The Annie E. Casey Foundation ranks Missouri as 30th out of 50 states for child well-being. The 2021 KIDS COUNT Data book reveals the status of Missouri's children before the pandemic took hold. In 2019, fewer Missouri children lived in households with incomes below the federal poverty line than at any point in the prior decade. During the years of recovery from the Great Recession in 2008, the number of Missouri's kids who lived in poverty fell to less than one in five, according to this year's data.
The Data Book released June 2021 shows nearly a decade of progress that could be erased by the COVID-19 pandemic in next year's report. Policymakers must act with kids' best interest in mind to recover from schools and businesses being shut down.
"In Missouri, we have seen firsthand the great challenges the pandemic unleashed on communities in our state. We are fortunate to have our network of 20 Community Partnerships who were nimble enough to pivot to meet the ever-changing needs of children and families during this time of crisis," says Bill Dent, executive director of the Family and Community Trust (FACT).
Each year, the KIDS COUNT Data Book tracks 16 indicators measuring childrens' economic well-being, education, health, and family and community access. Missouri improved in several areas, such as on-time high school graduation rates, ranking sixth in the country.
Click HERE to read the 2021 KIDS COUNT Data Book.
"In Missouri, we have seen firsthand the great challenges the pandemic unleashed on communities in our state. We are fortunate to have our network of 20 Community Partnerships who were nimble enough to pivot to meet the ever-changing needs of children and families during this time of crisis," says Bill Dent, executive director of the Family and Community Trust (FACT).
Each year, the KIDS COUNT Data Book tracks 16 indicators measuring childrens' economic well-being, education, health, and family and community access. Missouri improved in several areas, such as on-time high school graduation rates, ranking sixth in the country.