The 35th edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT® Data Book examines the unprecedented declines in student math and reading proficiency brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on education. The latest data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals that between 2019 and 2022, fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math scores plummeted, representing decades of lost progress. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for action to address the growing academic disparities among U.S. students.
Today's students, who will comprise America's future workforce, are ill-prepared for the high-level reading, math and problem-solving skills required in a competitive global economy. The failure to adequately prepare our children will have dire consequences for their futures and for the economic vitality of our nation.
Learn more about pandemic learning loss and Casey's recommendations to ensure student success
In 2022, as COVID-19 restrictions eased, the impact of the pandemic on child well-being became evident. Six indicators worsened between 2019 and 2022, including educational achievement and the child and teen death rate. Between 2019 and 2021, the percentage of children scoring proficient or above in reading and math declined sharply. While this trend may have stabilized in 2022, the data indicate a significant setback in educational attainment. The child and teen death rate also remained elevated in 2022, with 17.0 deaths per 100,000 children and adolescents, compared to 14.7 in 2019.
However, some positive trends emerged:
Positive trends were also observed in the family and community domains. Fewer children lived with parents lacking a high school diploma, and the number of children living in high-poverty communities decreased. The teen birth rate reached a record low in 2021 and remained stable in 2022 at 14 births per 1,000 teen females.
These positive changes demonstrate how effective policies that address the root causes of challenges can contribute to significant improvements and create a brighter future for young people.
Racial inequities in America persist, with American Indian/Alaska Native, Black and Latino children facing significant disparities. Nearly all well-being indicators show disparate outcomes by race and ethnicity, with American Indian/Alaska Native children and Black children experiencing the lowest well-being levels.
Generations of inequity and discrimination contribute to these disparities. Black children have higher rates of single-parent households and poverty, while American Indian/Alaska Native children are more likely to lack health insurance and live in resource-limited neighborhoods. Latino children have higher rates of obesity and live in households where the head may lack a high school diploma.
And despite overall better outcomes for Asian and Pacific Islander children, disaggregated data reveal significant disparities within this population. Burmese, Mongolian and Thai children experience higher rates of poverty and lack of high school diplomas in their households. Today, children of color constitute the majority of the nation's children, highlighting the importance of ensuring their success for the future of America.
View the national data profile or download your state's data profile as a PDF below:
View the 2024 national data profile in Spanish or download your state's data profile as a PDF below:
The Foundation calculates a composite index of overall child well-being for each state by combining data across four domains: (1) Economic Well-Being, (2) Education, (3) Health and (4) Family and Community. These scores are then translated into state rankings. Explore overall child well-being in the interactive KIDS COUNT Data Book.
Distinct regional patterns emerge from the state rankings. Five of the top 10 states in terms of overall child well-being are in the Northeast — Vermont (fourth), New Jersey (sixth) and Connecticut (eighth).
States in Appalachia, as well as the Southeast and Southwest — where families have the lowest levels of household income — populate the bottom of the overall rankings. In fact, except for Alaska, the 15 lowest-ranked states are in these regions.
Although most state rankings did not vary dramatically across domains, there are a few exceptions. For example, North Dakota ranks 40th in Education but first for Economic Well-Being. New York ranks 44th in Economic Well-Being and 8th for Health. For all states, the index identified bright spots and room for improvement.
To help children grow into prepared, productive adults, parents need jobs with family-sustaining pay, affordable housing and the ability to invest in their children’s future. Explore economic well-being in the interactive KIDS COUNT Data Book.
Nationally, 16% of children (11.6 million) lived in families below the poverty line. The child poverty rate has improved since 2019 (17%).
When parents are unemployed or earn low wages, their access to resources to support their kids’ development is more limited, which can undermine their children’s health and prospects for success in school and beyond. The negative effects of poverty on kids can extend into their teenage years and young adulthood, as they are more likely to contend with issues such as teen pregnancy and failing to graduate from high school.
In 2022, 26% or 18.6 million children lived in families where no parent had full-time, year-round employment. The large increase seen between 2019 and 2021 in parental employment instability was erased by the economic recovery the country experienced in 2022. The rate in 2022 returned to the pre-pandemic rate.
Secure employment is a key contributor to families' financial stability and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the unemployment rate to near-record highs and caused millions to leave the labor market. In 2022, job openings reached a record high as the labor market recovered. Even so, employment insecurity is a reality for more than a quarter of families living in the United States. It disrupts daily living and relationships and limit families’ access to resources to invest in their children’s development, which can, in turn, diminish children’s achievement in school and chances of future success.
In 2022, 30% of children (21.8 million) lived in families with a high housing cost burden. The rate remained unchanged since 2019.
Housing is typically one of the largest family expenses. High housing costs weigh more heavily on low-income families, who are more likely to struggle with finding affordable housing, often spending more than 30% of pretax income on a home, whether they rent or own. Paying too much for housing limits the resources families have for other necessities such as child care, food, health care and transportation as well as their ability to save and achieve financial stability.
The early years of a child’s life lay the foundation for lifelong success. Establishing the conditions that promote educational achievement for children is critical. Explore educational well-being in the interactive KIDS COUNT Data Book.
During 2018–2022, 4.3 million children, ages 3 to 4 were not in school. That accounts for more than half of all children in that age group (54%).
