TRENTON — New Jersey is the fourth best state in the nation to raise children, inching up one spot from last year because of its successes in the classroom, according to the latest Kids Count report evaluating family health, economic stability and educational achievement.

New Jersey’s students surpassed their peers for their proficiency on reading and math tests, preschool attendance, and for the relatively modest number of students who didn’t graduate high school on time — 15 percent compared to 24 percent of students nationally, according to the survey released Tuesday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

The Garden State ranked second for its educational achievements in 2010 and 2011, behind Massachusetts, the report said.

The state’s commitment to expanding preschool to 35 impoverished school districts made a big difference in student achievement, said Cecilia Zalkind, executive director for Advocates for Children of New Jersey, which publishes a state-focused version of the Kids Count report every spring.

"The data continue to show that when we devote our attention and resources to an issue, we see progress," she said.

But New Jersey ranked just 19th best for economic well-being, partly because of the growing percentage of families living in poverty, struggling with rent payments and not being able to hold a steady job, according to the report. Nearly half of all children (48 percent) lived in housing that consumed more than 30 percent of a family’s monthly earnings. Nationally, 41 percent of kids lived in "high cost" housing.

"Children in poor families are more likely to suffer health problems and less likely to do well in school. These children need additional support to grow up safe, health and educated," Zalkind said.

On average, a family of four needs to earn $44,226 a year — twice the federal poverty rate — to pay for housing, food, transportation, health care and child care, the report said. By this measure, 14 percent of New Jersey’s kids lived in poverty in 2010, up from 12 percent in 2005.

Kids Count ranked New Jersey fifth best for health care accessibility, and ninth best for family and community stability, based on factors like the teen birth rate.

Over all, only New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont ranked higher than New Jersey.

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• Who says NJ isn't a great place to raise my kids?



• Survey: New Jersey is among the best states to raise and educate kids

