Connect for Kids.org: Better Policies for Kids
September 20, 2004
Please send any comments or suggestions to jan@connectforkids.org.
Table of Contents. Click on heading to jump to that section.
NEW ON CONNECTFORKIDS.ORG
**Bush, Kerry Camps Face Questions from Youth
**New in the Pressroom!
**National Museum of the American Indian: Filled with Educational Opportunities
KIDS AND POLITICS
**House Increases 2005 Spending on Education -- By Less than Last Year
**September 22 Education House Parties
**Child Care & Development Block Grant Needs Reauthorization
**Affordable Health Care for All Campaign
** Taking Back the Vote: Getting American Youth Involved in Our Democracy
**Choosing Champions: A Voter?’s Guide to Public Education Candidates
**PTA 2004 Voter Guide
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY WORKFORCE
**Measuring Up 2004: The National Report Card on Higher Education
**Low-Income Students, Impressive Test Scores
**State and National Leaders Turn Attention to High School
FOSTER YOUTH
**On Their Own
**Considering Adoption? Consider a Foster Child
**Marketing Parenting
**Foster Youth with Disabilities: Special Needs for Special Kids
KIDS, THE MEDIA AND THE INTERNET
**They Call This Educational?
**Children, the Digital Divide and Federal Policy
**Cyberbullying Resources
HEALTH AND FITNESS
**Participation in High School Physical Education: 1991 to 2003
**New AFHK Criteria Set the Standard for Evaluating School-Based Initiatives
SAFETY MEASURES
**Strategic Risk-Based Response to Youth Gangs
**11 Tips for Parents on Improving School Safety
**American Schools -- Are They Prepared?
CLEAN AIR AND WATER, HEALTHY BODIES
**States to Sample Bodily Fluids for Chemicals
** Kids with Asthma Bill of Rights
SERVING CHILDREN?’S MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
**House Rejects Proposal to Limit School Mental Health Screening
**FDA Panel Urges Strong Warnings on Anti-Depressants for Children
LEARNING DISABILITIES AND INTERVENTION
**Concerned, but Uninformed on Early Signs of Learning Disabilities
** Making NCLB Work for Children Who Struggle to Learn: A Parent?’s Guide
PUBLIC SPENDING: WHO?’S FUNDING THE KIDS, AND HOW MUCH?
**Child Care Assistance Policies 2001-2004: Families Struggling to Move Forward, States Going Backward
**Beyond the Baseline: 10 Year Deficits Likely to Reach $5.5 Trillion
**Access to Pre-Kindergarten Good, But Not Good Enough
**State Tax Revenue Continues Recovery
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOL
**Three for Me?’s Parent Involvement Resources
BY THE NUMBERS
**Detangling Data Collection: Methods for Gathering After-School Data
**Married and Poor: Characteristics of Economically Disadvantaged Couple
FOCUS ON THE STATES
**State-by-State News
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NEW ON CONNECTFORKIDS.ORG
**Bush, Kerry Camps Face Questions from Youth
Two former governors ?– Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican Marc Racicot of Montana ?– stood in for John Kerry and George W. Bush as a panel of teens and young adults asked them questions grounded in their own personal struggles?—ranging from dropping out of school to doing time. Susan Phillips listened in.
http://www.connectforkids.org/resources3139/resources_show.htm?doc_id=239751
**New in the Pressroom!
With 3.8 million young people between the ages of 18 and 24 neither employed nor in school, reporters and others need to understand the challenges that face this group. Connect for Kids?’ Youth Experts Database provides contact information for leading researchers, policy experts and youth activists. In CFK Field Reports, we summarize recent D.C. events like a House forum on young people and the deficit, and the release of new data on how kids fare in the U.S. health care system.
http://www.connectforkids.org/newsletter1538/newsletter.htm
**National Museum of the American Indian: Filled with Educational Opportunities
The newest ?– and presumably last ?– museum to win space on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. opens this week with much expected fanfare. Once the celebration is over, museum leaders hope to get down to the serious business of overcoming stereotypes and teaching kids about the American Indian past, present and future.
