As the entrepreneurs, leaders and workers of tomorrow, children are vital to our country’s growth, prosperity and well being. When children thrive, our nation thrives. That’s why we have produced the KIDS COUNT Data Book every year for nearly three decades: It provides an annual snapshot of how America’s children and families are faring in every state and across the nation.

Although trends in child well-being are shaped by many forces, it’s indisputable that good public policy makes a tremendous difference. We know that a failure to invest wisely — or to not invest at all — negatively affects children’s opportunities to reach their full potential.