meet   Paul Ronningen, State Coordinator, CDF–ND P.O. Box 655 Bismarck, ND 58502  |  701-400-1827 www.cdf-nd.org pronningen@childrensdefense.org intro to CDF Watch Video Learn more about CDF, our history and our Leave No Child Behind® mission. updates Read the latest Child Watch® column from CDF president Marian Wright Edelman. resources ND Economic Policy Project Understand the State Budget and Choices

Children's Defense Fund-North Dakota strengthens the voice of the state's children and families on issues that affect their well-being. A significant number of children and families in North Dakota face poverty, lack of health coverage and inadequate child care.  CDF-ND works to have a positive presence in the state so that all children are provided the opportunities to become successful and contributing adults.

New Report - 10 Needs for North Dakota's Children

Investments in children today will ensure a healthy future for all North Dakotans. This report outlines the 10 needs for ND's children that, if prioritized today, will bring great rewards in the years to come. Download the report, 10 Needs for North Dakota's Children by CDF-ND.

2012 North Dakota Children in the States Report

Download the 2012 North Dakota Children in the States Report by Children's Defense Fund

Bridge to Benefits

Bridge to Benefits is a multi-state project by Children’s Defense Fund to improve the well-being of families and individuals by linking them to public work support programs and tax credits. To see if you or someone else may be eligible for public work support programs, use the eligibility screening tool and click on North Dakota. We will ask you a few simple questions but we will NOT ask you for information that identifies you. It's easy, confidential and free!

 

2011 KIDS COUNT Report on North Dakota Children Released

Aug, 17, 2011 North Dakota ranked 10th in the nation in child well-being according to the National KIDS COUNT Data Book but saw declines in 5 of the 10 key indicators used to calculate the overall state rankings. The Data Book highlights that North Dakota has more children born at low birthweight and children born to single and teen parents compared to the beginning of the decade. In addition, more North Dakota teens are dying and are not in school or graduating. However the state saw improvements in two critical areas, the percent of children living in poverty and the rate of infant mortality.

According to Polly Fassinger, Program Director for North Dakota KIDS COUNT, “North Dakota has been fortunate in that many families have been able to avoid the most harmful effects of the recession. For example, since the beginning of the decade, our child poverty rate showed slight improvement while the child poverty rate in the nation rose to 20%. However, we can’t afford to assume that everyone is doing well. Data from the 2005-2009 American Community Survey show that at least 30% of children are impoverished in eight of North Dakota’s 53 counties.”

Click here to view the full data book.
Click here to view the North Dakota data book.
Click here to download the North Dakota data book.

KIDS COUNT Data Center

North Dakota KIDS COUNT is pleased to partner with The Annie E. Casey Foundation to give you interactive access to all of its KIDS COUNT Data Center:

• Find available data (1991 to most recently released).
• Compare across counties and statewide averages - you choose!

Create graphs and maps for the data and years that interest you most.

NEWS

April 01, 2012 GrandForksHerald.com

Paul Ronningen, Bismarck column: North Dakota children need Legislature's help

Paul Ronningen asks, "And how are the children?" This Masai greeting reminds us in North Dakota to assess each and every day how well our children are doing.

###

February 23, 2012 Inforum.com, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead

More North Dakota children living in high-poverty areas

by Helmut Schmidt (Excerpt below) Read Full Article

FARGO – More North Dakota children are living in areas of high poverty, putting them at risk for not getting proper food, housing or health care, and making it more likely that they could have severe behavioral and emotional problems, the Kids Count program announced Thursday.

North Dakota data for 2010 indicates 7 percent of the state’s children, about 11,000, live in economically distressed areas – neighborhoods where at least 30 percent of residents live below the federal poverty line. That’s up from 5 percent in 2000, the Kids Count program at North Dakota State University reports.

The federal poverty threshold in 2010 for a family of four was $22,314, Kids County reports. 

###

September 23, 2011 Bismarck Tribune

Failing education: pipeline to prison

by Paul Ronnigen (Except below) Read Full Article

The Tribune carried an article titled, "A New way to spell f-r-e-e-d-o-m," on  Sept. 19. The story highlighted efforts to teach inmates how to read so that when they are released, they will be better prepared to be contributing members of society. This is a noble and valuable effort to ensure a successful start for re-integration in society.
So what happens when we trace back and check to see why we have inmates coming to our public facilities unable to read? Could it be that today we have 1,298 income-eligible North Dakota children on waiting lists for Head Start programs?

###

Aug 18, 2011  Inforum.com, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead

Minnesota, North Dakota rank high for kids’ well-being

by Ryan Johnson (Excerpt below) Read Full Article

Both Minnesota and North Dakota rank near the top of the country when it comes to children’s health and well-being, according to a newly released report.

But local analysts said these findings can be deceptive, especially considering that Minnesota has seen a 56 percent jump in its child poverty rate over the past decade and 21 percent of North Dakota children now live in families with neither parent employed full-time year-round.

###