Locations
United States
Definition and Source
PROVIDER
Definition
The KIDS COUNT Education Domain is one of four thematic domains — Economic Well-Being, Education, Health, and Family and Community — that together comprise the KIDS COUNT overall index. The domain reflects key indicators of children's educational experiences and outcomes, including early childhood school enrollment, reading and math proficiency, and on-time high school graduation. The indicators are consistently and regularly measured, which allows for legitimate comparisons across states and over time.
The Education domain rank for each state was obtained in the following manner. First, the state numerical values for each indicator within the domain were converted into standard scores and then summed to create a domain standard score for each of the 50 states. The states were then ranked on the basis of their domain standard score in sequential order from highest/best (1) to lowest/worst (50). Standard scores were derived by subtracting the mean score from the observed score and dividing the amount by the standard deviation for that distribution of scores. All measures were given the same weight in calculating the domain standard score.
The Education domain rank for each state was obtained in the following manner. First, the state numerical values for each indicator within the domain were converted into standard scores and then summed to create a domain standard score for each of the 50 states. The states were then ranked on the basis of their domain standard score in sequential order from highest/best (1) to lowest/worst (50). Standard scores were derived by subtracting the mean score from the observed score and dividing the amount by the standard deviation for that distribution of scores. All measures were given the same weight in calculating the domain standard score.
Data Source
Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data gathered for the annual KIDS COUNT Data Book.
The 4 indicators of child education well-being were derived from the following government statistical agencies:
The 4 indicators of child education well-being were derived from the following government statistical agencies:
Young children not in school U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Fourth graders not proficient in reading U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Eighth graders not proficient in math U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress.
High school students not graduating on time U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
Notes
The year represents the year the KIDS COUNT Data Book was published. The indicators on which the indices are based reflect the most recent data available at the time of publication — the target reference year for most indicators — though some indicators may reflect prior or more recent years based on source availability.
For example, for the 2012 KIDS COUNT Data Book, most estimates are from 2010; some indicators reflect earlier years such as 2008-2009, and a couple from 2011—the most current year available at the time.
Break in trend
The 2022 Overall Index Rankings and the 2022 Domain Rankings should not be compared to prior year rankings. The data source for 8 of the indicators changed to the 5-year American Community Survey data because of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on data quality in 2020.
The 2017 Overall Index Rankings and the 2017 Education Domain Rankings should not be compared to prior year rankings. For the 2017 Data Book, the data source for the indicator “high school students not graduating on time” changed. Starting this year, this indicator is being measuring using data derived from the Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). Prior to the 2017 Data Book, this indicator was derived from the Averaged Freshman Graduate Rate (AFGR). Although the ACGR and the AFGR measure a similar outcome—the share of high school students who graduate within four-years—the methods for calculating each measure are quite different. This means that the reported percentages of students graduating on time and states’ relative graduation rate ranking may vary across the two measures. These types of differences can result in states changing positions in the overall index and in the education domain as a result of the methodology change rather than due to any meaningful changes in how children are faring within and across states. Accurate discussions of year-to-year changes in rankings must be the result of changes that can only be attributed to changes in how children are faring.
The data source for “high school students not graduating on time” was changed because the ACGR now the “gold standard” for graduation rate reporting. It was designed to be more accurate and uniform across states and it is the number that the U.S. Department of Education uses to report graduation rates.
For more information about how the ACGR and AFGR differ see: https://ies.ed.gov/learn/blog/what-difference-between-acgr-and-afgr
For example, for the 2012 KIDS COUNT Data Book, most estimates are from 2010; some indicators reflect earlier years such as 2008-2009, and a couple from 2011—the most current year available at the time.
Break in trend
The 2022 Overall Index Rankings and the 2022 Domain Rankings should not be compared to prior year rankings. The data source for 8 of the indicators changed to the 5-year American Community Survey data because of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on data quality in 2020.
The 2017 Overall Index Rankings and the 2017 Education Domain Rankings should not be compared to prior year rankings. For the 2017 Data Book, the data source for the indicator “high school students not graduating on time” changed. Starting this year, this indicator is being measuring using data derived from the Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). Prior to the 2017 Data Book, this indicator was derived from the Averaged Freshman Graduate Rate (AFGR). Although the ACGR and the AFGR measure a similar outcome—the share of high school students who graduate within four-years—the methods for calculating each measure are quite different. This means that the reported percentages of students graduating on time and states’ relative graduation rate ranking may vary across the two measures. These types of differences can result in states changing positions in the overall index and in the education domain as a result of the methodology change rather than due to any meaningful changes in how children are faring within and across states. Accurate discussions of year-to-year changes in rankings must be the result of changes that can only be attributed to changes in how children are faring.
The data source for “high school students not graduating on time” was changed because the ACGR now the “gold standard” for graduation rate reporting. It was designed to be more accurate and uniform across states and it is the number that the U.S. Department of Education uses to report graduation rates.
For more information about how the ACGR and AFGR differ see: https://ies.ed.gov/learn/blog/what-difference-between-acgr-and-afgr
Last Updated
June 2026