OKPOLICY.ORG
KIDS COUNT
We are the Oklahoma affiliate of the KIDS COUNT Network, a group of state-based child advocacy and research organizations that use data to promote smart policies on issues ranging from child welfare and juvenile justice to education and economic opportunity.
For the latest numbers on child well-being in Oklahoma and other states, see the KIDS COUNT Data Center and the 2023 KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
OK Policy has published an interactive KIDS COUNT Data Map that allows users to take a county-by-county level view of various metrics that show child well-being. The KIDS COUNT Data Map dashboard also includes county-level fact sheets that can be downloaded to see how individual counties stack up to the state and national averages.
KIDS COUNT published a special report about child well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic (December 2020).
If you have any questions about our KIDS COUNT work, contact info@okpolicy.org.
KIDS COUNT Reports
New economic rankings show Oklahoma falling further behind
There are quite a few reasons to be optimistic about Oklahoma this year. Unemployment is low and the state expects to have a budget surplus this year, the first in quite some time. But despite this good news, too many Oklahomans are still struggling to make ends meet and build a better future for themselves and their families. For the third straight year, Oklahoma has dropped in the Prosperity Now Scorecard rankings. This year, we rank 43rd in the financial health and overall well-being of our residents - that's down from 34th in 2016. [More...]
2019 Priority: Increase PK-12 state aid funding to restore school staffing and programs
Download this fact sheet as a printable pdf here.
Read about the rest of OK Policy’s 2019 Legislative Policy Priorities here.
The revenue measures passed in April 2018 as HB1010xx were a historic win for educators, funding an average $6,100… Read more [More...]
2019 Priority: Restore higher education funding to ensure a well-educated workforce
Download this fact sheet as a printable pdf here.
Read about the rest of OK Policy’s 2019 Legislative Policy Priorities here.
Maintaining a robust system of higher education is vital to Oklahoma’s economic prosperity. Insufficient funding hampers Oklahoma’s ability to… Read more [More...]
2019 Legislative Policy Priorities: Solutions for Oklahoma’s toughest challenges
We are offering proven solutions to poverty and the lack of opportunity that holds Oklahoma back from becoming a truly prosperous state. With this agenda and with all of you, we may finally fulfill the Oklahoma Standard and rebuild an economy and society that works for all. [More...]
Kicking the can down the road: How inadequate funding dismantles data-driven education reform
There is a saying that “what gets measured, gets done,” and in 1990, our state Legislature seemed to understand this adage. That year, they passed HB 1017, which dedicated $560 million dollars over five years to implement historic education reforms including class size reduction, curriculum standards, testing, and early childhood programs. Since that time, state funding gains have severely eroded, and Oklahoma has not been able to maintain many aspects of HB 1017 including class size limits. [More...]
More work needed to count all Oklahoma kids in the 2020 Census
Accurate Census data is an essential bedrock for our democracy and economy. We can all pitch in to make sure all Oklahomans are counted in 2020 and beyond. [More...]
Oklahoma missing opportunities to give young adult parents and their kids a boost
The first years of adulthood are a crucial time in anyone’s life. Many Oklahomans ages 18 to 24 are taking their first steps toward independence, whether they’re in college or just entering the workforce. These are also key years for… Read more [More...]
New KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks Oklahoma near the worst in the nation for child well-being
A new report shows the youngest generation of Oklahomans face far-reaching challenges. The state ranks near the bottom in the nation for most measures of child well-being, according to the 2018 KIDS COUNT® Data Book released today by the Annie… Read more [More...]
To help kids, help parents
About 168,000 children age 5 and younger in Oklahoma live in low-income families (making less than 200 percent of the poverty threshold, or $47,000 for a family of four). Like most families in America, the parents of these young children … Read more [More...]
Early Childhood Fiscal Map
For a project funded by Smart Start Oklahoma, Oklahoma Policy Institute developed a fiscal map of the federal, state, local, and private supports for young children in our state. Read more... [More...]
