Annie E. Casey Foundation
Coverage of Annie E. Casey Foundation in the Nexus archive.
- 68% of Ohio fourth graders are not proficient in reading, according to new study
68% of Ohio fourth graders and 68% of eighth graders were not proficient in reading and math, respectively, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book. Ohio's literacy scores declined in 2024-25, but the state fared slightly better than national averages. New laws require schools to adopt the science of reading curriculum and provide academic interventions for struggling students.
- Report: Tennessee sees decline in most measures of child well-being
Tennessee saw a decline in most measures of child well-being according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2026 Kids Count Data Book, ranking near the bottom in economic, health, and family/community categories. The state ranked 18th in educational outcomes but experienced sharp declines in economic well-being alongside Rhode Island and Nebraska.
- Mississippi High in Education, Last in Child Health Outcomes
Mississippi ranks 16th in education nationwide according to the 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book but remains near the bottom in child health and economic well-being. The state is 50th in overall child well-being, with chronic absenteeism at 27.6% and struggles in health and family/community categories.
- Florida remains in bottom half of child wellbeing in annual databook
Florida ranked 35th for child wellbeing in the 2026 Kids Count Data Profile, showing mixed results with improvements in education and family categories but declines in health. The report highlights gains in graduation rates and teen birth rates but notes drops in reading/math scores and increased housing cost burdens for families.
- Children's wellbeing slips across the U.S.
Children's wellbeing in the U.S. declined from 2019 to 2024, with 29 states showing worse outcomes than before the pandemic. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's report highlights drops in health and education scores, rising child and teen deaths, and increased cost burdens for families, though some Southern states improved significantly.