ALABAMA KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK

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2020state and countytrends in childwell-beingALABAMA KIDS COUNTDATA BOOKPOWERLESS CHILDREN NEED POWERFUL VOICESwww.alavoices.org

2020state and countytrends in childwell-beingALABAMA KIDS COUNTDATA BOOKPOWERLESS CHILDREN NEED POWERFUL VOICESwww.alavoices.orgVOICES FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDREN www.alavoices.org1

OUR MISSIONTo speak for the well-being ofAlabama’s children through research,public awareness, and advocacy.ABOUT VOICES FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDRENAND ALABAMA KIDS COUNTVOICES for Alabama’s Children, founded in 1992, is a 501(c)(3) statewide nonpartisan organization whose mission isto speak for the well-being of Alabama’s children throughresearch, public awareness, and advocacy. Alabama KidsCount is a project of VOICES for Alabama’s Children andthe Annie E. Casey Foundation. Our annual researchpublication, the Alabama Kids Count Data Book, is the mosttrusted source of research on child well-being for all 67counties in Alabama. For more than 25 years, the DataBook has served as both a benchmark and roadmap forhow children are faring and is used to raise visibility ofchildren’s issues, identify areas of need, set priorities inchild well-being and inform decision-making at the stateand local levels.VOICES FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDREN 2020 Alabama Kids Count Data Book2

CONTENTSCopyright 2020 Alabama Kids CountPermission to copy any or all of this report isgranted as long as: VOICES for Alabama’sChildren, 2020 Alabama Kids Count Data Bookis cited as the source.The 2020 Alabama Kids Count Data Book can beviewed, downloaded or ordered on the internetat t/ or by calling 334.213.2410or emailing vfac@alavoices.org.Prepared byRhonda L. Mann, Deputy Director/Alabama Kids Count DirectorStatistical Research and Analysis byPublic Affairs Research Council of AlabamaRyan Hankins, Executive DirectorJoe Adams, Ph.D.Kenesha Reynolds, Ph.D.Graphic Design and Art Direction byErrol Hylton, Typiconica, LLCArt DirectorPublished byVOICES for Alabama’s ChildrenStephen Woerner, Executive Director04FOREWORD06INTRODUCTION08NATIONAL DATA PROFILE,DEFINITIONS & SOURCES14SNAPSHOT OF ALABAMA’SCHILD WELL-BEING15OVERALL COUNTY RANKINGS16ALABAMA DATA PROFILE20HOW TO USE THIS DATA NOMIC SECURITY63CAUTIONARY NOTES &METHODOLOGY64MSA DATA66SPONSORS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS68VOICES 2020 BOARD & STAFFComplete state and county data profiles are available online ount/CONTENTSVOICES FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDREN www.alavoices.org3

ForewordFortwenty nine years, VOICES for Alabama’s Children has workedto advocate for the issues facing Alabama’s children. This marksour 27th edition of the Alabama Kids Count Data Book, the gold standard fordata about the health, education, safety, and economic security of our kids.Never, in the nearly 30 years VOICES has been in existence, did we expectto face the kinds of challenges that 2020 has brought to bear on our state.The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for Alabama’s children andfamilies in almost every metric tracked in this book, from child abuse andneglect, to educational attainment, to food security, or child care access,and beyond. Decision makers at every level are faced with crises that havenot been seen in any of our lifetimes. More than ever, VOICES believes thatbetter data informs better decisions.Stephen Woerner,It is important to note that virtually none of the data captured in this bookreflects our current circumstances. All of the data sets that we receivedExecutive Directorfrom our state agency partners predate the beginning of the pandemic inmid-March 2020. Rather, this book should be used as a benchmark of wherewe were before the pandemic began. In the coming months, as Alabama, America, and the world navigate beyondthis current crisis, we will need this data to understand where we have regressed in regards to the conditions of ourchildren, and where we are to work towards.VOICES for Alabama’s ChildrenAs advocates, decision makers, and community leaders, we need to take a hard look at the circumstances priorto COVID-19. As Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama Department of Public Health State Health Officer has said numeroustimes throughout this year, “COVID-19 has not created any inequities, it has simply exposed those that alreadyexisted.” The racial, geographic and economic disparities in the impact of this pandemic are clear and undeniable.However, they are also not new. Access to healthcare, access to broadband, access to healthy food, access to highquality affordable child care, these are all issues that existed prior to the pandemic, but have only been highlightedor exacerbated as a result. More than ever, the need to examine the public policies and funding priorities that havecreated these circumstances, and intentionally addressing them is crucial for the well-being of Alabama’s childrenand families.As Winston Churchill is believed to have said “never let a good crisis go to waste” and this is the time to use gooddata to re-envision what our health care system, our education system, our child care system, or our food systemscould look like. The needs are real, the crisis is present, but the opportunity is very much here to pull together asAlabamians to work for the “Alabama solutions to Alabama problems.” Here at VOICES, we strongly encourage youto dig into this data. Identify the issues facing your communities. Pull together and work for solutions that will helpimprove the circumstances for every one of our children. Alabama is facing unprecedented challenges, but Alabamahas also never been stronger.Yours in Advocacy,Stephen Woerner,Executive DirectorFOREWORDVOICES FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDREN 2020 Alabama Kids Count Data Book4

