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Kansas children are feeling the impact of the recession, with nearly one in five living in poverty and an increase in the number of children who rely on Medicaid and the state-run Children’s Health Insurance Program for health insurance.
The poverty rate for Pratt County is a little lower, but up somewhat from the previous five years, according to data released by Kansas Action for Children.
Just over eight percent of Kansas kids were not covered by any type of health insurance, in 2010, making it less likely they would get the care they need when they first need it. That represented an increase from 7.4 percent in 2008, while neighboring states and the country as a whole made significant progress to reduce uninsurance among children. Kansas and Nebraska tied for 50th place in terms of progress made.
One-quarter of Kansas children live in families in which no parent has full-time employment.
Only 7 percent of eligible children receive Early Head Start services and only 49 percent of eligible children receive Head Start services.
Kansas ranked 19th in a state-by-state study on the well-being of America’s children, its lowest rating since 2004.
The data did show progress for Kansas in several areas.
• The on-time immunization rate for children reached a five-year high of 70 percent in Kansas and 84 percent in Pratt County for 2009.
• Fifth graders continue to show strong rates of reading proficiency — 87.29 percent statewide and about the same in Pratt County.
The ethnic make-up of Pratt County changed from 2006, when nearly 90 percent of children under age 18 were white and 5.6 percent were Hispanic. By 2010, the Hispanic youth population had increased to 9.3 percent, while children described as of two or more races increased slightly to 3 percent. African American children made up less than a percent of the 2010 youth population.
The most notable positive indicator was a marked decrease in youth tobacco use and binge drinking, both statewide and in Pratt County.
Eleven percent of Pratt County youth reported using tobacco products in the 30 days prior to taking a survey from Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, as compared to 19 percent in 2007. Binge drinking showed a similar decrease, from 22 percent in 2007 to 11.5 percent in 2011.
Pratt High and Liberty Middle School students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 completed a new survey just before the Christmas break.
“We encourage the kids to be honest,” PHS Principal Steve Blankenship said, noting that some students might exaggerate the facts, while others don’t admit to their behaviors. “The data is as accurate as it can be, on as widespread survey as possible.”
Kansas children are feeling the impact of the recession, with nearly one in five living in poverty and an increase in the number of children who rely on Medicaid and the state-run Children’s Health Insurance Program for health insurance.
The poverty rate for Pratt County is a little lower, but up somewhat from the previous five years, according to data released by Kansas Action for Children.
Just over eight percent of Kansas kids were not covered by any type of health insurance, in 2010, making it less likely they would get the care they need when they first need it. That represented an increase from 7.4 percent in 2008, while neighboring states and the country as a whole made significant progress to reduce uninsurance among children. Kansas and Nebraska tied for 50th place in terms of progress made.
One-quarter of Kansas children live in families in which no parent has full-time employment.
Only 7 percent of eligible children receive Early Head Start services and only 49 percent of eligible children receive Head Start services.
Kansas ranked 19th in a state-by-state study on the well-being of America’s children, its lowest rating since 2004.
The data did show progress for Kansas in several areas.
• The on-time immunization rate for children reached a five-year high of 70 percent in Kansas and 84 percent in Pratt County for 2009.
• Fifth graders continue to show strong rates of reading proficiency — 87.29 percent statewide and about the same in Pratt County.
The ethnic make-up of Pratt County changed from 2006, when nearly 90 percent of children under age 18 were white and 5.6 percent were Hispanic. By 2010, the Hispanic youth population had increased to 9.3 percent, while children described as of two or more races increased slightly to 3 percent. African American children made up less than a percent of the 2010 youth population.
The most notable positive indicator was a marked decrease in youth tobacco use and binge drinking, both statewide and in Pratt County.
Eleven percent of Pratt County youth reported using tobacco products in the 30 days prior to taking a survey from Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, as compared to 19 percent in 2007. Binge drinking showed a similar decrease, from 22 percent in 2007 to 11.5 percent in 2011.
Pratt High and Liberty Middle School students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 completed a new survey just before the Christmas break.
“We encourage the kids to be honest,” PHS Principal Steve Blankenship said, noting that some students might exaggerate the facts, while others don’t admit to their behaviors. “The data is as accurate as it can be, on as widespread survey as possible.”
The service center administers the Kansas Communities Care survey every year and at least 60 percent of students in the targeted grades participate. Up to 80 percent of Pratt County kids take the survey.
“I think it (risky behaviors) is getting better, but you always have to stay on top of it. Better comes when kids come back (after graduating or leaving school) and they break the cycle,” Blankenship said. “Somewhere along the line something clicked in for them.”
In addition to smoking and drinking, he included social media in the risky behavior category, and said that teachers, coaches and administrators make conscious efforts to teach kids about the consequences of taking risks, both in and out of school, and for the immediate and more distant future.
