Michigan knows what it’s like to be on the worst lists. We’ve seen more than a few and those of us from the Flint and metro Detroit areas know even more about those lists.
So if we aren’t such a great place to live, what is? For me, the best place to live is determined by where kids have the best chance of success.
And according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Iowa, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, North Dakota, Nebraska and Utah are the best states in which to raise your children.
They also have winter. Snow, ice and freezing temperatures for at least a few months of the year. Except for Utah, which isn’t really all that cold and most of the snow is in the mountains, so maybe I should have only listed the top nine.
The worst states in which to raise a child are: Mississippi, New Mexico, Louisiana, Nevada, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.
Did you notice they are all warm states, hot states, some with record-breaking temperatures and no winter. Now I know it’s not the climate that makes the difference in providing overall well-being for children, but you have to admit it’s a heck of a coincidence.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation has rated all 50 states on child well-being every year since 1990, the data focuses on Economic Well-being, Education, Health, and Family and Community. They also compare the data over the years to see how the rankings fluctuate.
And while one state may be the perfect place in 1995, it could very well be less than perfect five years later. You have to check all of the data.
For many parents economics is most important. Many parents don’t have the education or skills needed for a good full-time job. Some get a full time job but with a wage too low to step out of poverty. So where might parents have the best opportunity for a strong economic foundation? This year’s study found the top-rated states in economic well-being are Wyoming, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Utah and Kansas.
Fly-over country as those states are often referred – except for New Hampshire, nobody flies over New Hampshire unless they’re headed to Greenland.
I was also intrigued that New York and California, often considered “the” place to live by the elite, are in the bottom 10 of the economic list, 43 and 47, respectively. There’s a lot of economic activity in those two states, but little of it trickles down to the children who need it most.
So where’s Michigan? Well in economics we’re at 28, pretty close to the middle. In overall well-being, which considers all the rankings we come in at 31, which is kind of the top of the bottom. We do even better in Health, ranking at 14.
And in education, well the worst 10 states for educating children are: New Mexico, Nevada, Alabama, Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arizona, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Alaska and … drum roll, please … Michigan.
I find no value in blame, although since it is a presidential election year, I’m sure many readers will know exactly who to blame. I’m more interested in understanding the data and learning from it. We can’t make the right changes if we don’t know what is wrong.
Take a look at the results. Do you think it’s possible to make Michigan a better place to raise children or should we all start thinking about moving to Minnesota?
Learn about the well-being rankings of children across the nation here. http://www.aecf.org/resources/the-2016-kids-count-data-book/#state-rankings
Image credit: pawpaw67
Not surprised- but still saddened- by the educational ranking. As legislators and business insist education needs to be more ‘business’ oriented, they ignore the fact that children are not a commodity. They do not equally or consistently respond to the same actions. They are not chemicals that always create the same reaction when mixed, heated, cooled, or processed. They are unique individuals that require an observing eye, multiple techniques, plentiful time and abundant amounts of caring.
Absolutely!
Amen!
I completely agree – although I wonder why it is so darned hard for others to see?
Despite popular belief to the contrary there is a huge co-relation between finances and educational achievement, if the money is MANAGED right. Leaders in Flint and Flint Schools have mishandled our funds for decades and our kids’ educations have taken fatal hits. So have they in Detroit. There is an inherent hatred towards teachers driving politicians, especially those making law in Lansing. And they still haven’t connected the dots that whacking funds to “lazy” teachers ultimately destroys public school kids’ chances of achievement. Thus the extraordinary rise of so-so charter schools. My kids are grown but if I were doing it over, we’d be moving east.
I don’t mean to be flip by any suggestion that it is easy for any family to just up and move – but looking at the data makes me wish I would have thought about it more seriously many, many years ago.
Maybe at least to Minnasota, darn Michigan education never did learn to spell.
LOL
Both my children went to flushing schools and were well prepared for college. Both got a degree and are very well self supported. If the desire is there and the support of the families are there you can be successful. I graduated from flushing in 1976 and college was really not an option for me. But in those days GM was still big in the area which is where I ended up. Made a good living. Those days are gone but there are a lot better options that are very doable in Michigan. If you want to succeed you will no matter where you live.
It is true that many, many of us from Michigan have been successful. And in particular your statement that “if the desire is there and the support of the families are there you can be successful,” reminds me that some children grow up in Michigan without someone to teach them to desire a successful future and those same children often have no support from families. Those who are left stranded, those we pay not attention to, those children make a difference. How do we help those children, which in turn helps all of our state?
Education should begin at home, you can’t simply send your little monsters to school and expect them to learn. More often than not they are a distraction to other people’s kids. Too many parents including intelligent hard working ones treat the school system like it’s there to babysit their kids. Schools are there to insure your children have an opportunity to learn, it’s the parents responsibility to insure they do so.
