A new report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that while death rates for American children, newborns through teenagers, has improved significantly since 1990, much hasn't improved, including low birth rates, educational performance and the number of children living in poverty.
The 2000 KIDS COUNT report -- which compiled data from 1990 to 1997, the last year which accurate figures are available -- shows that American children are less likely to die at birth or at any time through the age of 19 than they were just ten years ago.
Statistically speaking, however, other elements haven't changed. Low birth weight is still an issue, the teen dropout rate hasn't changed, and neither has the number of children living in poverty.
In 1996, 23 percent of American children were living in poverty, and nine percent of all children lived in extreme poverty, according to the Casey report.
The report details each state's performance in a number of areas, including child well-being, health and education, demographic changes, economic situations, child-care provisions, juvenile justice and telephone, computers, and Internet access.
When ranked according to all children's health and well-being criteria, the Northeast and Midwest did quite well. Minnesota led the nation in terms of children's issues, followed by New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Utah, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey and Maine rounding out the top 10.
The worst states based on the same rankings were Louisiana at 50th, then Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, New Mexico, Tennessee, West Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Arizona in the bottom 10.
The Casey Foundation is going much further than simply releasing this report. It provides a wide range of information on its site, including the ability to search individual states or the entire U.S. based on each criteria.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation was established in 1948 by Jim Casey -- co-founder of United Parcel Service -- and his siblings in honor of their mother.
More information can be found at:
http://www.aecf.org/kidscount/kc2000/
