1999 Snapshots of America's Families II
Children's Behavior and Well-Being

Table 1: Indicators of Children's Behavior and Well-Being, by State
  AL CA CO FL MA MI MN MS NJ NY TX WA WI US
Children (%) Age 6 to 17 Highly Engaged in School, by Family Income and Age, 1997-1999
Below 200% of poverty level
1999 Age 6-11 34.3 35.8 33.5 34.7 35.7 36.9 46.2 35.2 35.1 41.3 37.5 40.0 42.4 38.9
1997 28.4 30.7 37.9 33.1 29.4 38.3 38.4 32.4 39.8 36.9 39.1 35.6 38.6 38.1
1999 Age 12-17 34.2^ 37.3 28.3 32.9 25.8 28.2 34.0 35.6^ 36.5^ 27.8 34.2 27.8 34.9 34.0^
1997 26.8 31.7 27.9 30.2 33.6 28.8 32.0 26.5 26.1 33.3 37.0 26.6 33.0 29.6
1999 Age 6-17 34.3^ 36.5 31.3 33.9 31.2 33.2 40.9 35.4^ 35.7 35.3 36.0 34.2 38.9 36.7^
1997 27.7 31.1 33.5 31.7 31.4 33.9 35.5 29.6 33.6 35.3 38.1 31.7 36.0 34.3
Above 200% of poverty level
1999 Age 6-11 51.4 39.2 41.5 49.6 48.9^ 46.0 45.8 46.0 49.9 41.1 49.2^ 36.5v 43.6 43.7v
1997 44.5 43.8 39.7 45.9 41.3 42.6 42.8 47.7 49.8 46.7 39.5 50.3 44.6 47.3
1999 Age 12-17 44.2 42.2 38.6 40.6 43.4 46.2^ 36.6 43.6 42.6 41.0 40.3 40.2 39.6 40.7v
1997 44.6 41.9 33.0 40.3 45.2 37.2 40.6 35.7 41.8 43.4 47.3 41.7 41.4 43.7
1999 Age 6-17 47.5 40.6 40.0 45.0 46.2 46.1^ 40.8 44.7 46.4 41.0 44.9 38.4v 41.4 42.1v
1997 44.6 42.9 36.4 43.2 43.2 39.8 41.6 41.1 46.1 45.1 43.3 46.0 42.9 45.5
All incomes
1999 Age 6-11 42.5^ 37.8 38.8 42.5 45.1^ 42.7 45.9 39.8 45.6 41.2 43.4 37.6v 43.2 41.7
1997 36.3 37.3 39.1 39.8 37.6 41.1 41.4 38.5 47.0 42.4 39.3 45.0 42.6 43.3
1999 Age 12-17 40.1 40.2 35.9 37.5 38.7 41.0^ 36.0 39.8^ 41.0 35.8 37.4v 36.7 38.4 38.3
1997 37.1 37.5 31.4 35.5 41.7 34.7 38.4 30.8 37.5 39.4 42.6 37.2 39.0 38.4
1999 Age 6-17 41.3^ 38.9 37.4 40.1 42.1 41.9 40.8 39.8^ 43.5 38.6 40.6 37.1v 40.7 40.1
1997 36.7 37.4 35.4 37.7 39.6 37.8 39.9 34.6 42.6 41.0 40.9 41.2 40.7 40.9
Children (%) Age 6 to 17 Participating in Extracurricular Activities, by Family Income and Age, 1997-1999
Below 200% of poverty level
1999 Age 6-11 65.4 67.9 77.8^ 64.4 72.8 70.5 82.3^ 66.4 76.5 73.0 62.0 78.7^ 77.0 67.5v
1997 67.9 69.5 69.6 71.4 72.8 70.4 72.6 64.5 71.6 67.2 65.0 69.3 75.6 71.8
1999 Age 12-17 73.8 68.1 82.0^ 70.8 74.8 73.2 77.2 77.2 76.3 72.6 69.1 72.5v 73.4v 72.6
1997 68.6 75.1 70.4 71.1 74.1 74.7 77.1 79.0 76.7 71.4 72.3 82.1 81.1 73.4
1999 Age 6-17 69.1 68.0 79.6^ 67.3 73.7 71.7 80.1^ 71.1 76.4 72.8 65.2 75.7 75.3 69.8v
1997 68.2 72.0 70.0 71.3 73.4 72.4 74.7 71.4 73.9 69.0 68.5 74.9 78.3 72.6
Above 200% of poverty level
1999 Age 6-11 87.8 86.7 92.9 87.1 92.1 91.6^ 94.8^ 90.8^ 93.9 86.4 86.4 89.5 92.6^ 90.8
1997 88.4 91.0 92.4 89.1 94.3 86.2 91.7 85.3 92.4 90.9 88.4 89.8 89.3 90.2
