Sometimes we lose
sight of the fact that ours is a big—and varied—country. Our larger
states have populations comparable in size to those of many nations. Thus, national-level data can
only ever tell part of the story of our well-being. The child in
Louisiana and the child in Minnesota may have some things in common, but their
experiences surely diverge according to the unique cultural and policy
environments in which they grow up.
While children nationwide might watch the same TV shows, and visit the same chain stores, states or regions still retain traditions of values, customs, and practices that vary—for better, and for worse—when it comes to children.
One of the few
organizations keeping regular tabs on how well children are thriving in the
states is KIDS COUNT. (Many of Child Trends’ DataBankindicators include links to KIDS COUNT
state-level data.) Our KIDS COUNT colleagues deserve congratulations on
their 23rd annual Data Book released last week. This year it debuts a new Index
incorporating four important child well-being topics.[1] Sixteen indicators now represent the areas
of health, education, family and community, and economic well-being. All
50 states are now ranked on each of these separate domains, as well as on
overall child well-being.
It is revealing to
see the variability in how children are doing according to these separate
domain scores, not only among states, but even within a state. KIDS
COUNT’s interactive “data wheel” is a nifty way to
quickly grasp some of this variability.
Or, imagine a 50-state tour, where
you pull over to examine a few points of interest related to well-being in
early childhood:
Among the notable
“divides” by state is the percentage of three- and
four-year-olds not attending preschool. Research to
date speaks clearly to the lasting value of good-quality early learning
experiences—for all children, but especially for those with socio-economic
disadvantages.[2]
Yet, consider the difference between New Jersey, where a third (36 percent) of young children do not attend preschool, and Nevada, where more than seven in ten (71 percent) do not.
Another example: Low birth weight—a major contributor to infant
mortality and to a number of developmental deficits—is unacceptably high in the
U.S.[3] We—not Sweden and Korea—should be the world
leader in preventing low birth weight.[4] And why is Maine’s rate 6 percent, while
Louisiana’s is nearly double that?
There will be
numerous “takeaways” from this latest collection of information, many depending
on the state where you live. But one sobering fact is that eight of the
ten states that are home to the greatest number of children are in the bottom
half of the overall ranking. This is part of a disturbing trend: the
states that have, and/or are gaining the most children, are those where
well-being is worst;[5] that is a sorry
“race to the bottom.” I don’t think we want the success of our children
to depend on the state they happen to grow up in. If KIDS COUNT can shine
a light on these inequities, this tour will have been well worth the effort.
David Murphey
Senior Research
Scientist
Child Trends
For more on children's well being go Wikichild
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