The 2026 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation showed Maine had some of the sharpest academic declines in the country since 2019, even as fewer families in the state are living in poverty.

The report found education outcomes for children continue to decline. It said 74% of Maine fourth graders are not proficient in reading, and roughly the same share of eighth graders are not proficient in math.

Kristen Kinchla, research associate for the Maine Children's Alliance, said too many 3- and 4-year-olds are not enrolled in school.

“A lot of children are not getting the early learning opportunities and literacy supports that they need,” Kinchla contended. “If Maine wants strong readers at age 10, then we need to support children’s language development and just general child development from birth.”

Children who miss preschool often start kindergarten already behind. While more than 90% of school districts in Maine offer some form of pre-K, access in rural areas can be difficult.

The report also shows some positive trends. More children have health insurance, more parents have secure, full-time employment, and more Maine high school students are graduating on time. But Kinchla noted she is concerned about federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP and how they will affect families, urging state lawmakers to use the data as a roadmap to help protect the gains children have made.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said it is important to remember behind every data point is a child.

“It’s a child who either has enough to eat or doesn’t have enough to eat,” Boissiere explained. “It’s a child who is either in a stable home and has access to quality education to put themselves on a pathway to thrive, or it’s a child who doesn’t have those necessities.”

Boissiere added policies such as housing subsidies, the federal Child Tax Credit and SNAP have been proven to support families during difficult economic times. When Congress expanded the Child Tax Credit in 2021, child poverty nationwide fell to a historic low of 5%. After Congress allowed the expansion to expire, the rate rose to 13%.

Source: Public News Service