High-quality preschool programs for 3- to 4-year-olds help set the stage for future skill development, well-being and learning, particularly for those from low-income households. These programs play an important role in preparing children for success and lead to higher levels of educational attainment, career advancement and earnings. Although Head Start and the expansion of state-funded programs since the 1990s have increased access to preschool and kindergarten, many kids — especially 3-year-olds and children living in low-income families — continue to be left out, exacerbating socioeconomic differences in educational achievement.
Sixty-eight percent of fourth graders in public schools were not proficient readers in 2022, an alarming rate that increased from 2019, when 66% were not proficient. Any improvement made over the past decade was erased by the pandemic.
Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a critical marker in a child’s educational development. By fourth grade, children use reading to learn other subjects. Therefore, reading mastery at this level becomes important for students to keep up academically. Children who reach fourth grade without being able to read proficiently are more likely to struggle academically and eventually drop out of school. Low reading proficiency also can reduce earning potential and chances for career success as adults. Although there have been some improvements since the early 1990s, progress has been slow on literacy gains, and racial and income disparities remain. Unfortunately, the pandemic has erased progress made in reading proficiency levels.
Eighth-grade math achievement worsened across all racial and ethnic groups between 2019 and 2022. The largest percentage point drops in proficiency were seen among white and multiracial students.
As technology continues to transform the economy, the demand grows for a workforce with aligned math and science skills and training that can keep pace with technological advancement. Students with strong math and science skills are more likely to graduate from high school, attend and complete college, earn higher incomes and take advantage of future opportunities. Even for young people who do not attend college, basic math skills and numerical literacy help with everyday tasks and personal financial management and improve employability. Ensuring kids have early and ongoing access to high-quality math education is critical for their success in school and life.
Children’s good health is fundamental to their overall development, and ensuring kids are born healthy is the first step toward improving their life chances. Poor health in childhood affects other critical aspects of children’s lives, such as school readiness and attendance, and can have lasting consequences on their future health and well-being. Explore health indicators in the interactive KIDS COUNT Data Book.
Nationally, low birth-weight babies represented 8.6% of all live births in 2022. An increase from 2019 (8.3%). This is the highest rate witnessed in the last decade.
Birth weight is an important indicator of an infant’s health. Babies born at a low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds) have a high probability of experiencing developmental problems and short- and long-term disabilities. They also are at greater risk of dying within the first year of life. Infections, multiple births, obesity, poor nutrition, poverty, smoking, stress and violence can increase the chances of a baby being born at a low birth weight. Compared with other affluent countries, the United States has among the highest percentage of babies born at a low birth weight, right behind Japan, Greece and Colombia.
Across the nation, 5% of children aged 18 and under (3.9 million) lacked health insurance in 2022.
Children with health insurance are more likely to have a regular source of health care they can access for preventive care services and developmental screenings, to treat acute and chronic conditions or to address injuries when they occur. Children without coverage are less likely than insured children to receive care when they need it. Having health insurance can protect families from financial crisis when a child experiences a serious or chronic illness and can help kids remain active, healthy and in school ready to learn.
In 2022, 23,137 children and youth ages 1 to 19 died in the United States, which translates into a mortality rate of 30 deaths per 100,000 children and teens. After seeing a 20% increase between 2019 and 2021, the child and teen mortality rate increase stalled in 2022.
Accidents, primarily those involving motor vehicles, were the leading cause of death for children and youth, accounting for 28% of all deaths among children ages 1 to 14.46 As children move further into their teenage years, they encounter new, and potentially deadly, risks. In 2022, accidents, homicides and suicides accounted for 76% of deaths for teens ages 15 to 19.47. For the second year, in a row firearm-related deaths are the leading cause of death among teens.
Children who live in nurturing families and supportive communities have stronger personal connections and higher academic achievement. Explore familial and community well-being in the interactive KIDS COUNT Data Book.
The percentage of children living in single-parent families remains unchanged between 2019 and 2022, at 34%. In 2022, 23.3 million children lived in single-parent families.
Even with the best efforts of parents, children growing up in single-parent families typically have access to fewer economic resources and valuable time with adults than children in two-parent families in which child-raising responsibilities can be shared. For example, in 2022, 28% of single-parent families had incomes below the poverty line, compared with 6% of married couples with children. The effects of growing up in single-parent families go beyond economics, increasing the likelihood of children dropping out of school, being disconnected from the labor market and becoming teen parents.
In 2022, 11% of children lived in households headed by an adult without a high school diploma. This is a slight improvement from 2019, where the rate was 12%. While this is only a slight improvement, the rate has been cut in half since 1990, when 22% of children lived with parents who lacked a high school diploma.
Children growing up in households with highly educated adults are better positioned for future success. These parents often are better able to provide the financial stability and security they need to foster their children’s development. Higher levels of parental education are strongly associated with better outcomes for children, including kids’ own higher educational attainment and achievement.
During the period from 2018–2022, 8% of children lived in high-poverty areas, representing a total of 5.7 million children.
High-poverty neighborhoods — where poverty rates for the total population are 30% or more — come with several challenges that affect the children and families who live there. Residents of these neighborhoods contend with poorer health, higher rates of crime and violence, poor-performing schools due to inadequate funding and limited access to support networks and job opportunities. They also experience higher levels of financial instability. These barriers make it much harder for families to move up the economic ladder.
