ANOTHER BAD YEAR FOR NEW MEXICO IN THE 2014 KIDS COUNT SURVEY. THE REPORT RANKS THIS STATE 49TH FOR CHILD WELL BEING … UP JUST ONE SPOT FROM DEAD LAST … 50TH IN 2013. THE HIGHEST NEW MEXICO HAS EVER RANKED ON THE KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK IS 40TH BACK IN 1995.
AMONG THE FACTORS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN THESE RANKINGS ARE HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE GOING WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE … THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHOSE PARENTS DON'T HAVE SECURE JOBS OR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS … THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN SINGLE-PARENT HOMES … AND 4TH GRADE PROFICIENCY RATES.
VERONICA GARCIA WITH NEW MEXICO VOICES FOR CHILDREN SAYS THE STATE HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND NEW MEXICO'S KID COUNT DIRECTOR, CHRIS HOLLIS, SAYS MUCH OF THE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL HELP PARENTS RAISE THEIR CHILDREN BETTER.
