New Report Ranks CT Among Best States for Child Wellbeing

The following press release is from Connecticut Senate Democrats on behalf of state Sen. Bob Duff (D-25th), whose district covers Norwalk and Darien:

NORWALK, CT – Senate Majority Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today cheered a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation ranking Connecticut as one of the five best states in the nation for overall child wellbeing.

“The data proves what we already know, Connecticut is a great place to raise a family,” said Sen. Duff.“Democrats in the General Assembly have led the way by making smart, targeted investments in early childhood education, access to healthcare and policies that help working and middle-class families advance. In order for Connecticut’s economy to remain competitive and attract new businesses, it is critical that we continue our commitment to policies that make Connecticut one of the best places in the country to raise a family.”

The 2016 KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks Connecticut behind only Minnesota, Massachusetts, Iowa and New Hampshire overall. Connecticut now ranks number two in child health and three in youth education, up last year from four and five, respectively.

In 2014, the Generally Assembly led passage of the Connecticut Smart Start program, a competitive grant program that has created thousands of new pre-kindergarten slots across the state. Along with our investments in teacher recruitment and training, Connecticut is seeing tangible results. According the report, 87 percent of Connecticut high school students are graduating on time, increasing from 82 percent in 2008. Graduation rates have increased dramatically within communities that have traditionally struggled with encouraging youth to get their high school diploma.

Additionally, the state’s earned income tax credit, passed by the General Assembly and signed into law in 2011, is helping low-income, working families provide for their children and makes ends meet.

Connecticut’s investments in child health ensure that all the state’s children and families have timely access to high-quality, affordable health care, including fighting drug use and reducing teen pregnancy. The teen birth rate has been cut almost in half, down to 12 percent in 2014 from 23 percent in 2008, while drug and alcohol abuse dropped 38 percent.