OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A new
study that ranks Oklahoma 40th overall in children's issues says the
number of children living in poverty rose by 9% from 2005 to 2010.
The overall ranking is an improvement from 43rd last year.
The 2012 Kids Count report
released Wednesday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation also found the
teenage birth rate up 11% from 2005-2009 in the state.
The reading skills of
4th-graders and the math skills of 8th-graders showed improvement from
2005-2011 and there was a 23% increase from 2008-2010 in children with
health insurance. The child and teenage death rate fell 7% from
2005-2009.
Oklahoma Institute for
Child Advocacy director Linda Terrell says she hopes the state's elected
officials will use the report to help bring children out of poverty.
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