IThencredibleJourney20 YEARS OF SERVICEThank you for your trust in me and forthe opportunity to make a differencein the lives of Alabama’s children.Rhonda Mann,Deputy Director of VOICES/Alabama Kids Count DirectorI joined VOICES for Alabama’sChildren in July 2000 and, in 2010,my duties expanded to includeoverseeing the Alabama KidsCount Data Project. As AlabamaKids Count Director, I’ve workedto expand the data and help othersunderstand the importance ofdisaggregation of data by race/ethnicity, income, gender, and zipcode that shows gaps in outcomesand achievement. Our child-servingstate agencies became partners inthis Project and continue to providevaluable insight on children’s issues.The end result is a document thatprovides the most comprehensiveview of where the well-being ofAlabama’s children has improvedover time and where it has not.my final Data Book would go. Thisyear’s report was supposed to focuson projecting what child well-beingtrends would continue unless stepswere taken to intervene. Like somuch else in our day-to-day lives,2020 and the coronavirus haddifferent plans for us in mind. Still,this year’s Alabama Kids Count DataBook is probably one of the mostcritical snapshots of child well-beingthat we have released in VOICES’ 28year history.children today because of VOICESand our Kids Count work.July 2020 marked my 20th year atVOICES. I came to VOICES from abusiness background but quicklyfound a passion for our work toimprove the well-being of Alabama’schildren. Throughout my timehere, I have had the opportunityand privilege to meet and workwith so many child advocates, stateagency staff, lawmakers, Governor’sstaff and advisors, VOICES boardmembers and staff, media, andothers. Although October 31,2020, was my last day with theorganization, regardless of whereretirement takes me, I will continueto speak for those who cannot speakfor themselves. Thank you for yourtrust in me and for the opportunityto make a difference in the lives ofAlabama’s children.The 2020 Alabama Kids Count DataBook is not exactly how I envisionedI am proud to have played a role inpresenting this data to policymakersand others so that Alabama couldzero-in on needed policy changes,new programs, and fundingappropriations to help Alabama’schildren get more of what they needto thrive. From child passengersafety to graduated teen drivers’licensing, increased funding ofAlabama’s First Class Pre-K to childcare licensing and oversight, I knowthat Alabama is a better place forTHE INCREDIBLE JOURNEYVOICES FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDREN www.alavoices.org5

IntroductionThe majority of the data presentedin the 2020 Alabama Kids CountData Book compares 2008 datato 2018-2019 data. As a result,this year’s report is providing acritically important benchmarkfor how our children werefaring when COVID-19 hit.Due to the amount of time it requiresto collect, analyze, and trend thedata, there is a lag that can be aslong as 18 months in data that ispublished as “current year”. Thisyear the lag in data is advantageousbecause the COVID-19 pandemicdoes not skew what the bookis trying to tell us. Instead, ouranalysis provides a clear glimpseof how our children were faringbefore the outbreak. Readersshould view this year’s AlabamaKids Count Data Book as a criticalbaseline that future data books willmeasure against to truly understandthe full impact coronavirushad on the health, education,safety, and economic security ofAlabama’s children and families.We proceeded with this year’s reportwith this risk in mind knowing itwill take a few years for us to seethe full impact this health crisishas had on child well-being in2020 and beyond. We believe thatby better understanding whatthe data is telling us about ourchildren before COVID, it willhelp us more adequately measureprogress on the state’s recovery.What readers should take awayfrom this approach is the pandemicdid not cause the inequities inchild well-being but it exposedcracks hiding in our system. The2020 Alabama Kids Count DataBook clearly shows many of thesedisparities have existed for years.INTRODUCTIONReaders will also notice that wehave intentionally left off thenarratives and graphics from thisyear’s data book. We hope that thisdoes not cause you any difficulties. In 2018, 69 percent of mothers choseto breastfeed their child at birth. Alabama’s average ratio ofmental health providers tothe population is 988 to 1.The following data highlightssummarize the top-level findingsincluded in the 2020 Alabama KidsCount Data Book. We encourageyou to read the definitions thatfollow each data set in each domainto have a clear understandingof what the data represents. Asalways, if you have questions,please contact VOICES. In 2019, 33,118 children receivedmental health services for a SeriousEmotional Disturbance (SED).EDUCATION Children born to mothers withless than 12 years of education aremore likely to not participate ina quality early learning program.In 2018, Alabama saw thisindicator improve to 13.9 percentwhich is down compared to arate of 22.3 percent in 2008. In FY2019, 7,471 children Birthto 3 years of age benefitted fromearly intervention services whichwas up from 5,837 children inFY2009. Early interventionprovides services to children withdevelopmental delays and childrenwith diagnoses that increase therisk for developmental delays (e.g.cerebral palsy, spina bifida, etc.). In the 2020-2021 school year,22,410 or 38.2 percent of four yearolds participated in Alabama’s FirstClass Pre-K Program. Alabamareceived a number one qualityrating for 13 years in a row andis one of only three states, alongwith Michigan and Rhode Island,to meet or exceed all ten of theresearch-based benchmarks that theindependent National Institute forEarly Education Research measuresto determine a program’s quality. Reading on grade level by end ofthird grade is a major milestonefor all children as they move from“learning to read” to “readingto learn.” In 2018-2019 schoolyear, only 48.2 percent of fourthDEMOGRAPHICS Demographic data on the makeupof our population continues toreflect previous trends. The totalpopulation in 2019 comparedto 2000 grew by just over 10percent or 456,085 people whilethe child population decreased by3 percent or 39,722 children.These changes in population willresult in an aging populationand will put a heavier burdenon a smaller pool of workersto fill vacant jobs and care fora larger retired population.The makeup of the child populationcontinues to show children of colorwill soon be the majority of thechild population and the majorityof the work force by 2030.HEALTH In 2018, infant mortality improvedto a rate of 7.0 per 1,000 livebirths compared to 2008 rateof 9.5 per 1,000 live births.In 2018, births to females aged 15-17and births to all females aged 10-19showed significant improvementcompared to rates for 2008.VOICES FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDREN 2020 Alabama Kids Count Data Book6

