St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – On Wednesday, December 18, 2024, St. Croix Foundation for Community Development (SCF) unveiled the 2024 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Spotlight, titled “Answering the Call: We are the System and the Solution,” during a Virtual Community Stakeholder Presentation. The release also included launching the first-ever online KIDS COUNT USVI Data Dashboard. This initiative highlights critical issues impacting children and families across the territory and provides a comprehensive data-driven call to action for community engagement and policy change.
2024 KIDS COUNT USVI DATA SPOTLIGHT
In the presentation, SCF’s KIDS COUNT Team shared insights from the 2024 Data Spotlight, which focuses on “Opportunity Youth” — individuals aged 16-24 who are neither in school nor employed/training. The report highlights concerning trends and key challenges facing this age group.
Among the troubling data points, 2023 saw a slight uptick in violent crime arrests among youth ages 18-24, with 258 incidents reported, compared to 250 in 2022 and 208 in 2021. In education, dropout rates among students in grades 7-12 rose significantly, with 140 students leaving school in the 2023-24 year, up from 107 the previous year. Ninth-grade retention rates showed slight improvement, but this remains a critical point for intervention.
Despite these challenges, there are positive developments. For example, the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix served 71 minors in 2023, up from 65 the previous year, showcasing the nonprofit sector’s expanding capacity to support youth in need.
Chermaine Hobson, SCF’s KIDS COUNT Team Sector Liaison, emphasized the urgency of addressing these issues, stating, “If we don’t provide the right programs for at-risk youth, we risk them becoming disconnected Opportunity Youth. We are already seeing the consequences in our community, with crime and violence rising. The average age of incarceration in our community is just 23, highlighting the need for early intervention.”
The Data Spotlight also includes data on the status of youth across key areas: Family and Community, Education, Health, and Economic Well-Being. Notably, public housing data shows 3,166 children residing in public housing in 2023, and public school enrollment increased slightly to 10,312 students, marking the first increase since 2020.
An electronic copy of the 2024 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Spotlight is available here. The recorded Community Presentation can also be viewed here. Physical copies of the report can be requested by emailing [email protected] or by calling 340.773.9898.
KIDS COUNT USVI DATA DASHBOARD
Additionally, SCF launched the territory’s first online KIDS COUNT USVI Data Dashboard. This tool aggregates the most current available data from both public and nonprofit sectors to provide a comprehensive overview of child well-being in the Virgin Islands. The Data Dashboard identifies several concerning “Hot Spots,” including an alarming drop in 8th-grade math proficiency, where only 2.4% of students were proficient in 2022-2023, down from 6.1% the previous year. Another concerning finding was the low average income of families with children living in St. Croix’s housing communities, which was just $13,141 in 2023, significantly lower than in other districts.
However, there are also encouraging trends. Nonprofits like My Brother’s Workshop and the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix are expanding their services to meet rising demand. At the same time, the VI Department of Health has secured funding for the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), the first since 2018. This survey will provide valuable insights into the mental health of children in the territory, with results expected in 2025.
Laurie Blake, SCF’s KIDS COUNT Data Researcher and the designer of the Data Dashboard, expressed her excitement about the new tool, saying, “This dashboard consolidates essential data into one user-friendly platform, making it easier for everyone to access and act upon the information that can drive meaningful change.”
The 2024 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Dashboard is accessible on the St. Croix Foundation’s website at https://www.stxfoundation.org/kids-count-dashboard/. For questions or additional information, email [email protected].
A Call for Collective Action
St. Croix Foundation President and CEO Deanna James emphasized the importance of a collective, community-driven approach to addressing the challenges highlighted in the KIDS COUNT data. “Everything is connected to everything,” James stated. “Our work at St. Croix Foundation, including KIDS COUNT, nonprofit capacity-building, and community revitalization, all tie back to one central goal: ensuring the well-being and future of our children. By using data, policy, and action, we can transform the lives of youth in the Virgin Islands.”
James also pointed out the critical “Data Gaps” in areas such as the experiences of Opportunity Youth, crime involvement, housing insecurity, and workforce participation, underscoring the need for better data collection to inform future efforts.
KIDS COUNT® is a national initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a leading organization focused on improving the well-being of children and families. St. Croix Foundation thanks the Annie E. Casey Foundation, local and national partners, and the many public and civic sector data collaborators for their continued support.
If you have any further inquiries about the KIDS COUNT USVI initiative, contact Deanna James, President of St. Croix Foundation, at 340.773.9898 or [email protected].
About the Cover for the 2024 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Spotlight
As with every KIDS COUNT USVI publication, the Foundation’s team carefully selected the cover art for the 2024 Data Spotlight. The image, titled In the Moment, captures a young Moko Jumbie with their hand over their heart. Moko Jumbies are a significant part of the cultural heritage of the West and Central African Peoples. These towering figures are believed to be guardians of the community and foretellers of the future, watching over their villages from their elevated positions. The cover art is a powerful symbol of the importance of protecting and guiding our children as they journey into adulthood.
With this image, the KIDS COUNT Team aims to inspire greater awareness of our children’s social and economic conditions and how these conditions will shape their future. As protectors and providers, the team envisions that all community stakeholders will step forward to actively ensure our children’s journey is secure and steady, helping to build “level pathways” to their futures.
About St. Croix Foundation for Community Development
Founded in 1990, the St. Croix Foundation has been a leading force in community development throughout the Virgin Islands, directing over $49 million in funding to projects that support education, small business development, community revitalization, and nonprofit capacity-building. The Foundation is recognized for its holistic approach to community empowerment and policy research, ensuring its efforts create lasting, sustainable change across the territory.
About the Annie E. Casey Foundation
The Annie E. Casey Foundation works to build a brighter future for America’s children by strengthening families, creating economic opportunities, and transforming struggling communities. For more information, visit www.aecf.org. KIDS COUNT® is a registered trademark of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
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