{"id":2540,"date":"2026-06-18T14:04:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T14:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/denvermovingchronicle.com\/?p=2540"},"modified":"2026-06-18T14:04:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T14:04:00","slug":"colorados-child-well-being-ranking-slips-to-14th-nationwide-kids-count-report-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/denvermovingchronicle.com\/?p=2540","title":{"rendered":"Colorado\u2019s child well-being ranking slips to 14th nationwide, Kids Count report finds"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

DENVER<\/strong> | Colorado is now ranked 14th nationwide for child well-being, down from 12th place. That\u2019s according to composite scores from the latest KIDS COUNT Data Book, released last week.<\/p>\n

The Data Book is \u201ca 50-state report of recent data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation* analyzing how kids are faring nationwide.\u201d The report aims to show state leaders the areas of life where kids need more support.<\/p>\n

The 2026 report shows that over a five-year span, academic outcomes have emerged as a major concern. Colorado\u2019s ranking is also a result of economic instability in the state \u2013 especially the need for affordable housing.<\/p>\n

Colorado\u2019s score in economic well-being dropped significantly between 2019 and 2024. That dip was partially caused by the burden of housing. About a third of Colorado children in the survey reported their households spent at least 30% of their incomes on housing. Healthcare price tags exacerbate those families\u2019 struggles, the report found.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

In that same 2019-2024 window, Colorado\u2019s education score plummeted. In 2024, 64% of 4th graders in Colorado were not proficient in reading. That\u2019s up from 60% in 2019. The decline is part of a national trend.<\/p>\n

Researcher Maya Gould presented these state-level findings and more for the Colorado Children\u2019s Campaign on Wednesday, pointing to concerns about economic stability.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we look beyond just the federal poverty level, we actually estimate that one in four kids in Colorado are economically disadvantaged,\u201d said Gould. \u201cThis is even higher among single parent households, who are almost four times more likely than married households to experience economic or financial hardship.\u201d<\/p>\n

The rankings brought some good news, too. The teen birth rate went down slightly while the high school graduation rate improved.<\/p>\n

The Colorado Children\u2019s Campaign said lawmakers and officials should use the data \u201cto unite across party lines and respond with initiatives that invest in young people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBehind every number in this report is a child who is either hungry or fed, housed or homeless, progressing academically or falling behind. No state is consistently getting this right,\u201d said Lisa M. Lawson, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. \u201cThe Data Book challenges us to follow the evidence and do what delivers results.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Education Department overhaul sparks concerns for students with disabilities<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Read more PERRY: The need for better rental inspections and accountability is clear. So is the solution<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Read more THURSDAY NEWS IN A RUSH: Top headlines in today\u2019s NewsMinute video<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DENVER | Colorado is now ranked 14th nationwide for child well-being, down from 12th place. That\u2019s according to composite scores from the latest KIDS COUNT Data Book, released last week. The Data Book is \u201ca 50-state report of recent data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation* analyzing how kids are faring nationwide.\u201d The report […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[258],"tags":[4148,127,4149,4150],"class_list":["post-2540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colorado-news","tag-annie-e-casey-foundation","tag-colorado","tag-colorado-childrens-campaign","tag-kids-count-data-book"],"yoast_head":"\nColorado\u2019s child well-being ranking slips to 14th nationwide, Kids Count report finds - Denver Moving Chronicle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/denvermovingchronicle.com\/?p=2540\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Colorado\u2019s child well-being ranking slips to 14th nationwide, Kids Count report finds - Denver Moving Chronicle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"DENVER | Colorado is now ranked 14th nationwide for child well-being, down from 12th place. 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