When it comes to the subject of children's overall well-being, Alameda County is a C student, according to an October report from a national children's advocacy group.

The nonprofit Oakland-based group, Children Now, graded California's 58 counties on the health, safety and education levels of their children, pulling data from surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and public records.

More than 90 percent of counties, including Alameda County, received an overall grade of a C or lower.

"We really wanted to go down and show what was happening in each county and really urge counties to improve their support for children," said Ted Lempert, president of Children Now.

Top-scorers included Marin, Placer and El Dorado counties, which each earned a B-. No counties earned an A.

The grades were based on 26 indicators that presented a "comprehensive view of children's well-being," said Jessica Mindnich, senior policy associate for Children Now.

A wide range of criteria were considered, including healthy weight and health insurance, areas in which Alameda County scored 70 and 95 percent, respectively.

"A lot of these issues, like children with health insurance and obesity, we are already aware of and we are already dealing with them on a daily basis," said Katie Schlageter, deputy director for Family Health Services division of Alameda County's public health department. "(The grade) is a little lower than I expected, but I'm not surprised."

She said the division is currently working toward health equity for children.

The county received mediocre scores in children's overall health, lagging in comparison with other counties. About 67 percent of children in Alameda County are in good or excellent health, compared with 80 percent in Marin County and 79 percent in San Mateo County.

However, Alameda County received high marks for children's education, with 57 percent of eighth graders enrolled in algebra courses, a 73 percent increase from 2001's total percentage.

Sheila Jordan, superintendent of Alameda County Schools, said many school districts are generally reporting higher rates of achievement.

"We're seeing success, but we won't pat ourselves on our backs because we have a long way to go," she said.

Jordan said she will compare Children Now's findings with their records.

"You really have to break it down district by district because every district is different," she said.

Tags: HEALTH