DATA AND RESEARCH
Children’s Alliance conducts data and research projects focusing on our policy priorities: early learning, health equity, and economic justice.
As a KIDS COUNT state partner with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, we gather and analyze the best emerging data on how kids are doing in our state. By pairing hard data with personal stories from community members, we can help policymakers recognize and remove the barriers to opportunity that many of our state’s children face.
KIDS COUNT® DATA BRIEF: TWO-THIRDS OF WASHINGTON’S YOUNG CHILDREN MISS VITAL SCREENINGS—AND EARLY SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES
One key indicator in our KIDS COUNT® data project measures how many children ages 9 to 35 months had a parent who completed a standardized developmental tool. Developmental screenings help identify whether young children are reaching important milestones in areas like thinking, speaking, and moving. Tracking how many children ages 9 to 35 months receive these screenings through a standardized tool shows whether families are getting early support.
KIDS COUNT® DATA BRIEF: EARLY LEARNING COSTS IN WASHINGTON ARE RISING—AND OUT OF REACH FOR MANY
One key indicator in our KIDS COUNT® data project is the child provider rate—the median monthly cost child care providers charge families for child care. 'Median' means half of providers charge more than this amount, and half charge less. This measure helps illustrate the cost burden families face and can highlight affordability challenges across counties and income levels.
KIDS COUNT® DATA BRIEF: MOST 3 AND 4 YEAR OLDS ARE NOT ENROLLED IN EARLY LEARNING, WIDENING OPPORTUNITY GAPS
One key indicator in our KIDS COUNT® data project is the percentage of young children not in school. This brief explores how many children ages 3 and 4 were not enrolled in school—including nursery school, preschool school or kindergarten—during the three months before the data was collected. In this context, "nursery school" and "preschool" include any group or class of institution providing educational experiences for children before kindergarten.
KIDS COUNT® DATA BRIEF: 431,000 YOUNG CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP IN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ACROSS WASHINGTON
One foundational indicator in our KIDS COUNT® data project is the population of young children in our state, specifically, the number and share of children ages 0-4 in Washington and each county, disaggregated by race/ethnicity. This helps advocates and policymakers understand where young children live and how many may need access to early learning, child care, and family supports.