graders were reading proficiently.During that same school year,45.1 percent of eighth graderswere reading proficiently. Gaps in educational achievementfor Fourth Grade and EighthGrade reading and math are 26to 29 percentage points lower forchildren in poverty comparedto children above poverty.Alabama’s graduation rate for2018-2019 school year was 92.9percent up from 91 percentin 2017-2018 school year. The College and Career ReadyIndex reports students whomeet at least one of the sevenbenchmarks that make-up theIndex and reflects a student’spotential to succeed at highereducation and/or a career afterhigh school graduation. In 20182019, 80.3 percent of public schoolstudents met at least one criteria. There is a huge disparity in studentswho are suspended when it isdisaggregated by race/ethnicity.In the 2018-2019 school year,black students were suspendedat a rate of 19 percent which istwice as high as all other racesat a rate of 9.9 percent or less.In 2018-2019 school year, 6.4percent of public school teacherswere teaching out of field comparedto 4.9 percent of teachers inthe 2014-2015 school year.SAFETY Fourth graders proficient in Mathin the 2018-2019 school year were48.5 percent. Eighth graders, duringthat same school year, had a rate of48.1 percent proficiency in math. increased to a rate of 11.1 per1,000 in FY 2019 compared to arate of 5.1 per 1,000 in 2008.Alabama children with anindication of abuse or neglectINTRODUCTION The child death rate which is thenumber of deaths from all causesto children 1-14 years of age was21.7 per 100,000 in 2018. Thiswas slightly lower compared to23.0 per 100,000 in 2008.The number of children in fostercare in 2020 was 6,324 which wasa 14.3 percent increase compared to5,534 children in foster care in 2012.More than 10,000 children arein protective services meaningthey are in the custody of theirfamily or primary caretaker andreceiving services to the familyunit to maintain the safety,stability, and child well-being.The Juvenile Violent Crime CourtPetition Rate in 2019 was 4.4per 1,000 youth 10 to 17 yearsof age. This rate has improvedand is less than half the ratein 2009 of 9.6 per 1,000.of 37.3 percent in 2014-2018compared to 29.6 percent in 2000. Employed mothers with youngchildren (children under age 6) was56.6 percent in 2000 comparedto a five year average rate of 62.5percent during 2014-2018. When dollars are adjusted forinflation, the median householdincome increased by 213 in2018 compared to 2008. Medicaid paid births continueto hover just under 50 percentof all births in Alabama. The average monthly case loadfor mothers participating in theWomen, Infant and Children(WIC) federal nutrition programin FY2019 was 115,448. In 2020, 638,176 people receivedSupplemental Nutrition AssistanceProgram (SNAP) benefits which wasa decrease of 23.3 percent comparedto 832,238 SNAP recipients in 2015. Food insecurity refers to a lackof access, at times, to enoughfood for an active, healthy lifefor all household members andlimited or uncertain availabilityof nutritionally adequate foods. In2018, Food Insecurity for Alabamachildren under 18 was 23.1 percentand 17 percent for all ages.ECONOMIC SECURITY The total rate of poverty for Alabamain 2014-2018 averaged 17.5 percentcompared to 16.1 percent in 2000. Children in poverty had anaverage rate from 2014-2018 of25.1 percent which is up from arate of 21.5 percent in 2000. Of all age ranges, children underfive have the highest rate ofpoverty at 28.4 percent. The unemployment rate in2019 was 3 percent comparedto 5.7 percent in 2008. Single parent families haveincreased 7.7 percentage pointswith a five year average rateVOICES FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDREN www.alavoices.org7

