The share of Colorado children living in poverty fell to a pre-recession level for the first time in 2014, according to the annual Kids Count report released on March 28. More children were covered by health insurance, and teen birth rates continued to drop in 2014.
But conditions vary widely among counties and by race and ethnicity, the report says. Douglas County south of Denver had 4 percent of its children living below the federal poverty level, while Saguache County in the San Luis Valley had the highest share at 40 percent.
In La Plata County, 13 percent of kids under age 18 were living in poverty in 2014, compared to 15.6 percent statewide. The rate in both Archuleta and Montezuma counties was 26.7 percent.
The report ranks child well-being in the state's 25 largest counties. Douglas County topped the list. La Plata County was 8th. Montezuma County came in last of the 25.
The report summary advises that while the statewide child poverty rate fell to a pre-recession level in 2014, it was still 5 percentage points higher than in 2000. More than 190,000 kids lived in families with incomes below the federal poverty level in 2014, meaning less than $23,850 for a family of four.
The statewide average for kids in poverty is down, the report says, "But for too many of our state's children, the odds remain weighted against them. Despite the decline in our state's child poverty rate, more than 190,000 Colorado children still lived in poverty in 2014, with 82,000 living in extreme poverty. Colorado school districts identified nearly 25,000 students who were experiencing homelessness. More than 240,000 children lived in households that were uncertain about whether they would have enough food for their families."
While 8 percent of white children lived in poverty statewide, it was 27 percent for Latino kids and 31 percent for black children, the report summary says.
It says fewer kids were living with an unemployed parent, but one in four kids lived in a household where no parent had secure full-time employment.
The report, titled "Futures in the Balance," gives a list of 42 statistics for each county in the state, grouped under categories of population, vulnerable families, family economics and supports, child and maternal health, and education.
The state population in 2014 was 5.35 million, with 23.6 percent under age 18. La Plata County had just over 54,000 people, with 20.1 percent under age 18. Archuleta County had 12,249 people, with 18.5 percent under age 18. Montezuma County had 25,812 people, with 22.9 percent under 18.
Median household income in 2014 was $61,324 statewide, $60,658 in La Plata County, $44,508 in Archuleta County, and $44,163 in Montezuma County.
Vulnerable families criteria include births to single women, births to women without a high school diploma or GED, and births per 1,000 girls age 15-19.
La Plata County was four points above the state average of 22.8 percent of births to single women, while 35.1 percent of births in Archuleta and 34.2 percent in Montezuma County were to single women.
The state averaged 12.2 percent of births to women without a high school diploma or GED. It was 8 percent in La Plata, 11.8 percent in Archuleta, and 19.8 percent in Montezuma County.
The birth rate per 1,000 girls age 15-19 was 19.4 statewide, 9.4 in La Plata, 17.1 in Archuleta, and 33.7 in Montezuma County.
For health care, 41.6 percent of kids up to age 18 were enrolled in Medicaid statewide in fiscal year 2014-15, and 6.3 percent were enrolled in CHP+.
In La Plata County, 37.6 percent were in Medicaid and 9.8 percent in CHP+. In Archuleta County it was 60.3 percent in Medicaid and 12 percent in CHP+. Montezuma County was similar with 60.4 percent and 11.6 percent.
Under education, none of the results statewide or locally were particularly good on CMAS achievement tests given in 2015 for math, reading, English language arts, science, or social studies.
Statewide, 58.3 percent of fourth graders were NOT proficient in reading. It was 53.1 percent in La Plata, 76.1 percent in Archuleta, and 76.4 percent in Montezuma County.
On the math test (no grade specified), 29.9 percent of students statewide met or exceeded expectations. It was 24.6 percent in La Plata, 18.9 percent in Archuleta, and 13 percent in Montezuma County.
In English language arts, 39.7 percent of students statewide met or exceeded expectations. It was 43.3 percent in La Plata, 30.5 percent in Archuleta, and 21.3 percent in Montezuma County.
In science, 33.1 percent statewide scored strong or distinguished. In La Plata it was 33.9 percent. It was 35.4 percent in Archuleta and 17.9 percent in Montezuma County.
Social studies results were low all around for students scoring high or distinguished. Statewide it was 16.8 percent. It was 21.7 percent in La Plata, 12.9 percent in Archuleta, and 6 percent in Montezuma.
This is the 23rd edition of the annual Kids Count Colorado report. It's produced by the Colorado Children's Campaign and is part of the national Kids Count initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report is available at www.coloradokids.org/KIDSCOUNT2016.
