Child Death Rate (deaths per 100,000 children ages 1–14) is the number of deaths to children between ages 1 and 14,
from all causes, per 100,000 children in this age range. The data are reported by the place of residence, not the
place where the death occurred.
SOURCES:
-
Death Statistics:
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
2007 data: Customized microdata file provided by CDC, NCHS. 2000 data:
“Deaths by 10-Year Age Groups: United States and Each State, 2000,” accessed online at
www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/VS00100.TABLE23B_2000.pdf
(January 10, 2003).
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Population Statistics:
Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2007 data: State Characteristics Population Estimates File, accessed online at
http://www.census.gov/popest/states/asrh/files/SC-EST2007-alldata6.csv. 2000 data: Census 2000 Summary File 1
(SF 1) 100-Percent Data, Table P14.
Infant Mortality Rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) is the number of deaths occurring to infants under 1
year of age per 1,000 live births. The data are reported by place of residence, not place of death.
SOURCES:
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
2007 data: “Deaths: Final Data for 2007,” National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 58, No. 19 (May 2010), Table 32.
2000 data: “Deaths: Final Data for 2000,” National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 50, No. 15 (September 16, 2002), Table 36.
Overall Rank for each state was obtained in the following manner. First, we converted the 2008
(or 2007, depending on the indicator) numerical values for each of the 10 key indicators into standard scores. We
then summed those standard scores to create a total standard score for each of the 50 states. Finally, we
ranked the states on the basis of their total standard score in sequential order from highest/best (1) to
lowest/worst (50). Standard scores were derived by subtracting the mean score from the observed score and
dividing the amount by the standard deviation for that distribution of scores. (Because we did not rank the
District of Columbia, we did not include data for the District in our calculations of standard scores.
See page 34 of the Data Book for an explanation of why we did not rank the District.) All measures were
given the same weight in calculating the total standard score. In other words, no attempt was made to judge
the relative importance of each indicator.
Percent Change Over Time Analysis was computed by comparing the 2008 (or 2007, depending on the indicator)
data for each of the 10 key indicators with the data for the base year (2000). To calculate percent change,
we subtracted the value for 2000 from the value for 2007/2008, then divided that quantity by the value for
2000. The results are multiplied by 100 for readability. The percent change was calculated on rounded data,
and the “percent change” figure has been rounded to the nearest whole number.
Percent Low–Birthweight Babies: 2007 is the percentage of live births weighing less than 2,500 grams
(5.5 pounds). The data are reported by place of mother's residence, not place of birth. Each year there are
a small number of births in which the weight of the newborn is not recorded, and births of unknown weight
are not included in these calculations.
SOURCES:
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
2007 data: Births: Preliminary Data for 2008. NVSR Volume 58, Number 16. Table 6
2000 data: “Births: Final Data for 2000,” National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 50, No. 5,
(February 12, 2002), Table 46.
Percent of Children in Poverty is the share of children under age 18 who live in families with incomes below
the U.S. poverty threshold, as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. The Federal poverty definition
consists of a series of income thresholds based on family size and composition and is updated every year to
account for inflation. In 2008, the poverty threshold for a family of two adults and two children was $21,834.
Poverty status is not determined for people in group quarters such as military barracks, prisons and other
institutional quarters, or for unrelated individuals under age 15 (such as foster children). The data are based
on income received in the 12 months prior to the survey.
SOURCES:
-
Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2008 data: 2008 American Community Survey Summary Tables, Table B17001
2000 data: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Summary Tables, Table P114.
Percent of Children in Single–Parent Families is the percentage of children under age 18 who live with their
own single parent either in a family or subfamily. In this definition, single-parent families may include cohabiting
couples and do not include children living with stepparents. Children who live in group quarters (for example,
institutions, dormitories, or group homes) are not included in this calculation.
SOURCES:
-
Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2008 data: 2008 American Community Survey Summary Tables, Table B23008
2000 data: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Summary Tables, Table P063.
Percent of Children Living in Families Where No Parent Has Full–Time, Year–Round Employment is
the share of all children under age 18 living in families where no parent has regular, full-time
employment. This measure is very similar to the measure called “Secure Parental Employment,” used
by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics in its publication, America’s Children:
Key National Indicators of Well-Being. For children living in single-parent families, this means
the resident parent did not work at least 35 hours per week, at least 50 weeks in the 12 months prior
to the survey. For children living in married-couple families, this means neither parent worked at
least 35 hours per week, at least 50 weeks in the 12 months prior to the survey. Children living with
neither parent also were listed as not having secure parental employment because those children are
likely to be economically vulnerable.
