skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Judge pauses deadline for federal workers to accept Trump's resignation offer; California state lawmakers are taking action to enact safeguards against federal immigration enforcement; Study shows air quality disparities from industrial ag in NC.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Despite High Ranking, Child Well-Being Concerns Persist in WI

play audio
Play

Wednesday, June 14, 2023   

An annual report measuring child well-being in the U.S. said several benchmarks have worsened overall.

States like Wisconsin fared better in the Kids Count Data Book rankings, but a regional policy expert said there is still work to do.

The research from the Annie E. Casey Foundation now includes firm data from post-pandemic years, giving policy groups and nonprofits a better sense of how childhood development was affected by the crisis.

Emily Miota, communications director for the statewide policy group Kids Forward, said Wisconsin ranks 10th in the nation for overall well-being, but observed it is clear many families are still struggling and not lending added support will only worsen outcomes.

"To help children grow and to prepare adults, parents need jobs with family-sustaining pay, affordable housing, and of course, the ability to invest in their children's future," Miota outlined. "But when parents are unemployed or are earning low wages, their access to resources to support their kids' development is more limited."

The report showed 13% of Wisconsin children are living in poverty, and Miota noted the crisis has exacerbated disparities in economic well-being. Nationally, there were worsening trends in reading and math scores, and more kids whose parents lack secure employment. As for health, there has been a significant increase in the number of babies born at low birth weights.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said there are significant challenges with the lack of access to affordable child care.

"Infant care is the most expensive, and it is actually higher than in-state college tuition in 34 states," Boissiere pointed out. "The affordability for families is a huge challenge. And at the same time, early child care workers are among the lowest paid in the country."

In 2021, Wisconsin's average cost of center-based child care for a toddler was more than $12,000, which is 11% of the median income for a couple, and 36% of a single mom's income in the state. Advocates say policymakers should use state funds to continue the Child Care Counts program -- a pandemic relief initiative -- to help bring permanent stability.

Disclosure: The Annie E. Casey Foundation contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, Education, Juvenile Justice, and Welfare Reform. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, Mississippi has the highest rates of food insecurity in the nation. (Katerina Holmes/Pexels)

Social Issues

play sound

Mississippi families struggling with food insecurity are bracing for another difficult summer after state officials declined millions in federal fundi…


Environment

play sound

Some experts predict arable land per person will shrink by two-thirds by 2050. To combat it, Michigan students are being trained in "smart" …

Environment

play sound

A new study by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality found nitrate levels have continued to rise across the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater …


Currently, insurance companies get to decide how much of a public ambulance service's rate to pay, which can lead to patients being charged the unpaid balance. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado lawmakers are working to ensure all Coloradans with health coverage for ambulance services are not hit with surprise bills or charged higher …

Environment

play sound

Conservation groups in Maine are calling on the state's congressional delegation to protect federal funding for clean energy technologies. A new …

Osprey, bluefish, red drum and cobia rely on menhaden populations for food. (Adobe Stock)

play sound

Atlantic menhaden weigh less than a pound and measure little more than a foot long but the small fish has big consequences for the Chesapeake Bay ecos…

Social Issues

play sound

Gov. Kay Ivey delivered her 2025 State of the State address this week, focusing on education, public safety, and economic growth in Alabama. She …

Social Issues

play sound

In rural states such as South and North Dakota and large urban centers around the U.S., protests were held Wednesday amid fears about the first wave …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021