The kids are not all right: Oklahoma ranks near the bottom in terms of child well-being
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — From economic prosperity to mental health, a new Kids Count survey shows Oklahoma ranks near the bottom in terms of child well-being.
The Kids Count survey, put together by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, uses 16 categories to determine child well-being. The data comes from federal government statistical agencies and samples, with the date range from 2016 to 2020.
Oklahoma ranked 40h nationally in child well-being and in the bottom half of nearly all Kids Count metrics.
Oklahoma ranked 45th in terms of education and 42nd in terms of health, the two lowest rankings for the state.
“Oklahoma continues to lag behind states that are making meaningful investments in the health, education, and overall well-being of their children," said Gabrielle Jacobi, OK Policy Institute's Child Well-Being Policy Analyst and Kids Count Coordinator.
Kids Health
Nationwide, the 2022 Kids Count survey shows children in the country are in the midst of a mental health crisis, triggered by the pandemic.
1 in 8 Oklahoma children between the ages of 3 and 17 had anxiety or depression in 2020, up 15% from 2016 results.
8.4% of babies born in Oklahoma have low birth weights.
9% of kids in Oklahoma lack health insurance.
Oklahoma is doing better with obese and overweight kids, though. 32% of kids are either overweight or obese, down from 35% from 2016-2017.
Economic Well-Being
21% of Oklahoma kids are living in poverty. 27% of Oklahoma children have parents who lack secure employment.
8% of teens are not in school and are not working.
Education
Early education is falling behind in Oklahoma, the survey shows.
58% of 3 and 4-year-olds are not in school.
71% of fourth-graders are not proficient in reading, while 74% of eight-graders are not proficient in math.
15% of high schoolers are not graduating on time.
Family and Community
35% of Oklahoma kids are currently living in single-parent homes.
12% of kids are in families where the household lead lacks a high school diploma.
Kids living in poverty and teen births are down in the survey, though.
There were only 25 teen births per 1,000 in 2020, compared to 50 teen births per 1,000 in 2010.
9% of Oklahoma kids are living in high-poverty areas, compared to 12% of kids in 2008-2012.
You can find an interactive data book with more statistics on how Oklahoma fares with child well-being here.