by Peter H. Kostmayer, President

Why is Population Connection doing this study?

For over 30 years, Population Connection has been working to improve the quality of people's lives. The Kid-Friendly Cities Report Card focuses on some of our society's most vulnerable people: Kids. Tackling population growth-related problems-from overcrowded classrooms to teen pregnancy-will help to guarantee a bright and prosperous future for our children. In fact, population stabilization will deliver enormous quality of life improvements-from less sprawl to fewer traffic jams-for everyone.

The quality of everyone's lives can be improved by guaranteeing access to voluntary family planning and reproductive health services, by educating and empowering women, by reducing unplanned and teenage pregnancies, and by doing all the things that we know work. Population Connection wants every child to be a wanted child. And every child must have the food, shelter, health care, education, and protection from crime and abuse that he or she needs to develop into a healthy and happy adult.

This report serves to alert people to problems and successes in their cities. In fact, over the last decade, people all over America have taken on some of the biggest challenges noted here and in other studies. To see examples, read the back of the enclosed poster-it has some great kid-friendly projects.

What is Population Connection's 2001 Kid-Friendly Cities Report Card?

- The 2001 Kid-Friendly Cities Report Card, the 8th of a biennial series, is a national 239-city study by Population Connection (Population Connection).

- The study looks at every city in America with a population of 100,000+. It presents a broad picture of conditions where our children play, learn, and grow. We hope it can help make American cities more kid-friendly.

- Each city's kid-friendliness is graded for the quality of Community Life; Economics; Education; Environment; Health; Population Change; and Public Safety.

- The report compares "apples" to "apples." We examined cities in three categories: 25 Major Cities (populations greater than 2 million), 140 smaller Independent Cities (populations of 100,000 to 2 million), and 74 Component Cities or suburbs (incorporated areas of more than 100,000 within the metropolitan statistical area).

What are the study's main findings?

- Many cities are becoming more kid-friendly. Access to good education, good jobs and, in particular, good healthcare have had the biggest impact on the quality of children's lives.

- Portland, OR, Burlington, VT, and Overland Park, KS come out on top with A+ grades. The study gives its lowest C- grade to Atlanta, GA, San Bernardino, CA and Moreno Valley, CA.

- If you thought that New York was very different from Peoria, think again. Major cities and smaller Independent cities are becoming more alike. Both are facing the same challenges: violent crime, access to healthcare, and a decent education. And both share the same dramatic improvements: lower levels of teen births and infant mortality rates, and fewer low birthweight babies.

For more information on talking to the press and media about the Kid-Friendly Cities Report Card, email press@populationconnection.org.