NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The latest national ranking of the well-being of children shows Tennessee is among five states that made the biggest improvement in the last year.
The Kids Count Data Book, an annual report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, grades states on education, health care and poverty.
Tennessee moved from 39th to 36th this year. The state made strides on all eight scores for education and health.
Particularly in the case of education, more children met reading and math goals, preschool enrollments increased, and more teenagers graduated high school on time.
The state improved from 42nd to 37th in education, and from 33rd to 31st in health.
Education advocates say education reforms the state has put in place over the last few years contributed to the improvements.