By Freda Ross
Texas lawmakers need to change policies to improve the lives of children, according to the 2026 Kids Count Data Book released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Researchers studied children’s economic well-being, education, health, and family and community factors. Texas ranked among the bottom 10 states in three categories and received an overall score of 425 out of 1,000 for conditions tracked from 2019 to 2024.
Coda Rayo-Garza, senior director of research and data for the advocacy group Every Texan, said policymakers can use the data as a roadmap to improve conditions for the youngest Texans.
“We know that there are policy solutions that have shown that they move the numbers, that they can result in better outcomes for children,” Rayo-Garza pointed out. “The state has tackled difficult problems in the past, and we can do it again.”
Texas continues to have the highest uninsured rate for children in the nation.
Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said missing critical health exams early in life can hurt children’s learning and overall well-being.
“We want children to get the developmental and preventative treatment that they need, and we also want to know that if there’s a health issue, that they have the ability to see a medical professional,” Boissiere said.
She added costly medical bills can put a major strain on a family’s household budget, especially if they are uninsured.
The report highlighted some improvements. Texas saw decreases in the teen birth rate, the number of children who live in a home where the head of household does not have a high school diploma, and the number of children living in high-poverty neighborhoods.
Rayo-Garza noted lawmakers can use the information to craft data-driven solutions.
“It is the data pointing to where we need to focus policy solutions if we want to see improvements in health, in children’s health and well-being, if we want to see improvements in education, economic well-being,” Rayo-Garza emphasized. “We’ve got some indicators here.”
