The broad array of data presented each year in the "KIDS COUNT Data Book" is intended to illuminate the status of America's children and to assess trends in their well-being. By updating the assessment every year, KIDS COUNT provides ongoing benchmarks that can be used to see how states have advanced or regressed over time. Readers can also use…

Dental disease restricts activities in school, work, and home, and often significantly diminishes the quality of life for many children and adults, especially those who are low income or uninsured. Noting that dental caries (tooth decay) is the most common preventable chronic childhood disease, this Kids Count issue brief considers the extent to…

Over the past several years, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases have drawn greater attention to the problem of low immunization rates in the U.S. In response to this problem, the federal government created the Vaccines for Children program as a foundation for a new national immunization policy to ensure proper and timely immunizations for…

For more than 50 years, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) has been conducting comparative studies of educational achievement in a number of curriculum areas, including mathematics and science. TIMSS 2011 represents the fifth cycle of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS),…

Louisiana's initiative to assist local communities to develop and operate school-based health centers (SBHCs), in place for 10 years, is a nationally-recognized model. This annual report illustrates the vital work being done in Louisiana's SBHCs over the past 10 years to assist families in ensuring their children's health and well-being. Section 1…

This 1995 KidsCount in Colorado report examines challenges and offers examples of how prevention and early intervention strategies can make a difference in the lives of Colorado children. The report looks at the state of child well-being in Colorado in terms of health, early care and education, and primary education. Statistics and descriptions…

Louisiana's initiative to assist local communities in developing and operating school-based health centers (SBHCs), in place since 1991, is a nationally recognized model. Starting with the basic premise that students must be healthy to learn and be educated in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, this annual report describes the important role…

Using data primarily from United Nations Statistical Yearbooks, but from other sources as well, this Atlas provides an overview, in graphical form, of issues affecting children in Africa. Some of the issues covered, such as immunization, affect children directly. Others, such as economic progress, are included because they form part of the…

This third biennial "Map and Track" examines state-level efforts to promote positive outcomes for young children, including efforts to enhance children's economic security, healthy growth and development, and school readiness. The report provides information about the following types of state-funded child development and family support…

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends in the well-being of Oregon's children, focusing on children's health care. The statistical portrait is based on indicators of well-being including: (1) children's insurance coverage; (2) health care access; (3) health outcomes, including immunization rates and early prenatal care; (4) juvenile…

Noting that one of every eight Ohio children live in Appalachian counties and that preparing these children to become productive, contributing members of Appalachia's culture and economy hinges on making sure that all children are healthy, ready for school, and attend safe and effective public schools, this report is the first to examine health…

Although the experiences from birth to age three influence how the rest of childhood unfolds, this critical time is usually neglected in the policies, programs, and budgets of countries around the world. This report details the daily lives of parents and other caregivers who are striving to protect the rights and meet the needs of young children.…

This report is the third to document the condition of children in the state of Illinois and the performance of the policies and programs designed to serve them over the past decade. One of the main themes emerging from the findings is the increasing diversity of the Illinois child population, in terms of both racial and ethnic groups and the…

The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care conducted the 2004-05 Census, the tenth count of school-based health centers (SBHCs) since 1986, to: (1) provide a better understanding of the role of SBHCs in meeting the needs of underserved children and adolescents; (2) collect up-to-date data on demographics, staffing services, operations,…

This report profiles state efforts to develop comprehensive programs and policies for young children and families, presents indicators of child and family well-being, and describes state investments in young children and families. Chapter 1, "Overview of Findings and Implications," identifies the research questions, describes data collection…