By Katelyn Ferral, Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. — Children in North Carolina are healthier and better at math and reading than they were in 2005, according to a new Kids Count report released this week.
The report is created by the Annie E. Casey foundation, a philanthropy and research organization based in Baltimore.
The 2014 Kids Count Data Book, published by the group, examines 16 measures of child well-being in four categories and ranks states from 1 to 50. North Carolina ranked 34th in the nation for overall child well-being, and 38th for economic well-being.
Notable setbacks include the number of North Carolina’s children living in a poverty area, which increased from 2005. Gains include the numbers of students passing state standards in math and reading. Here are highlights from the report:
POVERTY
In 2012, 26 percent of children in North Carolina were impoverished, up from 21 percent in 2005. In 2012, the federal poverty line for income was just over $23,000 for a family of four. In the report, poverty refers to children who live in households with an annual income below the federal poverty line, as defined by household size. The state poverty level for children is higher in North Carolina than the U.S. average of 23 percent.
EDUCATION
The state improved in testing outcomes, with the numbers of fourth- and eighth-graders proficient in math and reading both increased from 2005. Third-grade students receive extra attention in North Carolina because of the state’s Read to Achieve legislative initiative. Under this law, third-grade students who are not reading at grade level by the end of third grade receive special help and are encouraged to attend summer reading camps, so they can read well enough to be able to do fourth-grade work. The state is also seeing payoffs from past investments in early education programs like the North Carolina Pre-K (formerly More at Four) program and Smart Start, said Laila Bell, director of research and data with NC Child, a state policy and research group.
HEALTH
North Carolina children fared better in the health domain, improving in all four areas: low birth weight babies, children without health insurance, child and teen deaths, and teen and child alcohol abuse during a five-year period. Smoking, poor nutrition, poverty, stress, infections and violence can increase the risk of a baby being born with a low birth weight, according to NC Child. Insurance coverage and a decrease in alcohol and substance abuse could, in part, contribute to the decline in low birth weights.
INSURANCE
The percentage of children without health insurance declined from 10 percent in 2008 to 8 percent in 2012. This may be due, in part, to the federal Affordable Care Act legislation. Because of the lagging economy and higher poverty rates, more children are being connected to public health and insurance programs, which has helped overall coverage rates increase, Bell said.
CHILD FATALITIES
The rates of fatalities for children declined, from 34 child and teen deaths per 100,000 in 2005 to 27 in 2010, with 666 deaths that year. State policy reforms, like booster seat laws and graduated driving laws for new drivers have made an impact, Bell said. The death rate for children has been on the decline since the N.C. Child Fatality Task Force was created in 1990. The panel researches solutions for preventing child deaths.
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