2009 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. Since its first release 16 years ago, KIDS COUNT in Colorado! has become the most trusted source for data and information on Colorado children and is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
Last year, the KIDS COUNT in Colorado! data revealed a troubling trend significantly impacting our children – the increase in kids living in poverty. This year’s data shows that trend is continuing and, in fact, increasing. The number of children living in poverty has increased 85 percent since 2000, with more than 192,000 children living in poverty in 2007, compared to 104,000 in 2000. And our youngest children are the most likely to be living in extreme poverty.
2009 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!
2008 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. Since its first release 15 years ago, KIDS COUNT in Colorado! has become the most trusted source for data and information on Colorado children and is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
Poverty: The Biggest Obstacle for Colorado Kids
Between 2000 and 2006, Colorado had a 73 percent increase in the number of children living in poverty, putting our state first in the nation for the fastest growing rate of children in economic distress. By a lot of different measures, poverty is the largest obstacle to opportunity for Colorado’s youngest citizens. Kids born into and growing up in poverty struggle with low educational achievement, health problems, emotional and behavioral difficulties, and a range of other issues that decrease their chance of success and often rob them of hope at an early age. Since the consequences of being poor in childhood often carry into adulthood, significant economic costs are associated with this trend. In fact, a recent study by the Human Services Policy Center found that growing up in poverty costs the U.S. $500 billion annually in lost earnings, involvement with crime, and health costs. This is a trend our children, and our state, cannot afford.
In this year’s report, the Children’s Campaign focuses on the critical issue of child poverty. The 2008 KIDS COUNT in Colorado report also includes a supplemental edition of KIDS COUNT! with county rankings and maps of various indicators of child well-being. This additional information is provided to help communities quickly see and understand how they compare to other counties in the state and in their region. We hope these additional documents will be useful to you as we all seek to give Colorado’s kids the best possible future.
2008 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!2007 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. Since its first release 14 years ago, KIDS COUNT in Colorado! has become the most trusted source for data and information on Colorado children and is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
Focus on Physical Health
One of the most important indicators of children’s overall well-being is their physical health, and as the data reveals, it is also one of our largest statewide challenges. In Colorado, one in six children lacks health insurance. That amounts to nearly 180,000 children–enough to fill Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver two-and-a-half times.
While the numbers are staggering, what the data mean in the lives of these children is even more compelling. Uninsured children are more prone to a wide range of health problems and are less likely to receive routine care from a single provider, to receive childhood immunizations, and to receive necessary dental care. A lack of access to health care for a child can bring a lifetime of problems.
The 2007 KIDS COUNT in Colorado! report focuses on this critical issue and provides additional information about the current health care landscape, insurance options for kids, and estimated costs of addressing the problem. Like previous editions, this year’s report also provides data on a variety of other factors surrounding children’s well-being.
2007 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!2006 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. Since its first release more than a decade ago, KIDS COUNT in Colorado! has become the most trusted source for data and information on Colorado children and is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
The 2006 KIDS COUNT in Colorado! report details child well-being on a county-by-county level, including new county-level indicators on student achievement. In addition, the continued expansion of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey provides an opportunity to take a closer look at recent demographic trends regarding children in immigrant families in Colorado.
2006 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!2005 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. Since its first release more than a decade ago, KIDS COUNT in Colorado! has become the most trusted source for data and information on Colorado children and is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
In the 2005 KIDS COUNT in Colorado! report, the Colorado Children's Campaign celebrates its 20th anniversary with 20 goals for 2010. The list includes goals related to child health, early childhood education, and K-12 education.
2005 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!2004 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. Since its first release more than a decade ago, KIDS COUNT in Colorado! has become the most trusted source for data and information on Colorado children and is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
The reasons Colorado children are prepared—or not—for school are many. Through KIDS COUNT in Colorado!, the Colorado Children’s Campaign shares data on the more than 1.1 million children and youth in Colorado’s 64 counties, focusing on those indicators in the first years of a child’s life that are linked to his or her success in school, and ultimately, in life. The 2004 KIDS COUNT in Colorado! report continues our commitment to “school readiness”— and to the Children's Campaign's mission of creating hope and opportunity in Colorado—one million children at a time.
2004 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!2003 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. Since its first release a decade ago, KIDS COUNT in Colorado! has become the most trusted source for data and information on Colorado children and is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
The 2003 KIDS COUNT in Colorado! report explores issues affecting child well-being, including vulnerable families, learning and education, and child health. The report also examines regional and county data.
2003 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!2002 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. The publication is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
Colorado's Changing Population
Perhaps you’ve noticed that the faces of Colorado have changed over the last decade. The recent census shows that the number of children in Colorado has increased by 28 percent over the last decade. Only two states had a higher rate of growth over this period. Colorado’s children have become increasingly ethnically diverse; over 34 percent of children are from minority ethnic backgrounds. The most dramatic trend has been the statewide increase in the number of Hispanic families and children. Today nearly 50 percent of the child population in Denver and 57 percent in Pueblo are Hispanic.
The 2002 KIDS COUNT in Colorado! report examines Colorado's changing population and reveals essential information about the well-being of all Colorado children.
2002 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!2001 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. The publication is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
This 2001 edition of KIDS COUNT in Colorado! tracks data on child well-being in all of Colorado’s counties. We still have a long way to go toward making Colorado a great place for kids to grow up. While many measures have improved significantly, Colorado has actually worsened in others, including fatalities due to child abuse and low birth weight.
2001 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!2000 KIDS COUNT
KIDS COUNT in Colorado! is an annual publication of the Children’s Campaign, providing state- and county-level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. The publication is relied upon by lawmakers, community leaders, and child advocates to inform policy debates and community discussions on issues impacting kids.
The 2000 KIDS COUNT in Colorado! report contains state- and county-level demographic, economic, health, education, and safety data. To offer a more comprehensive look at how children and youth are faring across the state, county indicators have been added in the areas of health insurance, children with disabilities, child care, and youth incarceration. Featured in this report is a special section on education , which presents information on Colorado's 176 school districts including student achievement, school enrollment, and ethnicity of students.
2000 KIDS COUNT in Colorado!