How Wisconsin Ranks For Overall Child Well-Being

ACROSS WISCONSIN — Nearly 12 million children in Wisconsin and other states were living in poverty before the pandemic. Their overall well-being has improved over the years, but the pandemic could potentially wipe out more than a decade of progress, a new report said.

Wisconsin families with kids were among those that have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic, according to the 2021 Kids Count Data Book, released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

The foundation that works to improve child well-being across the United States is now calling on state governments to take “bold action” to help parents care for their children.

If they don’t, nearly a decade of progress since the Great Recession could be erased, researchers concluded.

How Wisconsin Fared

To determine the overall well-being of children in Wisconsin, the foundation analyzed the latest federal data for 16 different indicators across four categories: economic well-being, education, health and family and community.

This year’s assessment was compiled using mostly pre-pandemic data, researchers said.

Wisconsin ranked among the best for overall child well-being this year. Our state ranked #10 out of the 50 on this year’s list.

Here’s a look at how children in Wisconsin fared in other areas.

Economic Well-Being

• There were fewer children living in poverty between 2010-19. There was a 5 percent decrease of children in poverty, with 19 percent in 2010 and 14 percent of children in poverty in 2019.
• There were fewer children whose parents lacked secure employment between 2010-19. There was a 9 percent decrease in households where parents lacked secure employment, with 30 percent in 2010 and 21 percent in 2019.
• There were fewer children living in households with a high housing burden between 2010-19. There was an 8 percent decrease, with 36 percent in 2010 and 22 percent in 2019.
• There were fewer teens not in school and not working between 2010-19. There was a 2 percent decrease, with 7 percent in 2010 and 5 percent in 2019.

Education

• There were more young children between the ages of 3-4 not in school between 2017-19. There was a 1 percent increase, with 56 percent of young children not in school from 2009-11 and 57 percent of young children not in school from 2017-19.
• There were less fourth graders not proficient in reading between 2009-19. This is a 3 percent decrease, with 67 percent of fourth graders not proficient in reading in 2009 and 64 percent of fourth graders not proficient in reading in 2019.
• There were less eighth graders not proficient in math between 2009-19. This is a 2 percent decrease, with 61 percent of eight graders not proficient in math in 2009 and 59 percent of eighth graders not proficient in math in 2019.
• There were less high school students not graduating on time between 2010-19. This is a 3 percent decrease, with 13 percent of high school students not graduating on time between 2010-11 and 10 percent of high school students not graduating on time between 2018-19.

Health

• There were more low birth weight babies between 2010-19. This is a 0.6 increase, with 7 percent of low birth weight babies born in 2010 and 7.6 percent of low birth weight babies born in 2019.
• There were less children without health insurance between 2010-2019. This is a 1 percent decrease, with 5 percent of children without health insurance in 2010 and 4 percent of children without health insurance in 2019.
• There were the same amount of child deaths between 2010-19. Both 2010 and 2019 had 24 child or teen deaths out of 100,000.
• There were more overweight children between 2016-19. This is a 3 percent increase, with 28 percent overweight children in 2016-17 and 31 percent overweight children in 2018-2019.

Family And Communities

• There were the same amount of children in single-parent families between 2010-19. 31 percent of children in single-parent families in 2010-2019.
• There were less children in families where the head of household lacked a high school diploma between 2010-2019. This is a 2 percent decrease, with 10 percent in 2010 and 8 percent in 2019.
• There were less children living in high poverty areas between 2008-2018. This is a 2 percent decrease, with 9 percent of children living in high poverty areas between 2008-12 and 7 percent of children living in high poverty areas between 2015-19.
• There were less teen births per 1,000 births between 2010-19. This is a 13 percent decrease, with 26 percent of teen births per 1,000 births occurring in 2010 and 13 percent of teen births per 1,000 births occurring in 2019.

Overall, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Vermont and Utah ranked the highest for child well-being.

Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, New Mexico and Mississippi were in the bottom five.

What Can Be Done

Encouraging trends in child well-being have emerged over the past decade. Nationwide, improvements were made in 11 out of 16 indicators. More parents were economically secure and lived without a high housing cost burden, and more teens graduated from high school and delayed having children.

The pandemic is likely to disrupt that momentum, researchers said.

In a December report, the foundation examined how adults with children fared during COVID-19. Researchers also looked at how federal and state governments supported families and children during the pandemic.

Researchers learned the pandemic affected everything from food to housing insecurity to health concerns.

At the time, the foundation called on lawmakers to do more to help families with children achieve financial stability. The 2021 Kids Count Data Book echoed that call.

“The COVID-19 crisis has brought many families to the breaking point, especially parents and caregivers who have lost jobs and income,” Lisa Hamilton, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said in the report.

To remedy some of the growing disparities caused by the pandemic, the foundation called on lawmakers to make permanent the newly expanded child tax credit, which would provide advance monthly payments to most families of $250 to $300 per child. Starting in July and continuing through December, most parents with children under 18 will receive these payments through direct deposit

“Making the expanded child tax credit permanent will continue providing critical financial support for families who are struggling to make ends meet and help reduce long-standing disparities that affect millions of families of color,” Hamilton said.

Read or download the full 2021 Kids Count Data Book.