Report ranks North Carolina 34th in the nation for child well-being
The latest KIDS COUNT Data Book released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation looks at 16 measures of child well being in four categories, rating them 1 to 50. North Carolina ranks highest at 28th in Education and lowest at 38th in Economic Well-Being.
Laila A. Bell, director of research and data at NC Child, says “These data show our children are at risk of falling behind in key areas, leaving them underprepared to compete and excel in the 21st century economy.” Studies show poverty threatens healthy growth and development and reduces academic achievement. The data suggest families in North Carolina are still feeling the impact of a poor economy.
“It is important that we invest in solutions that have been shown to help children overcome the negative effects of poverty, like high-quality early education. Unfortunately, more than half of our children ages 3 to 4 are currently not attending preschool, and our legislators have debated proposals to restrict—not expand—access to early education in recent years.”
In the previous two decades, North Carolina has made improvements in reducing the number of uninsured children, increasing the high school graduation rate, and preparing children for reading and math.
Take a look at the 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book.