From being ranked very last in 1989 (51st, to be exact) to next-to-last, 49th, in 2022, Louisiana has ranked poorly among the states for over three decades. The following table is a sample of Louisiana Kids Count headlines reporting, through the years, our state’s ranking in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual Kids Count Data Book.
Louisiana Kids Count Headlines, 1990-2022
| Year | Rank | Headline |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 51 | Wiley Hilburn Jr., Judy Johnson, Frank May. (1991, June 22) “Fund the future: State must prove kids do count”. The Times, pp. 16A |
| 1991 | 49 | Thao Hua. (1992, March 30) “The Poor Kids: Children pay a high price for poverty”. The Times, pp. 9A |
| 1992 | 49 | Thao Hua. (1992, March 23) “La. ranks worst in child poverty”. The Times, pp. 1A |
| 1992 | 49 | Nichele Hoskins, Rodney Grunes. (1992, March 24) “Leading Indicators: Children’s poverty costs us in more ways than one”. The Times, pp. 17A |
| 1992 | 49 | Bill Decker. (1992, March 23) “Report: State ranked 49th, Louisiana among worst for helping its children. The Daily Advertiser, pp. 1 |
| 1993 | 49 | Mary Foster. (1993, March 29) “Kids at risk. Report: many La. Children face poor odds from start”. The Town Talk, pp. A1, A2 |
| 1993 | 49 | David Westerfield. (1993, March 29) “Blight takes the bloom out of Louisiana youth”. The Times, pp. 1A, 2A |
| 1993 | 49 | Richard Whitmire. (1993, March 29) “Study: ‘At risk’ children, families keep increasing”. The Times, pp. 2A |
| 1993 | 49 | Mary Foster. (1993, March 29) “La. Child poverty rate is 2nd in U.S.: Idle teenager percentage tops nation”. Daily World, pp. 2 |
| 1993 | 49 | NEW ORLEANS. (AP). (1993, March 29) “La. Children: Odds against them”. St. Mary and Franklin Banner-Tribune, pp. 4 |
| 1993 | 49 | Bill Decker. (1993, March 29) “Study: Children in danger in state”. The Daily Advertiser, pp. A1, A4 |
| 1994 | 49 | Jack Mitchell. (1994, April 25) “La. life hard on kids: State ranks 49th in child quality of life”. The Times, pp. 1B, 2B |
| 1995 | 50 | Bill Decker. (1995, April 26) “50th in the nation: Louisiana behind in caring for children”. The Daily Advertiser, pp. A1 |
| 1996 | 50 | NEW ORLEANS. (AP). (1996, June 3) “Kids count last in Louisiana”. Daily World, pp. 1,13 |
| 1996 | 50 | Wiley Hilburn Jr., Frank May, Martha H. Fitzgerald. (1996, June 21) “Kids Count: Have mercy on state’s children”. The Times, pp. 4B |
| 1997 | 50 | Jeff Conrad. (1997, May 5) “Kid Stats: La. worst among states in children’s well-being”. The Town Talk, pp. A1, A2 |
| 1998 | 50 | Cindy Urrea. (1998, May 5) “Study: Louisiana worst state to be a child”. The Daily Advertiser, pp. 7A |
| 1999 | 49 | Claire Taylor. (1999, September 26) “Child welfare improvements fall short”. Sunday Advertiser, pp. 1A, 10A |
| 2000 | 50 | Alisa Singley. (2000, January 30) “Louisiana’s children fight the odds”. The Times, pp. 11A |
| 2000 | 50 | Angela Watkins. (2000, June 20) “Louisiana’s children suffer: state ranks 50th in child well-being” and “Children: Despite improvements, state still trails nation”. The Times, pp. 1A, 2A |
| 2001 | 49 | NEW ORLEANS. (AP). (2001, February 20) “Study: La. lags in child health care”. The Daily Advertiser, pp. 8A |
| 2001 | 49 | The Associated Press. (2001, February 20) “Study paints bleak picture for children”. The Daily Review, pp. 6 |
| 2002 | 49 | Louisiana Voices. (2002, June 9) “Children in Louisiana still deserve better”. The News-Star, pp. 3B |
| 2003 | 49 | Staff and wire reports. (2003, June 12) “Study: State ranks 49th, Well-being of children still major concern. The News-Star, pp. 3A, 4A |