http://www.connectforkids.org/resources3139/resources_show.htm?doc_id=239679
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KIDS AND POLITICS
**House Increases 2005 Spending on Education -- By Less than Last Year
On September 9, 2004, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved $57.7 billion in discretionary spending for the Department of Education in fiscal 2005. That?’s an increase of $2 billion -- or 3.6 percent -- over the current fiscal year, but a smaller percentage increase than in the past several years, according to Education Week. The bill did not approve a Bush administration proposal to increase Pell grants to provide larger grants to low-income college students, but did continue to fund the Even Start family literacy program, which was not in the President?’s proposed budget.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=03Congress.h24
**September 22 Education House Parties
Many advocates say the House-approved education spending is still too little to help schools meet the demands of higher standards, and is below what was expected with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act. It?’s not too late to sign up to attend a party or add your name to the petition calling on President Bush and Congress to fully fund public schools.
http://www.greatpublicschools.org/
**Child Care & Development Block Grant Needs Reauthorization
The federal Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) helps low-wage working parents and families, many of whom are transitioning from public assistance, pay for child care. It is funded in two ways: annual discretionary appropriations and mandatory (i.e., guaranteed) funds included in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families reauthorization bill. The National Association for the Education of Young Children reports that Congress has yet to conclude the reauthorization of CCDBG, which contains a mandatory funding increase of $7 billion in the Senate version, compared with only $1 billion in the House version, spread over five years. (Select the September 15 newsletter.)
http://capwiz.com/naeyc/home/
**Affordable Health Care for All Campaign
Recent census data show that 45 million Americans are uninsured, and data released by the Kaiser Family Foundation http://www.kff.org/insurance/7148/index.cfm finds that premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance are increasing much faster than overall inflation and wage gains. The grassroots organization RESULTS encourages activists to write letters to the editor urging Congress to pass legislation extending state fiscal relief so that states are not forced cut to their Medicaid programs.
http://capwiz.com/results/issues/alert/?alertid=6318056
The Affordable Health Care for All Campaign has been extended through October.
http://www.results.org/website/article.asp?id=1191
** Taking Back the Vote: Getting American Youth Involved in Our Democracy
In a new book, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Jane Eisner explores the attitudes of a younger generation largely disenchanted by politics -- a generation that readily volunteers for community service but does not make much connection between community needs and legislative and funding decisions made by elected officials.
http://www.beacon.org/Beacon/catalogs/f04/eisner.html
**Choosing Champions: A Voter?’s Guide to Public Education Candidates
The Public Education Network has created a voter?’s guide that presents a list of questions highlighting the most pressing concerns and issues in public education today.
http://www.publiceducation.org/voter_guide/home.asp
**PTA 2004 Voter Guide
When every candidate claims to support public education, how do you tell which ones really walk the walk? This PTA guide has questions on the most pressing concerns and issues in public education today, and resources to learn more about candidates' positions.
http://www.pta.org/ptawashington/vote.asp
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PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY WORKFORCE
**Measuring Up 2004: The National Report Card on Higher Education
American high school students are generally better prepared for college than a decade ago. Teachers are more qualified, and more students are taking at least one upper-level math or science course. But many states are providing less financing to help students pay for college, and in many states, fewer students are enrolling. (Free registration required.)
http://measuringup.highereducation.org/survey.cfm
**Low-Income Students, Impressive Test Scores
Schools with high concentrations of low-income students that are posting impressive state test scores share some common attributes: they use time wisely, hold high expectations, and take a team approach where teachers and students are supported and nurtured, according to research reported to the nonpartisan Prichard Committee?’s annual meeting.
http://www.prichardcommittee.org/2004FallPerspectives/Researchers_Story.rtf
**State and National Leaders Turn Attention to High School
After years of reform focusing on elementary schools, the spotlight may be shifting to high schools, reports stateline.org. While student achievement hasn?’t changed dramatically, the workforce needed for economic growth has changed a lot. President Bush has called for more achievement testing in high school and Virginia Governor Mark Warner (D), head of the National Governors Association, is pushing for states to develop a consistent measure of who leaves high school, why they drop out and where they go.
http://www.stateline.org/stateline/?pa=story&sa=showStoryInfo&id=398380
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FOSTER YOUTH
**On Their Own
While most young people in America can count on their families for emotional and financial support after age 18, many of the 20,000 young people who age out of foster care each year must fend for themselves. Almost half do not graduate from high school, one in four become homeless, and almost two out of three cannot get or keep a job. Yet some flourish, usually due to good preparation in life skills, supportive social networks, and the opportunity to help plan their own future. On Their Own tells the stories of ten young people who have made the transition from foster care to adulthood with varying degrees of success.
