The Colorado Children’s Campaign has published the 2025 Kids Count data book, which provides a comprehensive overview of various aspects pertaining to the state’s children.
This year’s report evaluates four critical areas: economic security, health, early childhood education, and K-12 education.
One of the key highlights noted by Maya Gould, vice president of research at the Children’s Campaign, is the significant advancements in Colorado’s developing early childhood system and the responsiveness of the state’s public health programs to the changing economic landscape.
Additionally, there have been improvements in the mental health of the youth within the state.
However, the report does not shy away from highlighting serious issues, including a troubling rise in homelessness among children, stagnating test scores in schools, and concerning trends in teenage deaths.
“Colorado is doing really great in some areas and definitely has some work to do in others,” Gould commented.
A particularly noteworthy point in this year’s data is the increased enrollment in the Child Health Plan Plus program, which rose by approximately 60,000 enrollees in the 2023-24 fiscal year.
This program is essential as it supports children from families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but are still considered low-income.
Gould noted, “What we’re seeing for the first time in this report is that the program is working as intended after the end of some pandemic-era policies that led to a lot of children losing Medicaid coverage.”
Despite the progress, the report points to a vital need for additional programs aimed at supporting families facing financial challenges.
“Costs are definitely rising in Colorado, and the increase in children experiencing homelessness is pretty drastic between 2023 and 2024,” Gould remarked.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s January Point-in-Time count indicates that the number of Colorado public school students identified as homeless surged by approximately 28 percent during that period.
The count showed that 4,781 children were experiencing homelessness last year—more than double the 2,291 children counted in the previous year.
Gould explained that, while the rise in homeless students is a national trend, it has notably worsened in Colorado.
The factors behind this increase are still under investigation, although some partners attribute it to rising housing costs and a growing number of newcomer families settling in the state.
In the 2024-25 school year, the data shows that nearly 30,000 immigrant students enrolled in Colorado public schools, up from approximately 15,000 the previous year.
On a positive note, youth mental health in Colorado appears to be improving.
Between 2021 and 2023, there was a notable increase in reports from middle and high school students stating they felt better equipped to handle stress, with a decrease in feelings of hopelessness.
Moreover, the rate of suicides among children aged 15 to 19 has decreased to 14.6 deaths per 100,000 teens in 2023, down from 18.1 deaths in 2016.
“These are really promising trends and point to the success of our efforts across the last few years, especially post-pandemic, to support our youth and promote mental health,” Gould stated.
Nevertheless, the report does highlight an increase in accidental overdoses and motor vehicle deaths among children aged 15 to 19, coinciding with the rise of lethal substances such as fentanyl and more dangerous driving patterns.
In the realm of academics, reading and math scores for K-12 students are still struggling in the aftermath of the pandemic.
In 2024, data indicates that 56 percent of third to eighth graders failed to meet expectations in English, while 66 percent did not meet expectations in math.
Although some improvements were noticed compared to previous years, overall scores remain lower than pre-pandemic levels.
Gould added, “Less than half of students were meeting expectations before the pandemic.”
On a brighter note, early childhood education metrics are showing more positive trends, largely attributed to the state’s new Universal Preschool program.
In its inaugural year, the program successfully provided free, part-time preschool to over 40,000 children, representing approximately 70 percent of Colorado’s 4-year-olds.
Additionally, the state’s childcare capacity has seen growth, with roughly 4,000 new slots for children under 6 and 6,000 slots for school-age children added between September 2023 and September 2024.
This expansion is particularly crucial in metropolitan areas and mountain towns, where childcare costs are exceptionally high.
Gould pointed out that Colorado is among the most expensive states for childcare, with families typically spending around $20,000 annually to enroll an infant in a licensed childcare center.
In Denver County, a family of four would need to earn nearly $117,000 to cover basic needs, significantly exceeding the state average of about $93,000.
An additional promising trend is that more children are being evaluated for developmental delays, with Colorado nearly doubling the number of evaluations conducted for young kids between 2021 and 2023.
This increase has led to more children receiving necessary services.
However, there has been a concerning dip in the number of parents seeking prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Data suggests that in 2023, 22 percent of babies were born to parents who did not receive early prenatal care, compared to 18 percent in the previous year.
Gould clarified that most insurance plans, including public health insurance, cover prenatal care, and research is underway to better understand the reasons behind this decline.
The findings from the 2025 Kids Count data book are poised to assist lawmakers at both state and local levels as they prepare for upcoming legislative sessions and allocate fiscal resources.
image source from：https://www.cpr.org/2025/05/29/kids-count-colorado-report-data-homelessness-mental-health/
