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Ohio Improves In Child Well-Being Rankings

aecf.org

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2017 Kids Count Data Book ranks Ohio 24th for child well-being, up from 26th last year. The annual snapshot also ranks the state in the middle of the pack on health, economic and education indicators. Ashon McKenzie of the Children's Defense Fund of Ohio says fewer Ohio kids are living in poverty and fewer parents lack full-time employment. But he says there is room for improvement.

McKenzie says Ohio fell from 17th to 27th in child education. And 19 percent of Ohio high school seniors are not graduating on time.  

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Foundation spokesperson Laura Speer says 96 percent of Ohio kids now have health insurance coverage, one percent higher than the national rate.

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The report credits policies like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit for the improved rankings.

 

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.
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