A new report paints a bleak picture of the well-being of African-American children in Michigan.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation has studied the economic and societal challenges facing children for a long time.
The foundation’s latest study finds Michigan’s children face more challenges than most American children.
But when the study breaks its findings down by race, Michigan's African-American children face substantially greater problems.
The latest Kids Count report ranks the well-being of Michigan’s African-American children at the bottom of the national survey, only slightly better than Mississippi and Wisconsin. One in six Michigan children is African-American.
Michigan’s white children fare much better in the survey, but still rank below the study’s average national rating of well-being.
An official with the Michigan League for Public Policy says the new report shows Michigan’s elected leaders should do more to improve opportunities for families and children. Citing the survey, the League says the state’s elected leaders should increase the minimum wage and improve access to child care.
