Harford County Results for Child Well-Being
This scorecard tracks the county-level results and indicators for Harford County.
Story Behind the Curve
Strategies to improve these indicators
Why Is This Important?
Story Behind the Curve
Strategies to improve these indicators
Why Is This Important?
Story Behind the Curve
Strategies to improve these indicators
Why Is This Important?
Children’s success in school is a key factor in healthy development. Absenteeism and truancy indicate a loss of opportunities to learn and have negative long-term consequences. High levels of school absence are associated with higher risk of school failure, dropping out of school, delinquent behavior, substance abuse and other high-risk behaviors that adversely impact the individual as well as the community as a whole.
Data Discussion
Story Behind the Curve
In Harford County, the high school absence rate (percent of youth absent 20 or more days of school) was on the rise since 2007 and had begun to turn the curve in 2010. The percent of those with absences totaling 20 or more days reduced slightly between 2013 and 2014 from 15.3% to 14.8% for high school students, rose slightly from 7.8% to 9% for middle school students, and remained at 5% for elementary school students. In recent years, the math and reading performance has begun to increase performing above the state average in both 3rd grade math and reading. This year, scores dropped slightly with 86.4% of youth performing advanced or proficient in math and 84.7% doing so in reading (Maryland Report Card, 2014) but scores remain above State average. Although overall student academic performance has improved significantly in HCPS since the inception of the annual assessment of student proficiency in reading and mathematics, subgroups of students with special needs (special education and students receiving Free and Reduce Meals) continue to require extra academic and social/emotional supports.
Strategies to improve these indicators
Local Access Mechanism
CINS Prevention
CINS Diversion
Teen Court
Why Is This Important?
Children’s success in school is a key factor in healthy development. Absenteeism and truancy indicate a loss of opportunities to learn and have negative long-term consequences. High levels of school absence are associated with higher risk of school failure, dropping out of school, delinquent behavior, substance abuse and other high-risk behaviors that adversely impact the individual as well as the community as a whole.
Data Discussion
Story Behind the Curve
Strategies to improve these indicators
Why Is This Important?
Data Discussion
Story Behind the Curve
Strategies to improve these indicators
Why Is This Important?
Story Behind the Curve
This result area has been chosen based on a review of the data that shows that in Harford County juvenile arrests remain a concern with 803 youth, or approximately 4% of the 35,000 youth between the ages 10-19 in the county, involved in an arrest in 2013. The zip code areas with the greatest number of arrests during that year were Edgewood (157 arrests), Aberdeen (182 arrests) and Bel Air (138 arrests). Overall, the majority of arrests were due to assault (225) followed by CDS possession (137) and theft (101). (Harford County Department of Juvenile Services, 2013).
Strategies to improve these indicators
CINS Prevention
CINS Diversion
Teen Court
Why Is This Important?
Youth involved in committing violent and non-violent offenses pose a risk to the community as well as themselves. Residents living in communities where there is high crime tend to feel isolated and unsafe. Youth who are arrested are often not law-abiding, productive and contributing members of society. They represent a loss in human capital. Incarcerated youth are housed in facilities funded by the taxpayer’s dollar. These individuals do not have a job, do not buy goods and services, do not pay taxes, and otherwise do not contribute positively to society. Risk factors include a lack of educational and job training opportunities, poverty, family violence and inadequate supervision. Poor school performance, including absence from school and falling behind in one or more grade levels, increases the likelihood of involvement in delinquent activity.
Story Behind the Curve
Strategies to improve these indicators
Why Is This Important?
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