Kids Count Data Book
Coverage of Kids Count Data Book 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.
- 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.
- 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.