Iowa kids are showing continual improvement in their health and education conditions, according to new data in the annual Iowa Kids Count report. In particular, the teen birth rate has decreased more than 42 percent and the mortality indicators for infants, children and teens have decreased between 21 and 24 percent since 2000.
However, the economic well-being of Iowa’s families and children has not fared so well. Today, 110,000 Iowa children live in poverty – far more than the entire population of most Iowa communities. The child poverty rate is up 44 percent since 2000, and the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches is up 56 percent. The percentage of Iowans receiving food assistance has more than tripled.
That’s why Senate Democrats continue to fight for greater economic security for Iowa families, for additional worker training, expanded job creation efforts and more educational opportunities from preschool through college.
Iowa Kids Count provides state and county-level health, education, welfare and economic data on child and family well-being. For interactive maps and data snapshots, go to http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data#IA.