Family Connection Partnership News

New KIDS COUNT Report Ranks Georgia 41st

Georgia ranks 41st among all states in a new state-by-state study that reports on the well-being of America's children. The 2003 KIDS COUNT Data Book shows that Georgia improved between 1990 and 2000 on nine out of 10 measures that reflect child well-being but experienced an increasing rate of families headed by single parents.

KIDS COUNT, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is a national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the United States. Family Connection Partnership serves as the Foundation's state grantee for Georgia, helping to track, analyze and disseminate data and best practices.

For more information or data on Georgia, visit www.georgiafamilyconnection.org and click on "GA KIDS COUNT." To view the 2003 KIDS COUNT Data Book with state-by-state rankings, supplemental data, and other information, visit www.kidscount.org.

Georgia Fact Sheet

More than half a million families with children receive EITC credits
In Georgia, more than 600,000 households with children receive the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a credit that rewards work and places some families closer to self-sufficiency. The average credit to households with children in Georgia is $2,022 - among the highest in the nation. The national average is $1,968. The federal EITC is an important tool to help lift Georgia's children from poverty.

Georgia makes significant improvements in infant mortality
Infant mortality in Georgia is one of the most improved indicators of child well-being. The infant mortality rate decreased from 12.4 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 8.5 per 1,000 in 2000. While both the nation and state moved in a positive direction, the percentage gain in Georgia is greater than in the U.S. as a whole - 31 percent in Georgia as compared to 25 percent in the U.S. Georgia still ranks 41st, however, and needs to address issues that link to infant mortality including late prenatal care, teen pregnancy, and substance abuse during pregnancy.

Georgia ranks above national average in preschool/kindergarten enrollment
Georgia continues to reap benefits from investments in early education. According to the 2000 Census, 56 percent of children ages 3 and 4 are enrolled in preschool, compared to 49 percent in the nation, ranking Georgia as 7th in the nation. Participation in high quality early childhood care and education programs can have positive effects on children's cognitive, language, and social development, particularly among children at risk.

Teen births in Georgia still among the worst in nation
Despite a steady decline, Georgia ranks 44th in the nation in teen births. In 2000, the teen birth rate was 36 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 17, compared to the national average of 27 births per 1,000. Children born to teen mothers are more likely to be born prematurely, to have a low birth weight, and to die as infants. The children generally have less stimulating home environments, poorer academic and behavioral outcomes than children born to older mothers, and are more likely themselves to have a teen birth.

Too many Georgia children live in communities with high drop-out rates
Forty percent of children in Georgia live in communities with a high rate of high school drop-outs. The national average is 25 percent. When children grow up in communities with high drop-out rates, they are more likely to experience poverty and live in economically distressed environments. Adults with low education and skill levels are more likely to be unemployed, work in low-wage jobs, receive public assistance, or become involved in crime.