SOURCES:
-
Population Reference Bureau, special tabulations of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Supplementary Survey; and 2008 American Community Surveys.
Percent of Teens Not Attending School and Not Working (ages 16–19): is the
percentage of teenagers between ages 16 and 19 who are not enrolled in school (full- or part-time)
and not employed (full- or part-time). This measure is sometimes referred to as “Idle Teens” or
“Disconnected Youth.” The inclusion of the group quarters population to the ACS in 2006 could have a
noticeable impact on the universe population for this age group. Therefore, the 2008 ACS estimates might
not be fully comparable to estimates prior to 2006.
SOURCES:
-
Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 2008 data: 2008 American
Community Survey Summary Tables, Table B14005. 2000 data: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Summary
Tables, Table PCT36.
Percent of Teens Not in School and Not High School Graduates (ages 16–19) is the percentage of
teenagers between ages 16 and 19 who are not enrolled in school and are not high school graduates.
Consistent with Census Bureau policy, persons who have a General Equivalency Diploma or equivalent are
included as high school graduates in this measure. The measure used here is defined as a “status dropout”
rate by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) as shown in their publication, Dropout Rates in
the United States: 2001 (p. 4). We use data on status dropout measure in the KIDS COUNT Data Book because
it is available and comparable for all states. NCES collects data on event dropouts, but only 45 states
currently submit event dropout data to the NCES that meets quality and comparability levels needed to
justify publishing estimates (see NCES, Public High School Dropouts and Completers From the
Common Core of data School Year 2000-02, p. 2). For the measure presented here, we focus on teens
ages 16 to 19 rather than young adults ages 18 to 24 (which is the focus of Dropout Rates in the United States: 2001),
because a large share of 18- to 24-year-olds migrate across state lines each year. The high interstate
migration rates of 18- to 24-year-olds confound the connection between state policies and programs and
state dropout rates. The inclusion of the group quarters population to the ACS in 2006 could have a
noticeable impact on the universe population for this age group. Therefore, the 2008 ACS estimates
might not be fully comparable to estimates prior to 2006.
SOURCES:
-
Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2008 data: 2008 American Community Survey Summary Tables, Table B14005.
2000 data: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Summary Tables, Table PCT36.
Teen Birth Rate (births per 1,000 females ages 15–19) is the number of births to
teenagers between ages 15 and 19 per 1,000 females in this age group. Data reflect the mother’s place
of residence, rather than place of birth. This measure of teenage childbearing focuses on the fertility
of all females ages 15 to 19, regardless of marital status. We focus on births to 15- to 19-year-olds
rather than the narrower age range of 15- to 17-year-olds used in previous KIDS COUNT Data Books because
recent research strongly suggest that births to young women ages 18 and 19 are as problematic as are
births to girls ages 15 to 17. For example, the poverty rate for children born to 18- and 19-year-olds is
virtually the same as the poverty rate for children born to females under age 18. We omitted births to
girls under age 15, since less than 5 percent of teen births occurred to girls in that age group. The
inclusion of girls under age 15 in the denominator would dramatically lower the rate, providing an
unrealistic assessment of the true risk being faced by 15- to 19-year-old females.
SOURCES:
-
Birth Statistics: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
2007 data: State Health Department for each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
For more information on the individual Health Departments, contact KIDSCOUNT@prb.org.
2000 data: Child Trends, Inc., Facts at a Glance (Washington, DC: 2002): Table 1.
-
Population Statistics: Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2007 data: State Characteristics Population Estimates File, accessed online at
http://www.census.gov/popest/states/asrh/files/SC-EST2007-alldata6.csv.
2000 data: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data, Table P14.
Teen Death Rate (deaths per 100,000 teens ages 15–19)
is the number of deaths from all causes to teens between ages 15 and 19, per 100,000 teens in
this age group. The data are reported by place of residence, not the place where the death occurred.
SOURCES:
-
Death Statistics: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
2007 data: Customized microdata file provided by CDC, NCHS.
2000 data: CDC, NCHS, Division of Vital Statistics, Work Table III. Deaths From 358 Selected
Causes, by 5-Year Age Groups, Race, and Sex: U.S. and Each State, 2000,” accessed online at
www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/statab/mortfinal2000_workIII_PT1.pdf (January 6, 2005).
-
Population Statistics: Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2007 data: State Characteristics Population Estimates File, accessed online at
http://www.census.gov/popest/states/asrh/files/SC-EST2007-alldata6.csv.
2000 data: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data, Table P14.