Tonight Governor Walker delivers his State the State address. He is expected to talk about his vision of where Wisconsin should be headed, outline his priorities for his second term, and describe how he thinks the state should move forward economically.

Traditionally, governors haven’t used the State of the State address to focus on the well-being of children in the state, but they should. Today’s children grow up to be tomorrow’s workers, and if we want to have a healthy, well-educated workforce that is able to compete in a global economy down the road, then we need to make investments now in excellent schools, safe communities, and access to health care.

The Governor’s address provides a useful opportunity to evaluate the progress Wisconsin has made in giving every child a chance to grow up safe and healthy – a State of the State for Wisconsin’s children, in a way. Wisconsin has made great strides in improving the well-being of children in some areas of life, but has failed to help children advance in other areas.

Bright spots for Wisconsin children include:

• More children than ever have access to public 4-year-old kindergarten, helping students build solid foundations for later success in school. The number of Wisconsin children attending 4K has tripled over the last decade.
• Fewer Wisconsin teens are getting into trouble with the law. The number of juvenile arrests has fallen by 32% since 2008 as juvenile crime has dropped. Wisconsin teens are more likely to stay out of trouble, and our communities are safer.
• Fewer teenagers are having babies. The rate of births to teen mothers in Wisconsin has fallen by more than 25% over the last decade. That means fewer babies are born to young parents who may be unprepared financially and emotionally to give their children what they need to succeed.

Unfortunately, despite these bright spots, many children and families in Wisconsin are struggling:

• Nearly a quarter of a million Wisconsin children live in poverty, or 1 out of 6 children. Growing up in poverty can have life-long negative effects on a child.
• A typical Wisconsin household earns significantly less than before the recession. Median household income declined $2,700 between 2009 and 2013.
• Record levels of Wisconsin schoolchildren come from families with low incomes, and receive free or reduced-price school lunch. Children from families with low incomes have a harder time succeeding in school and are less likely to graduate from high school.
• About 61,000 Wisconsin children were uninsured in 2013 and lacked access to timely preventative health care.
• Not every child in Wisconsin has the same opportunity to succeed. Black children in Wisconsin are much more likely than white children to live in poverty.

Some of these facts pose significant challenges for Wisconsin’s future, while others are signs of advancements in well-being that have resulted from investments in communities and families. If lawmakers, families, and advocates agree to make children a high priority, Wisconsin can make significant progress in improving the state of Wisconsin’s children.

Tamarine Cornelius