California Report Card 2005: An Assessment of Children’s Well-Being

This report from Children Now in California presents a 2005 assessment of children’s well-being. Indicators of well-being include: (1) Health Insurance, (2) Dental Insurance and Access, (3) Childhood Obesity, (4) Adolescent Health, (5) Infant Health, (6) Economic and Food Security, (7) Early Education, (8) K-12 Education, and (9) After School. Policy goals and recommendations are listed to address the areas of need outlined in the report. The goals include: (1) “Ensure health and dental insurance and access for every child in California;” (2) “Reduce childhood obesity rates by addressing the multiple contributing factors, including nutrition, physical activity, and media messages;” (3) “Increase accessibility, affordability, and quality of preschool and child care programs for all children and families in California;” (4) “Ensure that every child in California’s K-12 public schools receives a high-quality education;” and (5) “Ensure equitable access to the state’s after school programs for all California children, and increase the quality of those programs.”