The 1999 Data Book shows the relative well-being of Oregon's children is slipping in some areas. Many children's advocates are alarmed at this statistic as Oregon has a relatively robust economy. The national high school dropout rate fell by 9 percent nationally from 1985 to 1996, while Oregon's dropout rate rose by 33 percent over the same time period. Nationally, the death rate for children ages 1-14 dropped from 34 to 26 children per 100,000, but Oregon's rate has remained at 29 over the past decade. On the other hand, Oregon children fare better than average in other indicators of well-being.
Welfare encourages teen childbearing.
In 1994, studies by seventy-six researchers in the areas of poverty, labor and family structure found that the availability of welfare does not significantly increase births outside of marriage. There is an epidemic of teen mothers in the United States. Teen births have been declining in the United States over the last 30 years from 90 births per 1,000 females aged 15-19 in 1955 to 56.9 in 1995. Most welfare recipients are teen mothers. In 1995, only 6 percent of female welfare recipients were under 20 years old.