http://www.jimcaseyyouth.org/onown.htm
**Considering Adoption? Consider a Foster Child
There are currently 532,000 children in the public child welfare system, and almost 130,000 of them are waiting for a family to adopt them. If you are a prospective parent, you don?’t have to be a hero or perfect to consider adopting a child from foster care, says this new PSA campaign by AdoptUSKids.
http://www.adoptuskids.org/servlet/page?_pageid=412&_dad=portal30&_schema=PORTAL30
**Marketing Parenting
When children enter the foster care system, there's a reason. But what brings in the adults who open their homes to children in crisis? And how can more people be encouraged to take that step? Connect for Kids' Robert Capriccioso reported on the issue in this recent Connect for Kids article.
http://www.connectforkids.org/content1552/content_show.htm?attrib_id=310&doc_id=223997
**Foster Youth with Disabilities: Special Needs for Special Kids
Oregon Health and Science University?’s Center for Self Determination covers the special needs of foster youth with disabilities in two new reports: ?“Are We Ignoring Foster Youth With Disabilities?: An Awareness Document for Parents, Professionals and Youth?” and ?“Transition Planning for Foster Youth with Disabilities: Are We Falling Short??”
http://www.selfdeterminationohsu.org/education/foster/research.html
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KIDS, THE MEDIA AND THE INTERNET
**They Call This Educational?
Are TV broadcasters fulfilling their kids-programming obligations in exchange for their free access to the airwaves? Dale Kunkel doesn?’t think so, and neither do the advocacy groups that are suing two Washington state TV stations for failing to meet their public-interest responsibilities to the nation's youth. (Full text generally available only to subscribers, but Connect for Kids has received permission to share with our readers. E-mail jan@connectforkids.org for full editorial; abstract available below.)
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA452436?display=Editorials
**Children, the Digital Divide and Federal Policy
The vast majority of teens have logged onto the Internet, but the Kaiser Family Foundation finds major disparities in the quality of access to the Internet and computers at home continue.
http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia091604pkg.cfm
**Cyberbullying Resources
There may be no safe zone against bullying -- even instant messaging, chat rooms, e-mail, and blogs can be places of harassment for young people. The MindOH! Foundation has resources for victims, parents and bullies themselves to help youth understand the full meaning and consequences of bullying and to explore ways of stopping online social cruelty.
http://www.mindohfoundation.org/bullying.htm
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HEALTH AND FITNESS
**Participation in High School Physical Education: 1991 to 2003
Physical education (PE) can boost high school students?’ lifelong physical activity, but progress has stalled in reaching 2010 goals of increasing teens?’ daily participation in physical education classes and boosting the number of students who spend at least half of PE class time being physically active.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5336a5.htm
**New AFHK Criteria Set the Standard for Evaluating School Based Initiatives
Action for Healthy Kids has developed common criteria to evaluate school-based initiatives for improving children?’s nutrition and physical activity, and a list of incentives to support educators?’ efforts. Among these: support for teacher training, school and/or media recognition and positively linking an approach to achievement.
http://www.actionforhealthykids.org
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SAFETY MEASURES
**Strategic Risk-Based Response to Youth Gangs
Most communities are experiencing an increase in gang activity, but not all gangs are alike. This OJJDP article in the latest Juvenile Justice Journal argues that since there is no single risk factor predictive of gang participation, communities need to assess specific activity in their area and take a comprehensive approach addressing multiple risk factors. Communities unable to launch a comprehensive effort can increase their effectiveness by targeting the risk factors that are most important, and most changeable, in their community.
http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11800
**11 Tips for Parents on Improving School Safety
How can you make your school safer? Help your child identify warning signs of violence and work with other parents to develop standards for school-related events. Find these and other tips in this resource from KSA-Plus Communications and the National Crime Prevention Council on how parents can be more effective advocates for their children and partners with their schools.
http://www.parents.ksaplus.com/framesplpubs.html
**American Schools -- Are They Prepared?
Are the 20 largest school systems in the country ready to protect their children in the event of an emergency? In this report card, the America Prepared Campaign gave the counties of Fairfax (VA), Montgomery (MD) and Palm Beach (FL) the best grades, but gave failing grades to the Chicago and Detroit school systems.
http://www.americaprepared.org/pdf/schoolrelease_0904.pdf
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CLEAN AIR AND WATER, HEALTHY BODIES
**States to Sample Bodily Fluids for Chemicals
Are pesticides or air pollution to blame for rising rates of asthma, leukemia or autism?
