Alabama rises in child well-being rankings, but challenges remain

Jayden Neal plays with LEGO blocks at Faulkner University Pre-K in Montgomery, Ala., Tuesday, May 21, 2024. Alabama’s child well-being ranking rose to 39th, but the improvement mainly reflects other states worsening. (Alabama Reflector Photo by Stew Milne)

Alabama has improved its overall child well-being ranking, climbing to 39th from 45th last year, according to the 2024 KIDS COUNT Data Book.

Apreill Hartsfield, a policy and data analyst for VOICES for Alabama’s Children, said that while it appears Alabama is doing better than previously, child well-being hasn’t improved as much as the data suggest.

“There’s really two different stories there. One is how we rank with other states. So, while our ranking has improved, really, the other side of that story is that we’ve actually maintained ground, which is good, but other states have grown much worse than we have,” said Hartsfield.

The 50-state report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation evaluates data on children’s well-being. The report analyzes 16 indicators across four areas — economic well-being, education, health, and family and community factors — and ranks states annually based on these metrics.

The report focuses on the ongoing lack of reading and math skills among students, an issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 19% of Alabama eighth graders who scored at or above proficient in math in 2022, a 3% decline from 2019. Reading proficiency remained steady at 28% for fourth graders scoring at or above proficient from 2019 to 2022.

But the pandemic is not the sole cause of declining test scores, according to the report. There are still concerns about the U.S. education overall. Compared to peer nations, U.S. students lag in reading, math, and digital problem-solving.

“Looking through a national lens, Alabama’s rankings are climbing, yet the state’s child well-being outcomes still need attention,” said Rhonda Mann, executive director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children, in a statement.

The report suggested continued investment in the 2019 Literacy Act, which requires children to read at grade level by third grade, and the 2022 Numeracy Act, which provides support to schools with low math scores. The 2025 Education Trust Fund budget will provide $48 million for implementation of the 2019 Literacy Act and $28 million for the 2022 Numeracy Act.

But the pandemic is not the sole cause of declining test scores, according to the report. There are still concerns about the U.S. education overall. Compared to peer nations, U.S. students lag in reading, math, and digital problem-solving.

Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, chair of the House Education Trust Fund Budget Committee, said there are additional investments being made into Alabama’s educational system, as well. The state is increasing funding for schools with at least 10% English as a Second Language (ESL) student population, for example, as well as providing funding for auxiliary teachers in underperforming schools.

“We’re expecting and hopeful that all these investments we’re making and the continual resources that we’re providing will continue to show improvement in those results. That’s certainly where our attention is,” Garrett said.

Chronic absenteeism has also increased, particularly among children in poverty who struggle to return to regular school activities. Child poverty in Alabama increased by 5% from 2019 to 2022, with Alabama ranking 45th in the nation at 22%, and nearly one third of children lived in families with no full-time, year-round employed parent — a 6% decrease since 2019.

To improve learning outcomes, the report recommends ensuring students have access to low- or no-cost meals, reliable internet, study spaces, and time with friends, teachers and counselors.

The report also noted improvements. Alabama ranked third nationally for insurance coverage, with 3% of children lacking health insurance and there was a 27% decrease in children living in high-poverty areas.

Hartsfield said that while having 97% of children with health insurance is good, there are “more nuanced factors that go with that.”

Hartsfield said that for children in rural areas, even if they have insurance, there may be a lack of health services. She also said it’s important for parents to have insurance as well and make investments in keeping rural facilities open.

“That’s one step, but we also have to take it a step further and look at how they are able to actually access health care, and part of that goes along with making health insurance coverage accessible for everybody, covering more of our working Alabamians,” she said.

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