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

2. 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 www.kidscount.org www.kidscount.org KIDS COUNT

3. 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. 2008 Georgia KIDS COUNT

4. 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. 2008 Georgia KIDS COUNT

5. National Ranking for 2008 is 40 th

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 2008 Trends: Child Health 2008 Trends: Health

10.  More than one in four infants were born without a healthy start in 2006.  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…

11. 42 nd national rank 2008 Per 1,000

12. percent 43 rd national rank 2008

13. Per 1,000 43 rd national rank 2008

14. Per 1,000

15. 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.

16. 2008 Trends: Safety

17. 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.

18. Per 100,000 27 th national rank 2008

19. Per 100,000 31 st national rank 2008

20. 2008 Trends: Education

21.  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.

22. percent 41 st national rank 2008

23. Georgia percent

24. Outcomes for Georgia Counties HIGH-SCHOOL GRADUATION (Percent, 2006-2007) 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.

25. 2008 Trends: Economic Security

26.  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.

27. percent 36 th national rank 2008

28. Georgia

29. 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

30. Next Steps: Framing, Engaging Georgia has been in bottom 10 of national rankings for 19 years with exception of 2008 and 2003. Economic well-being of Georgia at odds with well-being of children and families.

31. Georgia Family Connection Partnership For more information contact: William Valladares, Communications Coordinator 235 Peachtree Street, Suite 1600 Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404-527-7394 Fax: 404-527-7443 E-mail: william@gafcp.orgwilliam@gafcp.org Web site: www.gafcp.org