Report on child well-being ranks Colorado 20th

By The AP
Tuesday, July 27, 2010

DENVER — A new national report says the percentage of Colorado children living poverty rose to 15 percent from 10 percent in the last decade, tying with New Hampshire for the fastest increase.

The report 2010 Kids Count Data Book released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation looks at 10 areas affecting children’s well-being from 2000 to 2008.

The report ranks Colorado 20th in the nation overall, up from 22nd last year. It says Colorado improved in five areas: infant mortality rate, child death rate, teen death rate, teen birth rate and teens not in school and not graduating from high school.

But the state lost ground in the percentage of children living in poverty, low-birthweight babies and children in single-parent families.