Oregon is lagging well behind most other states in the country in education, according to the latest report released by the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation. Using data from state and federal sources, the KIDS COUNT report reveals that Oregon is wallowing at the bottom of the ranking at 43rd out of the 50 states.
Child and Teen Suicides and Household Poverty are Further Causes for Concern
Another worrying statistic is that of children and teens deaths per 100,000 of the population which rose from 20 in 2019, to 28 in 2022.
Poverty is further cause for concern. According to the KIDS COUNT economic wellbeing data profile, children living in poverty worsened by 14% from 2019 to 2022, while children living in households with high housing cost burdens worsened by 30% during the same timeframe.
Oregon is Floundering in Three of Four Education Categories
Statistics on education show that Oregon is floundering in three out of four categories, while school absenteeism rose to alarming rates.
Plummeting statistics show that 78% of eighth graders were not proficient in math, an increase of 10% since pre-COVID, while fourth graders not proficient in reading rose to 72%, an increase of 6% compared to pre-pandemic figures.
Children between the ages of 3 and 4 who did not attend pre-schools in Oregon numbered 58% of the population, while data revealed that 40% of Oregon students did not attend 16 or more days of school in 2022-23. This represents a drop of nearly 20% compared to pre-pandemic figures and is labeled as ‘chronically absent.
According to an Oregon Department of Education report, research proves that children who are guilty of chronic absenteeism in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade, are far less likely to read by third grade, and increase their likelihood of dropping out of high school.
Decades of Lost Progress Need to be Addressed
In its summary, the report states that data from the National Assessment of Education Progress reveals that fourth grade reading, and eighth-grade math results plummeted between 2019 and 2022. These results represent ‘decades of lost progress’ and an ‘alarming trend’ that highlights ‘the urgent need to address growing disparities among U.S. students,’ the report states.
On a brighter note, children in the state are healthier than average. Oregon ranks in the top 25% of states that support child health, measured against birth weight, childhood death and obesity rates, and health insurance cover.
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