Oklahoma ranks as one of the worst states in the nation when it comes to the general well-being of its children, according to an annual national report.
The 2018 Kids Count Data Book, released Wednesday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, ranks Oklahoma 44th out of 50 states for child well-being.
The state ranked 36th overall last year and had hovered in the lower 30s for several years after once ranking in the mid-40s.
Part of the reason for this year’s drop is that other states are just doing a better job, said Gene Perry of the nonprofit Oklahoma Policy Institute.
“Even in the areas where Oklahoma has seen the most improvement recently, we’re not keeping up with the progress in other states,” Perry stated. “We have a high percentage of kids scoring below proficient in reading and math, a high rate of teen births, hundreds of thousands of kids living in poverty, and tens of thousands without health insurance.”
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The bottom line, Perry added, is that “while Oklahoma has improved on some measures of child well-being, we still have a lot of work to do.”
To come up with the annual ranking, the Kids Count report studies each state in such areas as economic well-being, education, child health, and family and community supports.
Breaking the report down by category, Oklahoma ranked 36th in economic well-being; 46th in education; 44th in the family and community domain; and 40th in health.
The state’s best ranking — 36th in the economic well-being of its children — represents a continuing improvement in that area, since the state and national economy emerged from recession. Compared to 2010, 19 percent fewer families with children faced burdensome housing costs in 2016. The state also made progress in reducing child poverty and increasing full-time employment among parents.
At 46th, education was the state’s worst ranking. While Oklahoma had seen progress in improving fourth-grade reading proficiency, that progress was reversed in 2017 when 71 percent of fourth-graders scored below proficient, 44th worst in the nation. Oklahoma students ranked even lower (45th) for eighth-grade math proficiency, with 76 percent scoring below proficient.
“For too long, Oklahoma has under-invested in children and put too many barriers in the way of young families who are struggling to get by,” Perry said.
“The commitments made this year to fund education and teacher pay will make a difference, but we also took some steps in the wrong direction. We must do better to become a state where all children have what they need to thrive.”
To read or download the full report, go to aecf.org/resources/2018-kids-count-data-book.
