The 2023 Kansas KIDS COUNT Data Book
Ryan Reza | October 12, 2023
Last week, we released the 2023 Kansas KIDS COUNT© Data Book, a comprehensive report detailing how Kansas kids are doing in economic well-being, education, and health outcomes. The Data Book is rich with data collected from national and state sources. Our goal is to make child-focused data more accessible and easily understandable to the average Kansan.
What Is KIDS COUNT©?
The Kansas KIDS COUNT© project is an annual snapshot of how Kansas children are faring, determined by indicators based in health, education, and economic well-being areas. Kansas KIDS COUNT is a joint effort alongside the national KIDS COUNT project, operated by The Annie E. Casey Foundation. KIDS COUNT provides quality and data-driven solutions and products aimed to better the state of Kansas for children and their families.
What Is the Data Book?
The 2023 Kansas KIDS COUNT© Data Book includes in-depth analysis and policy solutions using KIDS COUNT indicators. The Data Book assesses the well-being of Kansas children and families with data ranging from 2011-2022, creating a “snapshot” of the last decade.
This year’s edition of the Data Book includes 26 indicators analyzing data in four main chapters: Demographics, Economic Well-Being, Education, and Health. Each chapter is aimed at providing an overall assessment of Kansas children and families by providing an in-depth background and analysis for each indicator. We also include relevant policy solutions that we are confident would better the lives of Kansas kids.
Below is an example of an indicator spread within the Data Book:
Is the Data Book a Primary or Secondary Source? How Can It Be Used?
The Data Book is a secondary source that includes up-to-date data, meaning we accessed and analyzed the data from 12 primary sources. Some of the sources include the U.S. Census Bureau, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas State Department of Education, Feeding America, and the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data visualization-focused products increase data literacy and open the door for more data-driven advocacy conversations. The Data Book is meant to be a resource for policymakers, partners, and the public to understand indicators relevant to Kansas children and families, while connecting the present data to real-world policy solutions.
Why Is the Data Book Important?
The Data Book is a resource for those wanting to make Kansas a better state and opens the door for difficult conversations supported by data-driven solutions. The indicators provide needed context for policy and can be used in local, state, and federal advocacy.
The Kansas KIDS COUNT project is one of the premier sources for data on Kansas children and families, the annual snapshot of data can provide quality assessments on how Kansans are faring. Now with the addition of the Kansas KIDS COUNT© Data Book, KIDS COUNT data can be more easily incorporated in policy efforts across the state. The analysis and visualizations also increase the opportunity for readers to understand the data at a much higher level than if they were to access the raw data themselves.
Where Can I Find It?
The Data Book is available digitally on our website here: www.kac.org/2023_data_book. You can also download a PDF version. If you would like a physical copy of the Data Book, please email us a request at [email protected].
What’s Next?
While we just released this year’s Data Book, we are already beginning to work on the next edition! If you have any feedback or questions about the 2023 Data Book, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]. Your thoughts will inform our work in the year ahead.
< Back to the news listShare
