The state a baby is born in makes a big difference in whether that child gets a good start in life, concludes a 50-state ranking of early-childhood education and supports.
The report by Zero To Three, a nonprofit that supports early-childhood development, and Child Trends, a nonprofit research center, finds 45 percent of infants and toddlers are classified as poor or near poor nationwide, and only 38 percent of infants and toddlers are read to daily.
States vary in the early-childhood education and health supports available, it found. For example, 17 percent of infants and toddlers in Mississippi received a developmental screening in the last year, compared to nearly 59 percent in Oregon. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont were classified as best for babies.
