National rankings that show the well-being of children in all fifty states have been released, and Kansas has fallen four slots, reports The Topeka Capital-Journal. While last year the state was ranked 15th, this year Kansas fell to 19th. The slip in the rankings came amid diminished performance on health and education assessments. Kansas children also showed stagnation on economic and family measures.
Annie McKay, president of Kansas Action for Children, said the lower rank is a result of changes in the state government’s safety net. She added that Kansas had not committed to early-childhood education, which hurt the state’s status. McKay explained: “Policy choices of the post-recession years have eroded the well-being of children and families in Kansas.”
In the latest report, Kansas experienced the third largest reduction in state ranking.