KIDS COUNT A Project of The Annie E. Casey Foundation Laura Speer, Associate Director for Policy Reform and Data

Established in 1948 by Jim Casey, one of the founders of UPS, named in honor of his mother Largest national private philanthropy dedicated to vulnerable children and families. Began KIDS COUNT in 1990 to improve decision making affecting kids and families through data-based advocacy

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 Uses best available data to monitor state-level child well-being  Produced annually since 1990  Ranks states based on 10 key indicators  Includes range of developmental stages and areas of well-being  Uses comparably collected data National KIDS COUNT Data Book

What’s News in the 2011 KIDS COUNT Data Book  Recession has wiped out 20 years of economic gains for low income families with children  Gains for teens continue: o Teen birth rate and high school dropout rates improve

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Top 3 NH - 1 MN - 2 MA - 3 Bottom 3 AL - 48 LA - 49 MS KIDS COUNT Overall Ranking

Recession Wipes Out Improvements in Child Poverty Percent of Children in Households with Incomes below the Federal Poverty Level

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 Trend in teen birth rate back in positive direction  Percent of teens not in school and not high school graduates has steadily declined  Trend seen across largest racial and ethnic groups, but gaps remain Improvements Continue for Teens

15 Teen Birth Rate Continues Decline Teen Birth Rate (per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19)

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17 Fewer High School Drop Outs Percent of Teens Who Are Not in School and Not High School Graduates (ages 16-19)

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 How can parents stay on a path to economic success? The Economic Picture Across the Last Decade

 Children who grow up in low-income families are less likely to achieve future success  Investing in children’s early years is critical What Research and Data Tell Us

Opportunities to Invest in a Two-Generation Strategy  Parents need help to put their families on a path to economic success  Strategies need to be in place to enhance a child’s overall development

22 Opportunities to Invest in a Two-Generation Strategy  Strengthen and modernize our unemployment insurance structure and promote foreclosure prevention  Preserve programs that supplement poverty-level wages, offset the high cost of child care, and provide health insurance for parents and kids.  Promote savings and asset protection

Opportunities to Invest in a Two-Generation Strategy  Promote responsible parenthood and expand access to prenatal care for mothers-to-be  Ensure children are developmentally ready to succeed in school  Promote reading proficiency by the end of third grade 23

 Policymakers face difficult budget decisions  Strategies must ensure a more vibrant society for our kids The Importance of Making Changes Now 24

We Can Do Better for Our Nation’s Kids 25

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Follow KIDS COUNT All Year-Round 30  KIDS COUNT Data Center   KIDS COUNT is now on Facebook and Twitter o o  New mobile site o mobile.kidscount.orgmobile.kidscount.org  KIDS COUNT data widget and badge