Illinois ranks high in child welfare, poor outcomes rise

(Illinois News Connection/Public News Service) — Illinois is doing better than most states in supporting youth well-being, according to a new report, but local leaders said declines in education and health outcomes still demand attention.

The 2026 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation looked at how children and families are faring across four areas. Illinois’ strongest rankings are in education and health but academic outcomes remain worse than pre-pandemic levels.

Loukisha Pennix, chief youth and family potential officer for YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, said the state has seen a sharp decline in fourth grade reading levels, with 70% not proficient in reading.

Illinois saw improvements in factors related to economic well-being, family and community but child and teen death rates are increasing across the state, which Pennix said has become a major public health concern. Overall, the state fared worse on this year’s report compared with last year.

More young children ages 3 and 4 are not in school in Illinois, and the number of eighth graders proficient in math has also decreased.

A new scoring system this year shows whether policies and public investment are actually improving children’s lives. Pennix stressed investments in programs such as SNAP, Medicaid and Head Start are critical and have ripple effects on children’s health, education and economic security.

As the federal government implements new eligibility restrictions for safety net programs, funds for people affected by SNAP cuts were included in the recently passed state budget. Under a new program, eligible residents would receive a one-time $400 payment. It is scheduled to last one year.

Judith Ruiz-Branch, Illinois News Connection

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Judith Ruiz-Branch is an award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience as a reporter/producer for TV, radio, print and podcast news. She's also served as a Spanish spokesperson and led communications, media and public relations team's at various organizations in Chicago. She began her career at WGN-TV in Chicago and went on to work for various news outlets including WBEZ Radio, Crain's Chicago Business, the Chicago Tribune and WNIN Tri-State Media among others. Her bilingual reporting with WNIN earned her two Murrow Awards, most recently for innovation in the digital space. Her favorite stories to report on are health, human interest, equity, justice, and immigration.

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