Bio-monitoring data -- which assesses the level of lead, mercury or arsenic in blood, urine and breast milk -- combined with existing disease-tracking and pollution-monitoring information, may provide an answer. Stateline.org reports on states that are creating bio-monitoring programs.
http://www.stateline.org/stateline/?pa=story&sa=showStoryInfo&id=399051
** Kids with Asthma Bill of Rights
There are more than six million children with asthma in the United States ?– and many end up in the emergency room each year. The American Lung Association says it doesn?’t have to be this way. From strict enforcement of clean air requirements and ensuring access to effective, affordable medications to playing sports with a doctor?’s agreement and recognizing ?“asthma triggers,?” there is a lot that can help kids with asthma lead healthy, active lives.
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=186670
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SERVING CHILDREN?’S MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
**House Rejects Proposal to Limit School Mental Health Screening
The U.S. House of Representatives rejected a proposal to bar schools from screening children for mental health problems by a vote of 95 to 315, as reported by the Center on Health and School-Based Health Services.
http://www.healthinschools.org/2004/sept14_alert.asp
**FDA Panel Urges Strong Warnings on Anti-Depressants for Children
After two days of public hearings, an advisory panel to the federal Food and Drug Administration urged the requirement of "black box" warnings on anti-depressant medications, telling doctors and patients that the drugs may cause some children and teenagers to become suicidal and may fail to cure their depression.
http://www.healthinschools.org/2004/sept16_alert.asp
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LEARNING DISABILITIES AND INTERVENTION
**Concerned but Uninformed on Early Signs of Learning Disabilities
Children with learning disabilities who get help early have better learning outcomes. But a recent Coordinated Campaign on Learning Disabilities survey found that while most parents know the potential indicators of learning disabilities for children older than five, few can recognize potential early warning signs in preschool children -- such as trouble getting along with other children, difficulty following simple directions or routines, restlessness, difficulty with numbers, the alphabet or days of the week, and/or having trouble rhyming.
http://www.focusonlearning.org/pollingrelease.htm
** Making NCLB Work for Children Who Struggle to Learn: A Parent?’s Guide
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires that schools have a plan to help low-achieving children meet challenging academic standards, including addressing the needs of the almost three million school-age children with learning disabilities who receive special education services. This guide describes key parts of NCLB that can be used to improve educational services for children -- including the law?’s emphasis on accountability, an understanding of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and how it affects children with learning disabilities, and what parents can do if a school does not reach AYP targets.
http://www.LD.org/NCLB
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PUBLIC SPENDING: WHO?’S FUNDING THE KIDS, AND HOW MUCH?
**Child Care Assistance Policies 2001-2004: Families Struggling to Move Forward, States Going Backward
Tight state budgets and stagnant federal funding are putting the squeeze on families, leaving more kids on waiting lists for child care assistance, and slashing reimbursements to providers at a time when the number of working families with below- or near-poverty earnings is rising, reports the National Women's Law Center.
http://www.nwlc.org/pdf/childcaresubsidyfinalreport.pdf
**Beyond the Baseline: 10 Year Deficits Likely to Reach $5.5 Trillion
This OMB Watch analysis concludes that the projected ten-year federal deficit could reach $5.5 trillion, a deficit that will strain the budget as baby boomer retirements increase the burden. Freezing discretionary spending, which funds most of the services for low and moderate-income families, will not be enough to make up the difference. Not extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts will help, but won?’t completely solve the long-term deficit problem.
http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/2390/1/2/?TopicID=3
**Access to Pre-Kindergarten Good, But Not Good Enough
Fifteen states increased their funding to support pre-kindergarten programs despite their tight budgets, but almost half of the states level-funded or decreased expenditures on existing early learning opportunities for 3- and 4-year-olds, reports the Trust for Early Education.
http://www.trustforearlyed.org/new.aspx?id=46
**State Tax Revenue Continues Recovery
State budgets do a lot for children and families -- from funding health care access to supporting schools and public colleges. So it?’s good news that, according to the Rockefeller Institute, state tax revenue grew by 11.3 percent in the April-June 2004 quarter, the strongest growth in four years.
