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Annual Kids Count report offers snapshot of Delaware children's health and welfare

Delaware Public Media

The 2015 version of the Kids Count in Delaware Fact Book is out - offering the latest snapshot of information on the well-being of children in the First State.

The good news is that dropout rates have dropped dramatically, falling more than half  - to 2.1% - since Kids Count began publishing the data 20 years ago. Graduation rates have also soared over the last four years - now over 90% - with a 10-point improvement for low-income students (77.8%).

Teen births have also dropped substantially - from 33 and a half  per 1,000 girls from 1988-92 to just over 16, according to the most recent four-year data.

But with over 22% of First State children living poverty - Kids Count in Delaware director Janice Barlow says there remains reason for concern.

"Poverty affects everything. if a child is in a family that doesn't have adequate resources they're more likely to be sick, if they're sick they're not attending school and if they're not present then they're not learning. So it compounds, and that's a really, really concerning trend."

The report also found more kids are being raised in single parent homes than two decades ago . But in that time infant mortality, child deaths and youth incarcerations were all drastically reduced.

Gov. Jack Markell (Delaware - D) – whose office collaborates with Kids Count on the yearly report – says economic development is key to addressing those less impressive numbers.  He also warns not to lose sight of the bigger picture.

“Behind every statistic is a real child and a real family who’s aspiring for something better. And so we know that government can’t do it all, but we’re incredibly grateful to all the partners and all of the collaboration. That’s how we’re going to continue to make progress in Delaware.”

The 2015 Fact book is the 20th edition of the report.  The first appeared in 1995.

The data compiled helps guide policy, assist grant-writers and nonprofits and is a highly valued research and advocacy tool.