The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its latest Race for Results® report a decade after its inaugural publication, revealing progress in some areas but persistent disparities for children of color in the United States.
The report utilizes Casey’s Race for Results index based on 12 indicators of child and youth well-being, showing that improvements have been made in at least six out of 11 comparable indicators across racial and ethnic groups over the past decade. Despite this progress, the nation falls short in adequately preparing children to achieve crucial milestones, with no racial or ethnic group coming close to the maximum score of 1,000 on the index.
The report emphasizes the need for targeted investments in children of color to eliminate long-standing barriers and address specific needs. While there has been an increase in attention to the circumstances and needs of young people, disparities persist. The national index scores range from 386 for Black children to 771 for Asian and Pacific Islander children.
State-level variations indicate that experiences differ widely based on location, with Vermont, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine having some of the highest index scores and smallest gaps among racial and ethnic groups.
- See the summary of “2024 Race for Results; Building a Pathway to Opportunity for All Children” by the Annie E. Casey Foundation (January 10, 2024)
- See the full 51-page report “Race for Results”
