Boosted by sound federal, state and local policy investments, Wisconsin’s children experienced marked progress in well-being placing the state 12th in the nation for overall child well-being, according to 2017 KIDS COUNT® Data Book.
The annual Data Book uses 16 indicators to rank states across four domains—economic well-being, education, health, and family and community context. The state has made improvements in areas like economic well-being, with less children in Wisconsin living in poverty. The state has also seen improvements in education. The percentages of fourth graders below proficient in reading and eighth graders lacking proficiency in math declined slightly.