A society must be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable—and most valuable—members: its children. The State of America’s Children 2020 makes it abundantly clear that by this measure, America is falling shamefully short.
For years our country has not lived up to its promise to its children, and as we enter a new decade, the situation for many children is only growing more dire. And as we reach a critical turning point in 2020, when children of color will become the majority of children in America, we are failing these children worst of all.
Within this report you will find stories, statistics, data and trends that show in the clearest terms how we are failing our children. We urge advocates, policymakers, parents and families, community and faith leaders, educators and all those who stand up for our children to use the information in this report to push for America to make a different choice. Let us choose, finally, to recognize that every single child is precious and full of potential.
Let 2020 be the year we choose to give every single child the chance to succeed.
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Introduction
We are failing America's children.
Overview
There were 73.4 million children in the U.S. in 2018
Moments in America
A baby is born into poverty every 51 seconds.
Each Day in America
1,683 babies are born into poverty each day.
Chapter 1: Child Population
2020 is the year children of color are projected to make up the majority of children in America.
Chapter 2: Child Poverty
1 in 6 children in America live in poverty—making them the poorest age group in the country.
Chapter 3: Income & Wealth Inequality
39% of total U.S. wealth is held by the richest 1 percent of households.
Chapter 4: Housing & Homelessness
111,592 children experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2018.
Chapter 5: Child Hunger & Nutrition
1 in 6 children in the U.S. living in food-insecure households.
Chapter 6: Child Health
425,000 children lost their health coverage in 2018.
Chapter 7: Early Childhood
In 30 U.S. states, the cost of center-based child care for an infant exceeds the cost of public college tuition.
Chapter 8: Education
More than 72% of Hispanic and Black fourth and eighth graders are not proficient in reading or math.
Chapter 9: Child Welfare
1,844 children are confirmed abused or neglected each day.
Chapter 10: Youth Justice
1,995 children are arrested each day in the U.S.
Chapter 11: Gun Violence
170 classrooms would be filled with the children and teens killed by gun violence in 2017.
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