New ‘KIDS COUNT’ report shows how Virginia & Maryland children fare on well-being

GAITHERSBURG, Md. (7News) — The Annie E. Casey Foundation recently released the 2025 edition of its KIDS COUNT Data Book, an annual report that tracks children’s well-being across America.

The report shows steady progress in some areas and setbacks in others.

In Maryland, the report found in 2023, children made improvements in economic well-being as well as family and community but declined in the areas of education and health.

For example, the report noted fourth and eighth-graders lacked proficiency in reading and math. It also found that more preschoolers did not attend school, and more high school students didn’t graduate on time.

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Maryland received an overall rank of 21 on child well-being. 7News asked Laura Weeldreyer of the Maryland Family Network to respond to the findings.

“Maryland has been pretty steadily in the middle of the pack for years and I guess I would say it’s a disappointment. Considering we’re one of the wealthiest states in the nation and there have been huge initiatives in the state like the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future that have yet to show up in the results that Kids Count reports on,” said Weeldreyer.

The KIDS COUNT Data Book also provided insight into children in the Commonwealth.

The report gives Virginia an overall child well-being rank of 13 compared to states across the country.

It showed improvements in teen births, children living in poverty and high school students graduating on time.

Some of the challenges, according to the report, are an increase in child and teen deaths and students missing school. Similar to Maryland, the report noted that fourth and eighth-graders lagged in reading and math.

Weeldreyer said many students are still trying to recover from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. She’s concerned recent changes at the federal government level could worsen well-being scores for area kids.

“There have been tremendous federal layoffs. We know that what’s happening at the federal government layoff level is having an outsized impact,” said Weeldreyer. “So, it’s hard not to see this data in the context of what’s happening now, that’s going to impact kids’ lives as we continue to measure these indicators.”