Another thought, those southern states deemed the 10 worst places to raise children all have more than one of the following list: alligators, water moccasin, rattle snakes, scorpions, black widow spiders, fire ants, killer bees, sharks,..
New York and California in the bottom 10 for economic opportunity is only surprising on the surface, imagine the competition for an after school job.
You’re right. But what about the children born into troubled families, those without support, those not taught to believe in their future and their right to success? How do we help them, which will in turn help our state, our economy and our future?
Your list of scary creatures is notable. LOL
Most would say my upbringing was troubled and I’d agree. I was taught my future is what I make of it and exposed to real world experiences as a child, many unintentionally, I’ll never forget. While my nose was often stuck in a book I was always watching over the top of the spline.
I’m uncertain how we help kids from unfortunate circumstances other than one at time, if everyone tried to make a difference and give some positive influence to children that need it even if it’s it only one kid the world would be a better place.
From the Michigan Department of Education:
February 9, 2016
LANSING – Seven months of collective input from the public and education stakeholders across the state has developed a set of targeted strategies to help Michigan become a Top 10 education state in 10 years, State Superintendent Brian Whiston told the State Board of Education.
For the rest of the story, see:
http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140–376451–,00.html
One very important key to this will be to look closely at teacher certification testing in Michigan. Dr. Deborah Ball, Dean of the School of Education at the University of Michigan, was recently interviewed on Michigan Radio’s Stateside:
http://michiganradio.org/post/once-considered-too-easy-teacher-certification-now-too-hard
It is very important that we continue to raise the standards of the teaching profession. However, as Dr. Ball explains, when you closely at these tests (which I do in my work as a teacher educator) you see the flaws. The devil is often in the details.
Michigan cannot recover economically without quality education. What up-and-coming professional is going to move their family here? The former “apprenticeship” programs have all disappeared so where is the skilled labor going to come from? This is just one more mail in Michigan’s coffin.
Exactly. Well said.
I believe that children learn a lot by observing their parents and adult behavior.
That could be very good or very bad, and there are exceptions to every situation. In their teen years when they talk back, or are constantly on their phones or think that parents don’t know anything, we often think, “where did we go wrong?” Take heart! Soon they will be respectful, friendly, happy and caring young people. The ideal starting place is respect, not just for elders but for:
themselves, teachers and friends, authority, all people no matter their lifestyle, the environment, their possessions and other people’s possessions, anyone’s home, etc. It breaks my heart to see this does not happen in every home. Sad but true.
I think your first sentence is spot on: “children learn a lot by observing their parents and adult behavior.” Like you, my heart breaks for the children who have no support, no mentors, little chance for success.
Society has changed and so have schools. We need to value schools and teachers, define the goals and targets of education (what students should know and be able to do). We need to spend more money on schools and less on prisons (non-readers disproportionately end up in prison).
This can be done. A big problem is that politicians define education (Common Core Curriculum) rather than trained educators. Michigan doesn’t test students on the adopted curriculum, so how do we expect them to do well? The national test does not test Michigan’s curriculum either.
If the target is clear, schools can define and organize instruction and help students become successful learners. This has been done before and can be done again if we get serious about public education and take politics out of the equation.
Seems like education has become little more than a bureacracy these days. And I agree, when we begin to spend more money on schools than prisons, we will probably see emptier prisons and crowded schools.
Please, teach your kids, Read to them starting when they are little. Later, get involved with their homework. Read their text books. Send them to the Y; send them to camp; take them on great vacations; teach them good manners; teach them how to drive…
Bad schools actually can be a good thing for smart kids. The smart kids who have learned from their parents can ace every class and lead their classes. When I was a third grader, I told my parents something my teacher said. And they told me, “She is wrong. We are better educated and smarter than that teacher. Here is what you need to do.”
Please do send your kids to school. They need to be with other kids. But, teach your own kids very well. That will set them up for success.
Also, Loren M.’s posts here are brilliant. Both parts.
Thanks Tom, I come from a family of readers.
Here’s a three word description of myself.
Incongruous, erudite, incorrigible.
Exactly – reading is essential and so are involved parents. But I worry for the children with no one to teach them. They still impact this state, our economy and our future. How do we help them?
Best we can do is try and set a good example and teach kids we know. I’m just as at home with my nose in a book as I am with tools, there’s nothing like a practical demonstration to make learning fun. I’m also known to be long winded (pun intended), flying a kite with me will result in history and science lectures.
Kansas? Do these people know what’s going on there? The state government is destroying the state and they are considered a top ten, yup, I’m convinced that these polls are legit.
Hey Andrew and Brenda,
Your July 6 column is not coming through normally, on my connection. Maybe you just want to ditch me. That would be sad. But, maybe you should check. Maybe your www connection is malfunctioning.
Did this problem get worked out Tom?