ALABAMA472020 KIDS COUNT PROFILEOverall RankWELL-BEING45 ECONOMICRankUNITED STATESCHILDREN IN POVERTY22%US: 12,998,000 AL: BETTER2018CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS LACKSECURE EMPLOYMENT33%US: 19,579,000 AL: 335,0002010CHILDREN LIVING IN HOUSEHOLDSWITH A HIGH HOUSING COST BURDEN41%US: 22,566,000 AL: 280,0002010TEENS NOT IN SCHOOL AND NOT WORKING9%US: 1,186,000 AL: %201035%20102018201811%2010201843 EDUCATIONRankALABAMAUNITED STATESYOUNG CHILDREN (AGES 3 AND 4) NOT IN SCHOOL52%US: 4,215,000 AL: 67,00052%2009–11 2016–18 SAME56%2009–112016–18FOURTH-GRADERS NOT PROFICIENT IN READING68%US: N.A. AL: N.A.200966%2019BETTER72%20092019EIGHTH-GRADERS NOT PROFICIENT IN MATH67%US: N.A. AL: N.A.20092019SAME21%15%2010–11 2017–18 BETTER200928%2010–112017–18Learn more at datacenter.kidscount.org/ALN.A.: Not availableVOICES for Alabama’s Childrenwww.alavoices.org 334.213.2410NATIONAL PROFILE80%2019HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NOT GRADUATING ON TIMEUS: N.A. AL: N.A.67%ExploredataFORon children,youngCHILDRENpeople and 2020families:VOICESALABAMA’SAlabama Kids Count Data Bookdatacenter.kidscount.org8

Overall RankHEALTH47 RankUNITED STATESLOW BIRTH-WEIGHT BABIES8.1%US: 313,752 AL: 6,18420108%US: 4,055,000 AL: 41,0002010CHILD AND TEEN DEATHS PER 100,00026US: 19,660 AL: 4332010CHILDREN AND TEENS (AGES 10 TO 17) WHO AREOVERWEIGHT OR OBESE31%US: N.A. AL: N.A.34%US: 23,980,000 AL: 390,0002010CHILDREN IN FAMILIES WHERE THE HOUSEHOLD HEADLACKS A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMATEEN BIRTHS PER 1,000US: 179,871 AL: E40%2010WORSE16%2010BETTER15%10%2008–122008–12 2014–18 UNITED STATESCHILDREN IN SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIESUS: 7,717,000 AL: 160,00010.3%8.3%2016–17 2017–18 SAMEAND COMMUNITY44 FAMILYRankCHILDREN LIVING IN HIGH-POVERTY AREASALABAMA2018CHILDREN WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCEUS: 9,205,000 AL: 124,000ALABAMA472020 KIDS COUNT PROFILE442010BETTER201820182014–182018Learn more at datacenter.kidscount.org/USAN.A.: Not availableThe Annie E. Casey Foundationwww.aecf.orgNATIONAL PROFILERead ordownloadthe KIDSCOUNT .orgwww.aecf.org/databook9

A STATE-TO-STATE COMPARISONOF OVERALL CHILD WELL-BEING: 2020** Due to changes made in the Health domain, Overall rankingscannot be compared with previous ew HampshireMinnesotaUtahVermontConnecticutNorth DakotaNew .17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.RANKINGS AND KEYVirginiaColoradoWyomingHawaiiSouth isOregon26.27.28.29.30.31.32.33.34.35.36.37.Rhode IslandDelawareNew YorkIndianaMissouriOhioMichiganNorth asSouth CarolinaArizonaTexasWest ew Mexico11STATE RANKINGVOICES FOR ALABAMA’S CHILDREN 2020 Alabama Kids Count Data Book10

National KIDS COUNT MethodologyMETHODOLOGYNATIONAL KIDS COUNT METHODOLOGYDOMAIN RANK for each state was determined in the following manner. First,the Foundation converted the state numerical values for the most recent yearfor each of the four key indicators within every domain into standar

Alabama’s First Class Pre-K to child care licensing and oversight, I know that Alabama is a better place for children today because of VOICES and our Kids Count work. July 2020 marked my 20th year at VOICES. I came to VOICES from a business background but quickly found a passion for our work to impro

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