The annual Kids Count data book is out and it carries mixed news for Alabama’s youngest residents. Overall, the state ranked 45th for child well-being – with nearly a third of kids living in poverty in 2010. Kids Count national coordinator Laura Speers tells WBHM’s Tanya Ott there were some gains in children’s education and health, but some pretty significant declines in economic well-being.

Laura Speer is associate director of Policy, Research & Data at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which produces the KIDS COUNT data book. You can see that multi-colored, interactive pie chart Speer talked about here.