http://stateandlocalgateway.rockinst.org
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PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOL
**Three for Me?’s Parent Involvement Resources
Engaging parents in their children?’s schools is a two-way street -- parents must find time to participate, and schools must provide the supports necessary for them to be involved. Three for Me comes recommended by a CFK reader for its handy forms, helpful tips and other resources to open school doors to parents and open parents?’ time for the school.
http://www.three4me.com/
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BY THE NUMBERS
**Detangling Data Collection: Methods for Gathering After-School Data
After-school programs are trying to meet the demand for more data about their effectiveness. In this Snapshot, the Harvard Family Research Project offers details on surveys and questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, observations, assessments, secondary sources and data reviews to help programs choose the most appropriate data collection options.
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/afterschool/resources/snapshot5.html
**Married and Poor: Characteristics of Economically Disadvantaged Couples
Disadvantaged adults marry at a higher rate through their early 30s and married couples rely on public services (for example, Medicaid) more than you might think. In this working paper, the Manpower Research Demonstration Corporation finds that among economically disadvantaged adults, the problem isn?’t getting married but staying married -- especially among black married couples and couples who are relatively young. Among couples who married in 1990, one-third of those in the bottom education category had their first child before marriage, compared with one-tenth of those in the top education category. Latinos are disproportionately represented among poor married couples; they are relatively likely both to marry and stay married, but to be poor before and during marriage.
http://www.mdrc.org/publications/393/workpaper.html
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FOCUS ON THE STATES
**State-by-State News
Florida
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) on Tuesday announced changes in the state's KidCare program, an umbrella organization with three health insurance coverage options for low-income children, the AP/St. Petersburg Times reports. The changes, which Bush said will extend coverage to an additional 37,000 children, include reducing penalties for not paying premiums and simplifying continuance of coverage for children no longer eligible for Medicaid because of age or family income. (See the September 15 article, ?“Changes to Expand KidCare Coverage.?”)
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/15/State/Changes_to_expand_Kid.shtml
Illinois
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that many Illinois families are neither working nor receiving welfare, reflecting a sharp decline in the number of needy families receiving cash assistance. These families, many of whom have chronic health problems and/or children with severe health conditions, rely on food stamps, Medicaid and housing assistance. (See, ?“Many Illinois Families Not Working or on Welfare.?”)
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-welf15.html
Kansas
Kansas Action for Children reports on the rising cost of health care and finds Kansas families are often forced to choose between basic necessities such as food and health care.
http://www.ljworld.com/section/stateregional/storypr/181475
Minnesota
The Minnesota Business Readiness Advisory Council is sponsoring local meetings and media coverage on the value of early education to move high-quality pre-kindergarten off the back burner and into the frontlines of policy for state lawmakers.
http://www.ready4K.org
Missouri
A case study of the impact of federal decisions on state budget problems finds that recent federal tax and budget policies have reduced state revenues and raised state costs -- resulting in reduced health coverage, declines in school funding, higher tuition costs and higher local taxes and fees. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities conducted the study.
http://www.cbpp.org/9-15-04sfp.htm
New York
The Community Service Society of New York?’s ?“Poverty in New York City: Where Is the Recovery? Where Was the Recession??” examines NYC numbers from the recently released Census Bureau data.
http://www.cssny.org/pdfs/PovertyNYC2003.pdf
Texas
According to the Dallas Morning News, a state judge has ruled that Texas' education funding system is unconstitutional and must be dramatically reshaped to put more money into schools. The judge called on the state to focus on the significant achievement gap between economically disadvantaged and more affluent students -- noting that half the students in Texas fall into the disadvantaged category. (See, "'Robin Hood' System Rejected.")
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/091604dntswschoolfinance.11e568ba9.html
Washington
Earlier this year, over 300,000 Washingtonians came together to put Initiative 884 -- the Education Trust Fund -- on the ballot for November. The dedicated Fund will provide new money to support preschools, reduced class sizes and expanded higher education opportunities. Paid for by a one-percent increase in retail sales tax, the fund would have built-in protection against political meddling.
http://ga3.org/campaign/act082304?source=200409_sig_connect
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Keep up the good work, everyone!
Jan
Jan Richter, Advocacy Director, and the Connect for Kids team
jan@connectforkids.org