Discussing all things related to child well-being, local and state family and youth-focused agencies recently met in Jackson for the Southwest Tennessee Legislative Forum.
Legislators, educators and community members were given a chance at the forum to hear the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth's 2024 "State of the Child" report.
The annual publication compiles data on topics like economics, education, child care, health care, mental health and youth justice. Then, using the annual findings, the nonpartisan commission is tasked with legislative advocacy work that prioritizes the well-being and best outcomes of children and their families.
Richard Kennedy, the commission's executive director, opened the forum by unpacking a summary of findings. Here are the key takeaways from the report:
Economics, Reduction in Poverty
Tennessee has seen a reduction in overall child poverty over the last decade, dropping from 26.5% in 2013 to 19.7% in 2023.
The state saw an all-time low in child poverty in 2022. Then, it was 17.6%, about 1.3% higher than the national average.
Though the poverty rate has steadily declined since 2013, it increased slightly from 2022 to 2023.
Child Care Affordability
Kennedy said the affordability of child care has received an influx of attention, particularly in the post-COVID era, more so than he's seen before.
The average annual statewide cost for a family to spend on infant center-based care in 2023 was $13,126, he said.
By comparison, one year of in-state tuition at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville during the 2023-2024 academic school year was $13,484.
"The bottom number of childcare is more expensive than any in-state university with the exception of the University of Tennessee," Kennedy said.
Though it wasn't the lowest or highest county on the list, the average annual cost for infant child care in Madison County was $8,541.
Williamson County ranked the highest with an annual cost of $14,664.
School and Education
Part of the commission's data looks at the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, an exam completed by students in grades 3-8.
Results from last year's exams revealed that 41% of all students were in the "approaching" proficiency category for English Language Arts, while 32% were approaching proficiency for math.
The report also has a category for school buildings.
It estimates that more than $87 million in infrastructure improvements are needed across all Tennessee schools to be in compliance with state and federal laws.
Compliance funding, categorized separately in the report from renovation funding, includes improvements to addressing asbestos, ADA accessibility and fire codes.
Madison County was one of the top 10 districts with the greatest need for compliance funding, totaling $3.62 million.
School support services, a vital component in the well-being of students, was identified in the report as needing improvement. Social workers are spread thin, and based on 2023-2024 school attendance, there was about one social worker for every 1,613 students.
Per the National Association of Social Work, the ideal ratio should be one to 250, Kennedy noted.
Mental Health and Healthcare
Though 89% of Tennessee children are in what is considered excellent or very good health, food insecurity remains an issue affecting every county to varying degrees, it was reported.
Madison County's child food insecurity rate in 2022 totaled 26.4%, a number 8.5% higher than the state average.
Mental health is also an area of concern. Since 2017, the number of high school students struggling with suicidal ideation has increased.
Female students are affected at a slightly higher rate when it comes to the consideration of attempting suicide, making a plan of how they would attempt suicide and actually attempting suicide as compared to their male counterparts.
Nearly one in four high school students, male and female, have considered attempting suicide.
Advocating for the Next Generation
Looking at the data is similar to a rollercoaster, Kennedy said, adding there are victories to be celebrated while recognizing room for improvement.
"I think when we're talking about legislative advocacy, we're talking about children and youth and improving outcomes for them and their families across the state. I always think it's important to level set why we're doing this," he said. "If I ask every single person in this room, you're all going to have a different 'why,' but I think the commonality is that we all want the next generation of Tennesseans to do well, to have a brighter future."