The 2026 Kids Count in Colorado report highlights uninsured rates, child care shortages, and academic struggles.
The Colorado Children's Campaign released its annual Kids Count in Colorado 2026 Data Book, revealing a growing number of the state's 1.2 million children are losing health insurance and struggling to access basic services at a moment when federal funding cuts are threatening the programs Colorado families depend on most.
The report, which includes child welfare data for the first time, found that the uninsured rate among low-income children doubled in a single year. ▶️ WATCH: Denver7's Shannon Ogden discusses the report with Colorado Children Campaign's VP of research Colorado children losing health insurance as new report reveals widening gaps in care Maya Gould, vice president of research at the Colorado Children's Campaign, said a theme of lack of access to vital services emerged this year.
"The uninsured rate is going up among all kids but especially among low-income kids where it doubled in just one year to about 10% of kids who don't have health insurance," Gould said. Nearly one in four Colorado children are economically disadvantaged. More than 616,000 children rely on Medicaid or CHP+ for health care, and more than 350,000 depend on SNAP, commonly known as food stamps. Nearly 28,000 receive child care assistance through CCCAP.
Access to licensed child care is also a significant challenge across the state. Colorado has enough licensed childcare seats to serve just 13% of the state's infants. About 70% of children live in communities without enough pediatric providers.
"Colorado only has enough licensees to serve 13% of all infants," Gould said. "We know that all families aren't necessarily looking for licensed child care but that tells that a lot of them don't even have the option if they wanted it. " Academic gaps are also a concern. Fifty-eight percent of third graders are not reading at grade level, with proficiency rates lower among low-income, Black and Hispanic students.
Nearly 245,000 K-12 students — 28% — are chronically absent. The report also tracks child welfare outcomes for the first time. Just 45% of foster youth graduate on time, compared to 86% of all students, the lowest graduation rate of any group tracked by the state.
The Colorado Children's Campaign is calling on state leaders to expand access to affordable child care, restore and protect health coverage, support strong public schools, and ensure economic supports reach families facing the greatest barriers. The report is used to inform policymakers working to improve the lives of Colorado children. Read the full Kids Count report here This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI.
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