Home > Casey Foundation Initiatives > 2010 Kids Count Data Book
The 2010 Kids Count Data Book
The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its annual Kids Count Data Book for 2010. The Data Book presents ten indicators of child wellbeing with standardized, comparable data for the latest available years (2007 and 2008). South Carolina once again ranks among the bottom ten states in terms of child wellbeing. The 2010 report ranks SC 45th, ahead of only 5 states (Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, and New Mexico). Over the past two decades of the Kids Count Data Book, South Carolina has never ranked better than 42nd. Typically, SC ranks 45th or 46th. Fluctuations in low incidence indicators such as child and teen deaths tend to move states up or down within the bottom 10 states, but these fluctuations have little statistical meaning. The bottom line for SC is that we are very near the bottom, reliably ahead of only Mississippi and Louisiana.
So does our dismal ranking at 45th mean that nothing has improved? The 2010 Kids Count Data Book reports that between 2000 and 2007 or 2008, SC has improved on 4 indicators, one more than the number that became worse. For the US overall, five indicators improved while three became worse. For both SC and the US, the three deteriorating indicators have been low birthweight, poverty, and single parent families. Being 45th and making almost no progress is cause for serious concern. On most indicators, our children do rank near the bottom. Because children are our best hope for the future, we have made continuing, though modest attempts to improve. Where have we improved? Are the 10 Kids Count Data Book indicators telling the whole story? And does the period from 2000 to 2008 sufficiently reflect longer trends?
To answer these concerns, SC Kids Count offers a two decade retrospective for the full period of our Kids Count existence since 1990. Drawing on a wider array of indicators than the Casey Foundation's Data Book for trends over a much longer timeframe, a more complete review provides a somewhat more encouraging picture of our progress. The additional indicators offer a more complete accounting of how well the "kids" have done themselves, rather than their wellbeing described primarily in terms of the circumstances and influences of their families and the economy. In the Kids Count Data Book, only 4 of the 10 indicators are primarily under the control of youth themselves: teen deaths, births to teens, dropouts, and idleness (not in school or working). Many of the additional indicators utilized by SC Kids Count are taken from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and from state data sources on adolescent risk behaviors. Also included is data from NAEP for academic performance which is standardized and comparable over time.
The SC Kids Count data show that the "kids" have improved their own wellbeing on three or more times as many indicators as they were responsible for making worse. Even though the structure and finances of their families have not improved or have worsened, the youth are taking fewer risks and are doing somewhat better in school. Overall, the youth improved on safety, smoking, alcohol, sex, non-lethal violence, and education but did worse on homicide.
So we celebrate the 20th year of SC Kids Count by asking ourselves the advocacy question: "Who's for kids and who's just kidding?" This broader perspective from SC Kids Count data should encourage parents, policy-makers, and the public to engage in some serious self-critical reflection about our dedication to children in South Carolina.
Health - Birth and Pregnancy Data1
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Low Birthweight (1500 g - 2499 g) |
8.7% |
8.7% |
9.7% |
9.9% |
2008 |
| Very Low Birthweight (Less than 1500 g) |
1.5% |
1.7% |
2.0% |
1.9% |
2008 |
| Births to Teens Mothers - Under 18 (% of all births) |
8.3% |
6.5% |
5.6% |
4.2% |
2008 |
| Births to Teens Mothers - Under 20 (% of all births) |
20.3% |
17.5% |
15.0% |
13.4% |
2008 |
| Births to Moms Not Completing 12th Grade |
31% |
24% |
21% |
23% |
2008 |
| Births to Single Mothers |
23% |
33% |
40% |
47.2% |
2008 |
| Pregnant Mother Abused before Pregnancy |
NA |
10% |
6.5% |
8.2% |
2008 |
| Pregnant Mother Abused during Pregnancy |
NA |
7% |
5% |
6% |
2008 |
| High Stress during Pregnancy |
NA |
27% |
21% |
23.2% |
2008 |
Health - Birth and Pregnancy Data by Age Groups1
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Age 15-17 |
Age 18-19 |
Age 15-17 |
Age 18-19 |
Age 15-17 |
Age 18-19 |
Age 15-17 |
Age 18-19 |
| Teen Pregnancy |
6.2% |
13.3% |
6.2% |
15.8% |
4.3% |
11.6% |
3.7% |
11.5% |
2007 |
| Births to Teens |
4.4% |
9.7% |
4.3% |
11.3% |
3.4% |
9.4% |
2.7% |
9.3% |
2007 |
| Abortions for Teens |
1.8% |
3.5% |
1.9% |
4.4% |
0.9% |
2.1% |
0.9% |
2.1% |
2007 |
1Source: S.C. Dept. of Health and Environmental Control Pregnancy (Birth Certificate and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Data)
Health - Death Data2
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Infant Mortality - Death of live born infant under 1 year of age |
1.6% |
1.2% |
0.87% |
0.85% |
2007 |
| Deaths of children ages 1-14 years (rates per 100,000) |
45 |
38 |
25 |
25.2 |
2007 |
| Deaths of adolescents ages 15-19 years (rates per 100,000) |
96 |
95 |
87 |
82 |
2007 |
| Homicide (rates per 100,000) |
7 |
10.1 |
11.5 |
12.9 |
2007 |
| Suicide (rates per 100,000) |
7.3 |
10.1 |
6.1 |
3.8 |
2007 |
| Motor Vehicle Accidents (rates per 100,000) |
45 |
47 |
35 |
36 |
2007 |
2Source: S.C. Dept. of Health and Environmental Control (Death Certificate Data)
Family and Economics Data3
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Children in Single-Parent Families |
19% |
25% |
31% |
39% |
2008 |
| Children below Poverty |
21% |
21% |
19% |
22% |
2008 |
3Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Data 2007 and 2008 Single-Year Estimates via National Kids Count site
Adolescent Risk Behaviors Survey Data4
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Youth Never/Rarely Wearing Seatbelt |
NA |
24% |
19% |
11% |
2009 |
| Youth Trying to Lose Weight in HS |
NA |
36% |
41% |
42% |
2009 |
| Youth Overweight in HS |
NA |
NA |
27% |
27% |
2009 |
Tobacco Use (YRBS)4
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Smoked 1st Cigarette before age 13 |
NA |
30% |
27% |
14% |
2009 |
| Smoked Cigarettes in past month |
NA |
26% |
36% |
21% |
2009 |
| Smoked Cigarettes 20+ days in past month |
NA |
13% |
18% |
8% |
2009 |
Alcohol & Drug Use (YRBS)4
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Had 1st Drink Before age 13 |
NA |
35% |
34% |
20% |
2009 |
| Had at Least One Drink in past month |
NA |
46% |
45% |
35% |
2009 |
| Binge Drinking in past month |
NA |
26% |
25% |
18% |
2009 |
| Tried Marijuana before age 13 |
NA |
7.5% |
12% |
8% |
2009 |
| Used Marijuana in past month |
NA |
12% |
24.5% |
20% |
2009 |
| Ever Used Cocaine |
NA |
5% |
7.5% |
5% |
2009 |
Sexual Behavior (YRBS)4
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Intercourse before age 13 |
NA |
20% |
14% |
9% |
2009 |
| Intercourse with 4 or more persons ever |
NA |
29% |
22% |
20% |
2009 |
| Intercourse during past 3 months |
NA |
47% |
40% |
39% |
2009 |
| Used Condom during Last Intercourse |
NA |
45% |
61% |
64% |
2009 |
| Used Birth Control Pills during Last Intercourse |
NA |
18.5% |
12.5% |
11% |
2009 |
Violence (YRBS)4
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Carried Weapon (Gun, Knife, Club) in past month |
NA |
29% |
21% |
20% |
2009 |
| Carried Gun in past month |
NA |
11% |
8% |
8% |
2009 |
| In Physical Fight during past year |
NA |
42% |
34% |
36% |
2009 |
| Medical Treatment for Fight in past year |
NA |
4% |
4% |
4% |
2009 |
| Attempted Suicide in past year |
NA |
9% |
9% |
11% |
2009 |
| Medical Treatment for Suicide Attempt in past year |
NA |
3% |
4% |
4% |
2009 |
4Source: S.C. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
Education 5
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Not ready (CSAB 1980-2000, SCRA 2008)5 |
36% |
26% |
14% |
21% |
2008 |
| Repeating in Grades 1-35 |
19% |
21% |
14% |
9% |
2008 |
Grade 3-Below Standards (BSAP: 1980 & 1990; PACT: 2000 & 2008)5
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| ELA/Reading |
32.5% |
11.5% |
26% |
13% |
2008 |
| Math |
39% |
15% |
31% |
23% |
2008 |
Grade 8-Below Standards5
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| ELA/Reading |
57% |
27.5% |
35% |
29% |
2008 |
| Math |
49% |
23% |
38% |
30% |
2008 |
NAEP- Below Basic Grade 4 6
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Reading |
NA |
47% |
44.5% |
38% |
2009 |
| Math |
NA |
52% |
41% |
22% |
2009 |
| Science |
NA |
NA |
46% |
36% |
2005 |
NAEP-Below Basic Grade 8 6
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Reading |
NA |
NA |
33% |
32% |
2009 |
| Math |
NA |
52% |
47% |
31% |
2009 |
| Science |
NA |
NA |
52% |
46% |
2005 |
Graduation/Completion and Exit Exam/HSAP
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
Most Recent |
Most Recent Year |
| Not Graduating (Certificates Included)5 |
30% |
30% |
36% |
26% |
2008 |
| Not Completing HS ages 18-243 |
28% |
24% |
26% |
19% |
2008 |
| Exit Exam/HSAP not passing 5 |
45% |
29.5% |
33% |
19% |
2008 |
3Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Data 2007 and 2008 Single-Year Estimates via National Kids Count site,
5Source: S.C. Dept. of Education
6Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
