Study: D.C. children at the greatest educational, economic disadvantage

[Anonymous]

http://wtop.com/living/2015/08/study-d-c-children-greatest-disadvantage-state-rankings/

"WASHINGTON — Children in the District are the most disadvantaged when it comes to education and economic well-being, and are among the very lowest in the United States when it comes to health, too, according to a new survey.

The rankings, assembled by WalletHub, a personal financial resource website, ranks states on a variety of metrics, including graduation and poverty rates, homelessness among families, infant mortality, health care coverage, foster care, and malnutrition.

D.C. came in dead last of all states in the categories of Early Foundations & Economic Well-Being and Education. It ranks 43 among the 51 states in Health...."

Here is a link to the actual study, which shows DC has the (1) most children in foster care; (2) most children in single-parent families; (3) third highest percentage of kids in households with below poverty level income; (4) second highest number of mistreated children; (5) highest child food-insecurity rate; and (6) most homeless persons in families.

http://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-underprivileged-children/5403/#methodology

[Anonymous]

So what is your commentary on this? Is this something you have seen or experienced?

[Anonymous]

Well DC pays the most per child for schools, so you can't ask for better than that. How does DC compare to other cities? I think it's an unfair comparison since DC is just a city and states have a variety of city, suburban, and rural areas.

[Anonymous]

I think this is really sad and explains a lot about the challenges faced by DC schools

[Anonymous]

I'm not at all disagreeing with the main idea BUT of course you mean DC has the greatest percentage of kids with disadvantages, not that DC children overall are in the most dire situation because they are in DC. Plus standard disclaimers about including DC in any state rankings...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well DC pays the most per child for schools, so you can't ask for better than that. How does DC compare to other cities? I think it's an unfair comparison since DC is just a city and states have a variety of city, suburban, and rural areas.

This.

[Anonymous]

Well, lets hope we don't get statehood then, 'cause otherwise we'd have to actually think about and address these substantive issues concerning children, rather than writing off the findings!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well DC pays the most per child for schools, so you can't ask for better than that. How does DC compare to other cities? I think it's an unfair comparison since DC is just a city and states have a variety of city, suburban, and rural areas.

This.

+1000. Please compare DC to other cities. Use your brain people--don't be sheep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, lets hope we don't get statehood then, 'cause otherwise we'd have to actually think about and address these substantive issues concerning children, rather than writing off the findings!

We'd have a lot more control over spending for health and education then!

[Anonymous]

What is the percentage of child poverty for the other states? DC is around 30%, isn't it? Mississippi and the other states at the bottom have similar poverty profiles. There is no surprise here people. Now lets fix it...

[Anonymous]

I think you could find better sources for this kind of study than WalletHub, don't you?

[Anonymous]

DC needs to be compared to cities, not states. Did they not teach you that wherever you grew up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well DC pays the most per child for schools, so you can't ask for better than that. How does DC compare to other cities? I think it's an unfair comparison since DC is just a city and states have a variety of city, suburban, and rural areas.

This.

+1000. Please compare DC to other cities. Use your brain people--don't be sheep.

Dc is not a city. (But I understand your point.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well DC pays the most per child for schools, so you can't ask for better than that. How does DC compare to other cities? I think it's an unfair comparison since DC is just a city and states have a variety of city, suburban, and rural areas.

This.

+1000. Please compare DC to other cities. Use your brain people--don't be sheep.

Dc is not a city. (But I understand your point.)

What is it? A small town of 650,000 people?

[Anonymous]

Yet DC is first in public Pre-Kindergarten access. Almost universal Pre-K access has been achieved. And Pre-K serves mostly low income children. That's a good thing right there.