Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said that he is pleased but not surprised
that Iowa was named by a national parenting group as the "Best State
to Raise a Child."
The Children’s Rights Council, a national child advocacy organization,
indicated that Iowa moved from fifth place in 1997 to first place this
year based on reductions in the number of children in poverty, single parents
and teen pregnancies. The state has among the lowest infant mortality and
child death rates in the nation and the fifth-highest graduation rate.
Iowa also has low numbers of drug-induced and alcohol-induced deaths and
the nation’s fifth-lowest crime rate.
"Iowans have always known that our state is a great place to
bring up their children. Our communities are safe, our schools are among
the best in the nation and our families are strong," Branstad said.
"Despite those advantages, we have not chosen to rest on our laurels.
We have worked consistently for years to make Iowa the best place to live,
work and raise a family, and it is gratifying when the statistics underscore
our commitment to children and the results we’ve achieved."
