MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama children’s well-being has fallen behind other states, according to the 36th annual Kids Count Data Book which tracks child welfare across all 50 states.
There are decreases in education and child death rates.
Published Monday and tracking data through 2023, the latest Kids Count Data Book, like past editions, measures child well-being across four categories: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. While Alabama saw some notable regressions when compared to last year’s report, there also existed metrics that remained unchanged, and some that improved.
“The latest data on child well-being in Alabama is a compelling call to action – a clear reminder that we must continue to invest in the policies and programs that uplift all our families and build a stronger future for every child,” said Apreill Hartsfield, Alabama Kids Count director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children, a nonprofit child advocacy organization, in a statement.
Among the four categories, education saw the greatest decline in 2023 when compared with past years.
According to the report, 82% of eight graders were not proficient in math, up from the 79% seen in 2019. High school students not graduating on time also increased to 12% in 2023 from 8% in 2019. Reading proficiency among fourth graders remained stagnant at 28%, as did the number of children aged three and four not in school at 57%.
Alabama children also fell behind on various health metrics, including both the number of children without health insurance, which climbed to 4% in 2023 from 3% in 2019, and children who are overweight and obese, which climbed to 36% in 2023 from 33% in 2019.
“The percent of uninsured children in Alabama increased by 33% in 2023 compared to 2019,” the report reads. “This spike came after pandemic-related coverage ended. The state’s refusal to expand Medicaid also likely contributed to the increase.”
Child and teen death rates remained unchanged at 41 per 100,000, though still stood far above the latest national rate for 2023 of 29 per 100,000.
Child economic well-being metrics were a mixed bag. The number of children living in households that spent more than 30% of their income on housing climbed from 24% in 2019 to 25% in 2023, whereas the number of children with parents with secure employment increased to 71% from 69%. At 21%, the number of children living in poverty remained stagnant between 2019 and 2023, as did the number of teens not in school and not working at 7%.
All four metrics under the family and community category saw improvement. The percent of children in single-parent families dropped from 40% in 2019 to 39% in 2023, as did the percent of children living in high-poverty areas, from 15% to 11%, teen births, from 26% to 20%, and the percent of children in households without a high school graduate, from 11% to 9%.
Despite the across the board improvements in family and community metrics, Alabama still ranked 44th in the nation under that category.
In its press release, VOICES for Alabama’s Children advocates for state leaders to further invest in programs to target the state’s shortcomings outlined in the report, including additional investments in women’s health, increased access to affordable health care and policies to address rising housing costs.
“Policies that promote adequate housing, encompassing affordability, safety, comfort, accessibility, and cultural suitability, are essential for meeting basic needs and supporting families in achieving economic stability,” the report reads. “For children, this results in improved health outcomes, enhanced academic performance, and increased access to community resources.”
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