1999 Age 12-17 89.2 85.9v 89.8 85.7 86.4v 91.8 89.3 88.6 90.8 91.5 92.5 91.6 86.3 88.6
1997 89.1 91.5 88.3 85.9 91.7 88.9 89.5 87.6 91.4 92.4 87.7 92.2 88.4 90.1
1999 Age 6-17 88.6 86.3v 91.2 86.4 89.3v 91.7^ 91.8 89.6 92.4 89.0 89.4 90.6 89.1 89.6
1997 88.7 91.3 90.4 87.5 93.0 87.6 90.6 86.6 91.9 91.6 88.1 91.0 88.8 90.1
All incomes
1999 Age 6-11 76.2 78.9 87.7 76.3 86.6 83.9 91.0^ 76.9 88.9 80.4 74.2 86.1^ 87.6^ 81.1
1997 77.9 80.2 84.4 80.7 87.7 80.5 85.9 72.8 86.5 80.4 77.3 82.3 84.6 82.2
1999 Age 12-17 82.8 78.8 87.7^ 79.7 83.4 86.3 86.7 83.2 87.0 84.1 81.4 86.2 82.9v 83.0
1997 80.5 84.3 82.6 78.8 86.4 84.6 86.4 83.1 87.2 84.1 80.6 89.1 86.3 83.7
1999 Age 6-17 79.5 78.9 87.7^ 78.0 85.1 85.1^ 88.8^ 79.9 88.0 82.2 77.6 86.2 85.2 82.0
1997 79.2 82.2 83.5 79.8 87.0 82.6 86.2 78.0 86.8 82.1 78.9 85.6 85.5 83.0
Children (%) Age 6 to 17 with High Levels of Behavioral and Emotional Problems, by Family Income and Age, 1997-1999
Below 200% of poverty level
1999 Age 6-11 12.6 8.1 7.5 10.5 10.8 13.3 4.6v 10.0 7.8 7.8 6.3v 4.8 12.6 9.3
1997 12.7 8.0 7.2 8.3 13.5 11.5 10.3 11.6 8.3 12.6 12.5 7.4 11.3 9.6
1999 Age 12-17 9.4 8.2 12.8 14.5 11.8 9.1 19.3 12.8 8.0 8.4 12.9 10.3 14.7 10.3v
1997 12.7 10.6 9.8 9.3 10.8 12.9 12.9 17.9 11.6 9.8 12.6 10.3 15.7 14.8
Above 200% of poverty level
1999 Age 6-11 5.1 5.0 5.4 3.7 4.9 5.9 3.4 5.8 3.2v 3.7 4.8 5.2 5.2 4.2
1997 2.1 3.2 5.2 7.6 6.7 4.6 5.4 5.1 5.5 5.2 5.9 4.6 5.1 4.2
1999 Age 12-17 6.1 5.6 6.4 6.2 4.2 4.5 8.3 6.4 5.2 5.5 5.9 5.8 7.1 5.9
1997 7.3 6.1 5.8 8.4 5.8 5.3 7.8 5.2 4.2 4.7 5.6 5.1 5.3 5.2
All incomes
1999 Age 6-11 9.0 6.3 6.1 6.9 6.6 8.6 3.7v 8.2 4.5 5.6v 5.6v 5.0 7.5 6.3
1997 7.6 5.6 5.9 7.9 8.8 7.1 6.9 9.0 6.3 8.5 9.0 5.6 7.2 6.6
1999 Age 12-17 7.5 6.6 8.1 9.5 6.2 5.8 10.6 9.4 5.9 6.7 9.2 7.1 9.0 7.4
1997 9.5 8.0 7.1 8.8 7.3 7.6 9.1 11.9 6.2 6.7 8.8 6.7 8.3 8.8
Children (%) Age 12 to 17 Who Were Expelled or Suspended from School, by Family Income, 1997-1999
Below 200% of poverty level
1999 18.9v 24.5^ 10.9 20.3 20.9 23.2 23.6 35.7 29.1 18.3 14.7 17.2 21.4 22.4
1997 29.0 13.6 14.8 17.0 20.9 19.4 17.1 30.8 20.9 13.2 16.8 18.2 20.6 21.1
Above 200% of poverty level
1999 9.2 5.3v 11.9 11.8 7.7 10.2 9.2 10.9 8.3 7.2 10.5 9.7 8.9 9.3
1997 13.2 10.3 13.7 11.0 6.4 12.6 9.3 10.4 9.6 8.1 8.5 9.0 7.5 9.6
All incomes
1999 13.3v 13.3 11.7 15.3 11.1 14.0 12.4 22.7 13.7 11.6 12.5 11.7 12.0 13.9
1997 19.8 11.8 14.1 13.9 10.8 14.7 11.2 21.4 12.8 10.1 12.3 11.7 11.4 13.9
                             
Children (%) Age 12 to 17 Who Skipped School One or More Times, by Family Income, 1997-1999
Below 200% of poverty level
