Arizona has been ranked 46 th in the nation for overall child well-being in a recent KIDS COUNT report. That’s a one spot improvement from the previous year.
In 2013 more Arizona kids lived in poverty than the year before and fewer 3- and 4-year-olds were enrolled in pre school.
Dana Naimark of the Children’s Action Alliance said those indicators were some of the largest contributors to the state’s low ranking.
“The child poverty issue is definitely shaping other conditions for kids and putting a lot of barriers in the way of opportunities for success,” she said.
The report also reveals some good news. Naimark said juvenile violent crime arrest rates dropped by about half from 2000 to 2013. High school graduation rates are also up.
Arizona did rank slightly better than its neighbors in the Southwest. Nevada ranked 48th and New Mexico was 49 th.