| 2003 | 49 | The Times Editorial Board. (2003, July 6) “LA’s at 49 and holding: Do children count?”. The Times, pp. 61 |
| 2004 | 49 | Jim Bradshaw. (2004, June 3) “State among worst in nation for children affected by poverty”. The Daily Advertiser, pp. 3B |
| 2005 | 49 | Karina Donica. (2005, August 1) “Fighting against all odds: Report shows Louisiana tops list of children living in poverty”. The News-Star, pp. 1A, 8A |
| 2006 | 49 | Jordan Blum. (2006, June 28) “La. 49th in child well-being”. The News-Star, pp. 1A, 10A |
| 2007 | 49 | NEW ORLEANS. (AP). (2007, July 26) “Report: State’s children face challenges”. Abbeville Meridional, pp. 3 |
| 2007 | 49 | Mary Jimenez. (2007, July 25) “Kids Count data point finger at state”. The Times, pp. 4B |
| 2007 | 49 | Times Editorial Staff. (2007, July 25) “Time to say, ‘Enough!’”. The Times, pp. B1 |
| 2008 | 49 | Mandy M. Goodnight. (2008, June 13) “Mississippi only state below Louisiana in child well-being study”. The Town Talk, pp. A1, A4 |
| 2009 | 49 | New Orleans. (2009, December 6) “Estimated 29% of Acadia children living in poverty”. The Rayne Acadian-Tribune, pp. 10 |
| 2010 | 49 | Reprint Town Talk Editorial. (2010, July 30) “Report: For kids, Louisiana is trouble”. The News-Star, pp. 3B |
| 2011 | 49 | AUTHOR. (2011, August 17) “Louisiana ranks at bottom for child welfare”. Daily Comet, pp. WEB |
| 2011 | 49 | AUTHOR. (2011, August 17) “La. ranks 49th in children’s wellbeing”. The Advocate, pp. WEB |
| 2011 | 49 | AUTHOR. (2011, August 17) “Louisiana ranks 49th nationwide in child welfare survey”. The Times-Picayune, pp. WEB |
| 2012 | 47 | Jeff Matthews. (2012, July 26) “State improves in annual kids survey, but economic issues still a hurdle for many”. The Town Talk, pp. A1, A5 |
| 2013 | 46 | Susan Montoya Bryan. (2013, June 25) “Report: Economic well-being of kids slips”. The Town Talk, pp. A1, A2 |
| 2014 | 47 | AUTHOR. (2014, July 22) “Louisiana’s kids are worse off than those in 46 other states, report says”. The Times-Picayune, pp. WEB |
| 2015 | 48 | Alexandria Burris and Jennifer Calfas. (2015, July 23) “Louisiana is at the bottom of another list: Child poverty numbers called ‘disturbing’”. Daily World, pp. A1, A3 |
| 2015 | 48 | Lex Talamo. (2015, November 10) “State among worst places to be a child”. The Daily Advertiser, pp. 9A, 14A |
| 2015 | 48 | Editorial Board. (2015, July 23) “La. Almost last in Kids Count 2015”. The News-Star, pp. 5B |
| 2015 | 48 | Jennifer Calfas. (2015, July 22) “More children in poverty now than during recession”. The News-Star, pp. 10A |
| 2015 | 48 | AUTHOR. (2015, July 22) “Louisiana near bottom in Kids Count 2015”. The News-Star, pp. |
| 2016 | 48 | Miranda Klein. (2016, June 21) “Report: Louisiana’s youth too poor, too sickly, well-being of kids is among worst in US”. The Town Talk, pp. 1A, 8A |
| 2017 | 48 | AUTHOR. (2017, June 13) “‘Family values state’ that doesn’t value families? Kids Count ranking reveals Louisiana’s challenges, some bright spots”. The Times-Picayune, pp. WEB |
| 2017 | 48 | Miranda Klein. (2017, June 13) “One in four Louisiana kids live in poverty”. The Town Talk, pp. 1A |
| 2018 | 49 | AUTHOR. (2018, June 29) “Without Pre-K, Louisiana children start off at a disadvantage”. The Times-Picayune, pp. WEB |
| 2019 | 49 | AUTHOR. (2019, June 18) “Louisiana remains one of the worst states for child well-being”. 4WWL.com, pp. WEB |
| 2019 | 49 | AUTHOR. (2019, June 24) “Louisiana ranked 49th in child welfare”. Louisiana Weekly, pp. WEB |
| 2022 | 49 | Jeff Palermo. (2022, August 8) “Louisiana performs poorly once again Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS Count report“. louisianaradionetwork.com, pp. WEB |