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It Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist. It Just Takes You! Kansas Children's Report Card 2001.
By Kansas Action for Children Inc. , Ed.
December 2001

Summary: This document uses a school report card format to present information on the current well-being of Kansas' children. 'Grades' are based on 17 indicators of well-being in five areas: (1) safety and security (violent crime child abuse and neglect, and childhood poverty); (2) health (early prenatal care, low birthweight, infant mortality, and immunizations); (3) education (high school completion, achievement scores, and school readiness); (4) teen years (teen birth rate, substance abuse, and teen violent death); and (5) child care (quality, cost to parents, capacity, and resource and referral). Findings indicate that the rates of violent crimes and teen homicide continue to improve. The rate of substantiated child abuse and neglect worsened. Childhood poverty as indicated by free school meal data has stabilized over the last 3 years. The percentage of live births for which the mother had early prenatal care improved each year for the past 3. There was a slight decrease in low birthweight newborns and a notable decline in infant mortality. Kansas continued to improve the rate at which children are fully immunized by age 2. The state's high school graduation rate far exceeds the national average, and achievement scores are stable. The teen birth rate dropped from 1999 to 2000. With only one exception for marijuana, there were declines in eighth and twelfth graders' substance usage. Child care capacity continues to shrink as child care in Kansas becomes more expensive. The overall grade given for the well-being of Kansas' children was C+. A description of how the grades are determined is included.

Index Terms: Adolescents, Child Welfare, Children, Health, Statistics, Alcohol, Child Abuse, Child Care, Child Neglect, Child Welfare, Death, Immunizations, Infant Mortality, Physical Development, Poverty, Prenatal Care, School Age Children, Substance Abuse, Teen Parents, Violence, Kansas

Sponsoring Institution (or Funding Source): Kansas Action for Children Inc., Topeka.(BBB34063)

Publication Type: Reports (Descriptive)

Pages: 14 pages
Language: English

ERIC Number: ED459928

Availability
Kansas Children's Report Card Project Kansas Action for Children, Inc., 3360 SW
Harrison, Topeka, KS 66611. Tel: 785-232-0550; Fax: 785-232-0699; e-mail: kac@kac.org; Web site: http://www.kac.org.


Availability from EDRS: This item is available from EDRS: http://www.edrs.com/default.cfm

 
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