Kids Count Report Examines Children Well-Being In Michigan

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The Michigan League for Public Policy has released some new Kids Count data. Kids Count is a report done each year by the Annie E. Casey Foundation on how children are doing economically around the country. The league for public policy uses it to draft Michigan recommendations. Kids Count in Michigan Project Director at the Michigan League for Public Policy Alicia Guevara Warren tells us this year’s report had some striking statistics.

“For the number of kids living in poverty, Michigan ranks 34th in the country, putting us last in the Midwest,” Guevara Warren said. “We also have a high number of kids living in high poverty areas, and some really poor rankings when it comes to fourth graders who are not proficient in reading.”

Michigan’s national ranking of 41st in education raises some concern, but child poverty is also a major problem in the state. Guevara Warren tells us a bright spot for Michigan is the percentage of children with health insurance. She says thanks in part to the Affordable Care Act and the Healthy Michigan Plan, just 3% of Michigan children lack coverage, an improvement on the national average of 5%. You can find the Michigan League for Public Policy’s latest report right here.