dr. Tierney Brosius' friend, professor and fellow artist, Wendy DesChene, and her husband helped to photograph insects for an eight-foot-tall display. (Wendy DesChene)

'Dr. Beetle': Local biology teacher uses art to pique curiosity about bugs

By Jonathan Feakins for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News S…

More than 40% of the 3.4 million Illinoisians enrolled in Medicaid are children. (Adobe Stock)

Potential Medicaid, SNAP cuts could derail IL education system

As Congress considers federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP food assistance, groups advocating for Illinois schools are speaking out on how it would …

The Cleveland Clinic says kids ages 6 to 12 need 9 to 12 hours of sleep, and teens ages 13 to 18 need 8 to 10 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. (LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/Adobe Stock)

AR parents can help kids maintain healthy sleep patterns during summer

With school out for summer vacation, maintaining healthy sleep habits can be a challenge for parents, caregivers and children. Longer daylight hours …

Research shows students of color are more likely to be suspended and also less likely to receive support with schoolwork while they are out of class. (jovannig/Adobe Stock)

Child rights advocates: New WA school discipline rules roll back protections

Washington's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has revised its public school discipline policies, and advocates for children said …

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

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 />

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)

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…

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)

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)

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…

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)

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 …

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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 …

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)

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)

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 …

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)

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…

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.

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

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 …

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)

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…

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)

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)

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 …

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

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…

Only 28% of the 177,000 young children in Pennsylvania eligible for child care subsidies are getting help, highlighting major gaps in access, according to the Start Strong PA Campaign. (Irina/Adobe Stock)

PA educators take action for ‘Early Childhood Workforce Day’

Pennsylvanians will rally in Harrisburg today to call attention to the urgent child care teacher shortage across the state. The Pennsylvania Child …

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

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 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)

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…

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)

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 />

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)

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)

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)

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 …

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 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-…

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 …

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 …

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 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…

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 …

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…

It is estimated New Mexico's free child care program has lifted 120,000 people in the state above the federal poverty line. (olgademina/Adobe Stock)

NM's near-universal child care a 'life-saver' for many families

Predominantly free statewide child care is helping lift many New Mexico families out of poverty. Three years ago, the state became the first in the …

In Tennessee, more than 4,000 people are employed with the Head Start program, and fiscal year funding last year was over $195 million. (Nina Lawrenson/Adobe Stock)

Head Start prepares TN kids for kindergarten, despite uncertain funding

Tennessee families who depend on Head Start programs for child care are watching Congress carefully, to make sure its federal funding isn't cut…

Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has served nearly 40 million children and their families. (Save the Children)

Head Start supports WA parents, celebrates 60 years

This Sunday is the 60th anniversary of Head Start, the federally funded preschool program supporting more than 12,000 children, up to age four…

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