Ohio ranks 31st in the nation for child well-being, according to the latest Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book.
That is down from 27th last year. The rankings are based on 16 indicators. In education, Ohio fell from 16th to 18th this year, with 18 percent of students not graduating on time. The report ranks Ohio 27th for Economic Well-Being; and the only health indicator where Ohio placed among the top 25 is children without health insurance. Kim Eckhart with the Children's Defense Fund of Ohio says with unemployment claims reaching a record 1-point-3 million, the share of Ohio kids who lack health-care coverage will only increase without action:
Eckhart says the report also shows persistant national racial inequities:
Report authors say because the data was gathered before the COVID-19 pandemic, there could besignificant changes over the next year.
