School-aged children across the nation are facing a mounting mental health crisis, exacerbated by policy changes affecting immigration and Medicaid. As we’ve written before, Medicaid and CHIP are vital supporters of student success, both during the school years and into adulthood. Understanding the landscape of Medicaid/CHIP coverage in local school districts is paramount to connecting children to the services they need to be successful in life.
Updated data on the share of children with Medicaid/CHIP coverage by school district are now available. They indicate that in the median school district across the 50 states and DC, more than 4 in 10 (42.6%) children rely on these programs for health insurance.
Using the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey (ACS) data, we examine the share of children under age 19 with Medicaid/CHIP coverage in more than 9,500 elementary, secondary, and unified school districts nationwide. We find that the share of children with Medicaid/CHIP coverage ranges from fewer than 1 in 10 children in 93 districts to more than 90% of children in 42 districts. (Each dot in the chart below represents one district. Hover or click for more information, or find the data for your state here.)
Additionally, in one-third of all districts, at least half of children are covered by Medicaid/CHIP. Children in the median elementary school district have a higher coverage rate (48.9%) compared to those in secondary (39.2%) and unified (42.2%) districts, consistent with findings that young children are more likely to be covered by Medicaid/CHIP compared to older children.
As H.R .1 implementation continues and new Medicaid coverage restrictions and red tape go into effect, ensuring eligible children remain covered by Medicaid and CHIP is vital. With nearly half of all children in elementary districts being covered by Medicaid/CHIP, advocates and community leaders must work to protect these vulnerable populations.