Child Outcome Goal

In 2021, the HYS surveyed 9,378 10th-graders in Washington. Of the 8,506 who reported their living situations, 8,150 (95.8%) lived with parents/guardians, 194 (2.3%) lived with other relatives, 30 (0.4%) lived in foster care, and 132 (1.6%) lived with others or on their own. Of those living with parents/guardians, 37.4 percent reported feeling depressed, compared to 52 percent of students who did not live with parents/guardians.

10th Graders Reporting Depression, by Living Situation, 2021

 

×

10th Graders Reporting Depression, by Living Situation, 2021

Source: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Health Care Authority Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, & Liquor and Cannabis Control Board (2021). Healthy Youth Survey [2021]. https://askhys.net
Notes: "Does Not Live with Parents/Guardians" includes students who live with other relatives (kinship care), who are in foster care, or who have other living situations.

Another DCYF health goal is that children and youth reach developmentally appropriate milestones.

Data from developmental screenings, such as the Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) assessment, can be used to track progress on healthy child and youth development; however, this information is not currently available. In State Fiscal Year 2023, 44 percent of 3 to 11 year olds on Medicaid received at least one well-care visit.

Percent of 3-11 Year Olds on Medicaid Receiving One or More Well-Care Visit in SFY 2023

 

×

Percent of 3-11 Year Olds on Medicaid Receiving One or More Well-Care Visit in SFY 2023

State Source: ProviderOne (MMIS) Medicaid claims/encounter and enrollment data
Notes: Map created using data from Healthier Washington (HCA) Dashboard.

DCYF’s first health outcome is that more babies will be born at a healthy birthweight. Babies born at a healthy birthweight are more likely to experience appropriate childhood development, both physically and mentally. About 83,000 babies were born in Washington in 2020. Over the past five years, about 66 babies out of every 1,000 live births were born with a low birthweight (less than 2,500 grams, or about 5.5 pounds).

Babies Born with Low Birthweight, per 1,000 Live Births, 5 Year Rate, 2018-2022

 

×

Babies Born with Low Birthweight, per 1,000 Live Births, 5 Year Rate, 2018-2022

State Source: Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, Birth Certificate Data File
Notes: Map created using data from Starks, A., Sharkova, I., Leibenguth, S., & Huber, A. (2024). Community outcome & risk evaluation: Risk and protection profile for substance abuse prevention in Washington State. Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Research and Data Analysis. https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/rda/riskprofiles/research-4.47-state.pdf 
Low birthweight is less than 2,500 grams.

DCYF’s third outcome goal related to education is that high school students graduate on time. Among 85,306 high school students in the 2023 cohort, 71,329 (84%) graduated on time.

Among that 2023 cohort, about half (45,070) are indicated as low-income students. Non-low-income students graduated at a rate of 91%. By comparison, 77% of low-income students graduated on time.

Of youth receiving Juvenile Rehabilitation services during the 2005-2006 school year who were enrolled in ninth grade, 9 percent graduated on time (2008-2009) and an additional 5 percent graduated within the following two years.

View the Washington State Education Report Card Dashboard

Four Year Graduation Rate, by Income Group, Classes of 2013-2023

 

×

Four Year Graduation Rate, by Income Group, Classes of 2013-2023

Source: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (2024). Report card graduation [2013-2023]. https://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/103300 
Notes: Graduation rates are calculated using the “adjusted cohort” methodology. This method tracks a group of students entering ninth grade for the first time and tracks them over time, not relying on estimates.

The second DCYF education outcome goal is that youth are engaged in school. Youth who feel more connected or committed to school are more likely to achieve positive academic outcomes and are less likely to experience mental health issues.

Engagement in school can be measured by the Healthy Youth Survey’s index of engagement in school, which captures information on decision-making opportunities at school, one-on-one opportunities with teachers, opportunities to work on special projects, extracurricular opportunities, and feeling a part of class activities or discussions. 2021 Healthy Youth Survey results show that 70.4% of 10th graders living with parents/guardians report a high level of engagement at school, compared to 61.7% of students who do not live with parents/guardians.

10th Graders with High Levels of School Engagement, by Living Situation, 2021

 

×

10th Graders with High Levels of School Engagement, by Living Situation, 2021

Source: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Health Care Authority Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, & Liquor and Cannabis Control Board (2021). Healthy Youth Survey [2021]. https://askhys.net
Notes: "Does Not Live with Parents/Guardians" includes students who live with other relatives (kinship care), who are in foster care, or who have other living situations.

One of DCYF’s child outcome goals is that children should be ready for kindergarten. Each year about 80,000 children enter kindergarten in Washington’s public school system. Across all income groups, 48% of children in Washington are ready for kindergarten (as measured by the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills assessment). Children from higher income families are most likely to be ready for kindergarten, while children from middle income and lower income families are ready for kindergarten at lower rates.

VIEW THE EDUCATION RESEARCH & DATA CENTER’S EARLY LEARNING FEEDBACK REPORT

READ THE REPORT ON ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION IN SUBSIDIZED CHILDCARE AND KINDERGARTEN READINESS

Kindergarten Readiness, by Household Income Group (Relative to Federal Poverty Level), 2022-2023

 

×

Kindergarten Readiness, by Household Income Group (Relative to Federal Poverty Level), 2022-2023

Sources: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (2022). Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) [2021-2022]. & U.S. Census Bureau (2022). American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS).
Notes: The federal poverty level (FPL) is a measure of income used by the government to determine eligibility for certain federal programs. FPL is based on annual income and household size. For example, in 2023 the FPL for a family of four in the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) is $30,000. For each additional person in the household, add $5,140. Programs like Head Start and the National School Lunch Program use these federal poverty guidelines to determine eligibility in their programs. Some programs determine financial eligibility based on the percentage of FPL (i.e., if a family/household makes less than 110 percent, 130 percent, or greater than 185 percent of the FPL, they may be eligible for certain programs), as seen in this chart above. For more information on the FPL and poverty guidelines, see https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines.

Another goal of DCYF is that families have economic stability. As DCYF staff engaged stakeholders across the state on what they wanted to see children and families achieve, we heard repeatedly about the importance of basic needs being met. Without economic security, many other positive outcomes related to health and education become harder to achieve. Census data on Washington State families with children living below the poverty level show disparities based on race and ethnicity. While White and Asian families live below the poverty level at rates lower than the state average of 10%, others have much higher rates. American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, and Hispanic/Latino families with children live below the poverty level at rates much higher than what White families experience.

Percent of Washington State Families with Children, Living Below Poverty Level, by Race/Ethnicity, 2010-2023

 

×

Percent of Washington State Families with Children, Living Below Poverty Level, by Race/Ethnicity, 2010-2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. (2010-2023). American community survey public use microdata samples (ACS PUMS) 1-year estimates [2010-2023]. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/data/pums/. 
WSRDAC/M: Yes; AI/AN, Multiracial included with AI/AN; Black/African American, Multiracial included with Black/African American; and Asian/Pacific Islander, Multiracial combined with Asian/PI. For more information on the WSRDAC/M reporting standard for race/ethnicity, see Cummings, K., Graham, J. C., Veele, S., & Ybarra, V. (2021). Using data in DCYF to advance racial equity. Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families – Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability. 
Notes: This measure reports family race/ethnicity based on the race/ethnicity of the householder. The householder is the person (or one of the people) in whose name the family's housing is owned or rented. A family is defined here as a group of two or more people, at least one of whom is under 18 years of age, related by birth, marriage, or adoption, and residing together.