Reports & Research

Facing the state’s record budget deficit, the 2009 California Report Card shows why children should come first. For example:

• One million children in California are expected to be without health insurance
  It costs Californians $7,000 every time an uninsured child visits a hospital for a preventable ailment. In contrast, only 17% of that amount ($1,200) is needed to provide health coverage for each uninsured child.
• One in five (109,011) high school students in California dropped out in 2007
  Every 120,000 high school dropouts costs the state approximately $40.6 billion in total economic losses.
• 16 percent of California’s adolescents are overweight or obese
  Medical expenses attributable to obesity cost Californians $7.7 billion each year, with $1.7 billion paid by Medicaid.

For each area of children’s policy covered, the Report Card provides the most up-to-date data on the status of California’s children; overviews key 2008 public policy and budgetary developments that affect children; defines policy objectives for improving children’s well-being; and lays out immediate actions for California’s leadership to pursue.