1999 7.4v 26.5 30.0 19.5 27.6 21.8 24.7 14.5 21.3 22.4 16.7 24.1 23.0 20.1
1997 15.4 27.0 26.5 21.2 22.6 18.6 24.1 17.8 23.4 24.4 19.3 20.8 20.6 22.3
Above 200% of poverty level
1999 9.7 15.6 23.5 12.6 13.3^ 12.7v 16.0^ 7.3 11.9 13.1 10.9 13.9 13.7 13.0
1997 10.7 17.7 24.1 15.8 8.9 17.7 12.2 9.6 13.2 10.7 9.0 14.6 11.2 13.3
All incomes
1999 8.7v 20.1 25.2 15.4 17.1^ 15.4 17.9 10.7 14.4 16.8 13.7 16.7 16.1 15.5
1997 12.6 21.7 24.9 18.4 13.1 18.0 15.1 14.0 16.1 16.1 13.7 16.4 13.9 16.7
Children (%) Age 0 to 17 in Fair or Poor Health, by Family Income and Age, 1997-19996
Below 200% of poverty level
1999 Age 0-5 6.0 9.0 6.7 6.3 5.5 6.8 3.7 9.3 9.4^ 6.8 8.9 4.9 5.3 6.3
1997 6.4 11.8 7.8 5.5 7.6 5.7 4.8 7.0 5.3 9.5 10.9 6.1 3.5 7.3
1999 Age 6-11 9.6 9.8 9.8 5.1 5.7 5.9 2.5 13.4 12.2^ 8.1 10.5 7.4 6.4 6.7
1997 11.4 11.1 7.7 7.8 6.6 6.7 3.9 9.4 5.9 5.8 11.0 5.5 3.8 7.7
1999 Age 12-17 6.2 13.5 8.1 13.0 10.8 8.9 6.8 15.5 10.8 15.2^ 13.3 9.3 5.6 10.5
1997 7.2 14.1 13.4 7.1 6.2 9.2 6.4 10.0 11.7 7.2 15.1 9.8 9.5 10.1
1999 Age 0-17 7.3 10.6 8.2 7.9 7.2 7.1 4.2 12.6^ 10.8^ 9.7 10.7 7.1 5.8 7.7
1997 8.4 12.2 9.4 6.8 6.8 7.1 5.0 8.8 7.4 7.6 12.2 6.9 5.6 8.2
Above 200% of poverty level
1999 Age 0-5 1.6 2.5 2.8 2.8^ 1.7 2.6 1.6 3.8^ 2.6 0.7 2.4 1.2 2.1 2.0
1997 1.2 1.4 1.2 0.6 1.2 1.3 2.3 1.5 1.5 1.6 5.5 1.8 1.2 1.7
1999 Age 6-11 1.6v 1.9 1.5 2.3 2.1 2.3 1.1 2.4 1.3 1.8 3.6 2.1 1.3 2.1
1997 4.9 1.5 0.8 2.8 0.7 2.1 1.7 4.0 1.9 2.7 2.3 1.3 1.6 2.2
1999 Age 12-17 1.9 4.6 2.0 3.6 2.4 2.4 3.5 2.4 2.3 3.2 2.2 2.4 2.4 3.2^
1997 1.9 4.2 2.6 3.9 1.4 1.4 2.1 1.2 3.4 2.3 1.6 2.8 2.4 1.6
1999 Age 0-17 1.7 3.0 2.1 2.9 2.1^ 2.4 2.2 2.8 2.0 1.9 2.8 2.0 2.0 2.5^
1997 2.6 2.4 1.5 2.4 1.1 1.6 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.2 3.1 2.0 1.8 1.8
All incomes
1999 Age 0-5 3.8 5.4 4.3 4.4 2.9 4.2 2.3 6.9 4.5^ 3.5 5.9 2.6 3.1^ 3.9
1997 3.9 7.2 3.7 3.1 3.1 2.9 3.1 4.8 2.7 5.3 8.5 3.5 2.0 4.3
1999 Age 6-11 5.8 5.2 4.4 3.6 3.1 3.6 1.5 8.7 4.4 4.7 7.0 3.8 3.0 4.0
1997 8.2 6.4 3.2 5.2 2.5 3.7 2.4 7.3 3.0 4.1 6.4 2.8 2.4 4.6
1999 Age 12-17 3.7 8.3 3.6 7.4 4.6 4.4 4.2 8.6 4.5 7.9^ 7.5 4.4 3.2 5.8
1997 4.1 8.6 6.0 5.4 2.8 3.8 3.2 5.9 5.8 4.3 7.9 4.9 4.5 4.9
1999 Age 0-17 4.4 6.2 4.1 5.1 3.5 4.0 2.7 8.1^ 4.5 5.3 6.8 3.6 3.1 4.6
1997 5.4 7.3 4.3 4.6 2.8 3.5 2.9 6.0 3.8 4.5 7.6 3.7 3.0 4.6
Note: Figures in color represent values that are statistically significantly different from the 1999 national average at the 0.10 confidence level. The symbols "^" and "v" represent statistically significant increases and decreases, respectively, between 1997 and 1999 at the 0.10 confidence level. Source: Child Trends and Urban Institute