Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, said there are common ground, bipartisan budget and tax decisions to change it. He noted tax credits based on child care and earned income could put more money in the pockets of low-income households.
"There are a number of tax ideas that are not conservative or liberal, but they would really tackle childhood poverty," Brooks pointed out.
Kentucky ranked 36th among states for child well-being. According to the report, parents' economic security has improved significantly across the nation, with more than 62% of children living in economically secure homes in 2022, compared to around 58% in 2021.
The data show 63% of young children in Kentucky were not in school between 2019 and 2023, and two-thirds of fourth graders scored below proficient in reading. Similarly, three in four eighth graders scored below proficient in math. Brooks stressed leaving kids unprepared will impact the Commonwealth's future economy.
"Think about Kentucky's workforce in 10 or 12 years," Brooks observed. "Think about what that means that three out of four folks entering the job market can't do math at a minimal level."
Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said as federal lawmakers debate cuts to safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP, she hopes they review the data in the report before any final moves.
"I think it's critically important that policymakers look at the data on food security in their community, that they look at the data on access to health care, that they look at what's been effective in driving child well-being," Boissiere urged.
Possible cuts to SNAP and Medicaid put children at risk of malnutrition, obesity, and chronic disease, and lack of Medicaid access means uninsured kids are more likely to be left without a regular health care provider, according to the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality.