California Scores Low for Children

Here are some of the grades, and a few examples of how First 5 LA, either through legislative or financial support, is helping to raise the score and help California's children:

Early Learning and Development: C-
The early years of child development are critical to socio-emotional and cognitive development, and children who fall behind often struggle academically, according to the Report Card. Effective and high-quality early care and education supports all areas of development, but too few of California's 3.2 million children 5 and younger are not getting the kinds of programs they need, mostly because of availability and cost, the Report Card notes, adding that the average annual cost for infants in licensed care is between $7,937 and $11,850.

First 5 LA is helping to build the Early Care and Education workforce by training more providers to offer quality programs. In addition, First 5 LA continues to invest in Los Angeles Universal Preschool, which guarantees quality preschool for all 4-year-olds in Los Angeles County.

Infant Health: C+
While California is making strides in areas of healthy birth weight and infant mortality rates, significant disparities in infant health still exist - especially for African American infants who suffer a higher infant mortality rate (12.4 per 1,000 births, compared with the state's overall rate of 5.2 per 1,000 births).

Last year, First 5 LA invested in the Black Infant Health and Healthy Births programs, both of which work to improve outcomes for newborns in vulnerable populations through maternal support, prenatal care and parenting classes. First 5 LA also supported, and will continue to support, legislation that ensures proper hospital care for mothers and their newborns.

Obesity: C-
California has approximately 600,000 obese children, according to the Report Card. Reducing the epidemic is complicated because of the many, various factors that contribute to it, such as quality of foods and beverages served at schools and child care facilities; education about and access to healthy foods and a lack of physical activity due to unsafe streets or opportunities to play outside.

Through the recent Rethink Your Drink policy and community activities, First 5 LA reached families and politicians alike to promote drinking water and low-fat or skim milk instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. Next month, First 5 LA's ongoing educational campaign will focus on nutrition and healthy eating. In addition, First 5 LA supported a number of successful bills last year that focused on access to healthy foods.

This year, the Report Card is accompanied for the first time by The Children's Agenda, which sites 10 "high priority" actions state lawmakers "should take to reverse the declining status of children." Many of the priorities cited by Children Now coincide with First 5 LA's Public Policy Agenda and the FY 2009-15 Strategic Plan's four goals that children are born healthy, maintain a healthy weight, are safe from abuse and neglect and are ready for kindergarten.

The Children's Agenda includes:

• Adopting a comprehensive preschool to 12th grade education revenue and reform package.

• Executing a comprehensive, high-quality early learning and development system for children birth to 5.

• Establishing a longitudinal data system that connects early learning and development with higher education, health and other data.

• Providing affordable health care coverage and access.

• Decreasing oral health problems in children.

• Significantly reducing obesity rates in California children.

• Providing children in the child welfare system the support and services they need to remain safe and stable.

"It's clear any sound plan to revitalize our state must prioritize children's development," wrote California Now President Ted Lempert. "California's history backs this up, as do countless examples from across the nation and the world. And yet, for decades, our state has failed to do so."