Georgia KIDS COUNT 2008 Briefing Information Embargoed Until June 12, 2008

A national and state-by-state effort funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Tracks the status of child well-being and ranks states using 10 key indicators. Interactive database KIDS COUNT

Measures how children and families are faring on nearly 50 indicators. Includes national, state, and county-level data as well as some indicators by Congressional districts, state legislative districts, and school systems. Represents the largest compilation of the most current and available data from a variety of sources in Georgia and from U.S. Census Georgia KIDS COUNT

Data book Pocket guide County and regional profiles 10% Improvement in Key Indicators Snapshots of Georgia’s Children Children in Georgia: By the Numbers Ga. KIDSCOUNT Tour, Aug. – Oct Georgia KIDS COUNT

National Ranking for 2008 is 40 th

Georgia Is In the Bottom 10 States on Five Indicators High-school dropouts: 41 st Infant mortality: 42 nd Low birthweight: 43 rd Teen birth rate: 43 rd Children in single-parent families: 45 th

Other National Rankings Teens not attending school and not working: 36 th Percent of children in poverty: 36 th Teen death rate: 31 st Children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment: 29 th Child death rate: 27 th

Trends Show….  Infant mortality; child deaths; teen deaths; teen births; high-school dropouts; teens not attending school and not working  Children in single-parent families  Low birthweight; children in poverty; children in families where no parent has full-time, year- round employment

2008 Trends: Child Health 2008 Trends: Health

 More than one in four infants were born without a healthy start in  Infant mortality rates have remained higher than national averages.  Low birthweight continues to worsen, Georgia is among worst states.  Georgia remains among the eight worst states in the nation for teen births. Starting at birth, Georgia’s children do not fare well…

42 nd national rank 2008 Per 1,000

percent 43 rd national rank 2008

Per 1, rd national rank 2008

Per 1,000

Outcomes for Georgia Counties TEEN BIRTHS (Ages 15-19, Rate per 1,000, 2006) Worst Terrell109.0 Webster109.6 Telfair109.7 Murray110.4 Bacon118.6 Best Fayette14.6 Chattahoochee16.3 Towns20.7 Clarke20.8 Dawson22.0 Note: 2 counties had less than 5 teen births.

2008 Trends: Safety

2008 Trends: Child Safety The child death rate is Georgia’s highest-ranking indicator (27 th ). Yet disparities exist for black children as compared to white and Hispanic children. The teen death rate has worsened in the last few years. Child abuse and neglect declined in 2006 for the second year after increasing annually for seven years.

Per 100, th national rank 2008

Per 100, st national rank 2008

2008 Trends: Education

 More than one in five children born in Georgia have mothers with less than 12 years of education.  For Hispanic infants, 58% are born to mothers with low educational attainment.  Indicators of school success show considerable disparities for Hispanic, black, economically disadvantaged, and migrant students.

percent 41 st national rank 2008

Georgia percent

Outcomes for Georgia Counties HIGH-SCHOOL GRADUATION (Percent, ) Worst Dooly51.5 Brooks50.5 Calhoun50.0 Ben Hill49.0 Stewart39.2 Best Fayette91.9 Lumpkin88.5 Oconee87.9 Union86.4 Towns85.7 Note: 5 counties do not have high schools. Data for county school systems with city school systems combined.

2008 Trends: Economic Security

 Child poverty continues to be widespread. More children live in poverty now (20%) than six years ago (18%).  9% of Georgia children live in extreme poverty compared to 8% nationally (income below 50% of poverty level).  43% of Georgia children live in low-income families compared to 40% nationally (income below 200% of poverty level for 2006).  Slightly more than half of Georgia school-age students qualified for free or reduced school meals.

percent 36 th national rank 2008

Georgia

Improving Indicators in Georgia What would it take to make a 10% improvement in key indicators? 329 fewer children in poverty per county One infant death prevented per county 10 fewer teen births per county 36 fewer high-school dropouts per county

Next Steps: Framing, Engaging Georgia has been in bottom 10 of national rankings for 19 years with exception of 2008 and Economic well-being of Georgia at odds with well-being of children and families.

Georgia Family Connection Partnership For more information contact: William Valladares, Communications Coordinator 235 Peachtree Street, Suite 1600 Atlanta, GA Phone: Fax: Web site: