Latest data on Iowa's children (the children you will be teaching)

New data released January 21st, 2016 by the Child and Family Policy Center

• 110,000 Iowa children live in poverty – more than the entire population of Davenport (100,564)
• 42,000 3- and 4-year-olds are not attending preschool—more than the population of Urbandale (40,227)
• 7,751 fourth graders were not proficient in reading—nearly the population of Creston (7,847)
• in 2014 there were 6,367 births where the mother did not begin prenatal care in the first trimester, an important contributor to a health pregnancy—more than the population of Orange City (6,183)

In addition, there are great disparities in child well-being within the state—both by county and by race/ethnicity. In fact, Iowa has some of the greatest disparities by race and ethnicity in the county.

The scale of the ongoing challenge requires continued vigilance, said Michael Crawford, CFPC senior associate who assembled and analyzed the data. “This is why it is so important that the critical public health, education and family support efforts—programs and services we know have been effective in helping Iowa families on both sides of the Great Recession—continue.”

Summary Kids Count indicators, state of Iowa

Family and community economic well-being (two indicators – deterioration in both since baseline years)

• Child poverty, 15.5% in 2014 (up 44% since 2000)
• Unemployment, 4.4% in 2014 (up 71% since 2000

School readiness and success (4 indicators – improvements in all four since baseline years)

• Preschool participation of 3- and 4-year-olds, 48.2% in 2014 (up 8% since 2000)
• 4th graders proficient in reading: 75.9% in 2014 (up less than 1% since 2003)
• 8th graders proficient in math: 76.3% in 2014 (up nearly 7% since 2003)
• On time H.S. graduation, 90.6% of students in 2014 (up 2% since 2000) 

Family stability (4 indicators – improvements in three, deterioration in one since baseline years)

• Child abuse and neglect rate, 10.2 per 1,000 in 2014 (down 21% since 2000)
• Teens giving birth, 2.0% of teen females in 2014 (down 42% since 2000)
• Births to unmarried teens, 4.8% of live births (down 43% since 2000)
• Single-parent families, 30.6% of families with children (up 24% since 2000) 

Child health (5 indicators – improvements in four, deterioration in one since baseline years)

• Prenatal care in first trimester, 83.9% of live births in 2014 (up 18% since 2007)
• Infant mortality, 4.8 deaths per 1,000 (down 24% since 2000)
• Child deaths, 17 per 100,000 (down 21% since 2000)
• Teen deaths, 37 per 100,000 (down 21% since 2000)
• Low birthweight, 6.8% of live births, up 10% since 2000)

Use of public supports (five indicators – increased use in three, reduced use in two since baseline years)

• WIC, 24.9% of children 0-4 in 2014 (down 12% since 2003)
• Free and reduced-price lunch, 41.1% of students in 2014 (up 56% since 2000)
• Earned Income Tax Credit, 15.5% of tax filers in 2013 (up 47% since 2000)
• Food Assistance, 13.0% of individuals in 2014 (up 205% since 2000)
• Family Investment Program, 1.0% of individuals in 2014 (down 44% since 2000)

These are real factors that will be influencing your students' learning and affecting your teaching.  Think about ways you can work on these issues through a social justice art education curriculum.