After years of flat budgets that fail to account for the cost of inflation on public services, West Virginia’s state spending on Medicaid, child care assistance, public education, and higher education have all declined. Meanwhile, other areas of the budget, namely spending on jails, prisons, and foster care, have increased dramatically. This is an expected…
KIDS COUNT
State Journal - The 2025 Kids Count Data Book was recently published, showcasing where each state ranks in several areas like education, health and economic well-being for children. Read the full article. West Virginia ranked 41st in overall well-being, an improvement from the last data book, where the state was 44th. Sean O’Leary, Kids Count…
WTAP - New data show that West Virginia has seen some modest improvements in child well-being, but the state continues to lag behind its neighbors in several key ways. Read the full article. The Kids Count Data Book, released annually by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, tracks children’s health, education, economic security and family stability…
West Virginia Watch, Yahoo News - West Virginia’s ranking for child well-being has made slight improvements, but the state is still struggling with students meeting basic academic benchmarks. Read the full article. The new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation said that in 2024, 75% of West Virginia’s fourth graders were not proficient…
Public News Service, Clay County Free Press - A new report shows West Virginia has improved the well-being of its children but the Mountain State still ranks the in the bottom tier of states for measures such as child poverty, education and health. Read the full article. The findings come from the 2025 Kids Count Data…
West Virginia MetroNews - West Virginia improved its overall child well-being ranking compared to last year, according to an annual assessment — although that meant moving from 44th to 41st among the states. Read the full article. That’s according to the most recent Kids Count Data Book, a 50-state report of recent data developed by the…
Charleston, WV — West Virginia improved its overall child well-being ranking compared to last year, moving from 44th to 41st among the states according to the 2025 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, a 50-state report of recent data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzing how kids are faring in post-pandemic America. Each year, the…
Introduction We are currently in a mental health crisis both nationally and in West Virginia. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, youth across the country were experiencing mental health challenges, but during the pandemic there were steep increases in the number of youth experiencing anxiety and depression. The pandemic led to new stressors for youth, including school…
Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch - Two numbers will loom over the West Virginia legislative session that resumes Wednesday: 37 and 47. Read the full article. New Gov. Patrick Morrisey is West Virginia’s 37th governor. West Virginia ranked 47th nationally in economic well-being in a 2024 assessment of state trends in child welfare from a prominent…
West Virginia News - The annual Kids Count Data Book was recently published, highlighting where each state ranks in terms of child well-being. Read the full article. As a whole, West Virginia placed 44th in the nation after looking at data in categories including education, health, economy and family and community. The study helps officials…