Early Childhood Education / Public News Service

Experts say regular outdoor learning opportunities promote greater physical well-being and improved brain function in children. (isakarakus/Pixabay)

Advocates to Congress: Kids Need More Outdoor Learning

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- As Congress considers making significant investments in the nation's child-care system, children's advocates argued now is the …

Advocates are calling on state and federal lawmakers to shift policies, such as replacing the term "playground" with "outdoor learning environment" in regulations to support the creation of more nature-based spaces. (Adobe Stock)

Children's Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Expand Access to Outdoor Learning

DENVER -- As Congress considers making significant investments in the nation's child-care system, children's advocates say now is the time to make …

Working Americans pay a higher tax rate on their wages than people who are wealthy pay for passive income gained through investments in stocks and bonds. (Adobe Stock)

Wealthy Coloradans Urge Congress to Raise Their Taxes

DENVER - Some 200 wealthy taxpayers and business owners, including 14 in Colorado, are asking Congress to raise their taxes. An open letter …

Since school started in Pennsylvania, the Department of Health says 5,000 students have tested positive for COVID-19. It's one reason for Gov. Tom Wolf's Sept. 7 mask mandate. (Gov. Tom Wolf/Flickr)

Mask Mandate Coming for All PA K-12 Schools, Child-Care Centers

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Face masks will be mandatory at all public and private K-through-12 schools in Pennsylvania, starting next week. Gov. Tom Wolf …

Last school year, 68 out of the 262 public school districts in Arkansas reported not having a single teacher of color on their staffs. (Adobe Stock)

"Teach Plus" AR Fellowship Aims to Increase Educator Diversity

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Twenty educators from across Arkansas will meet throughout the next year to learn how to advocate for education policy changes…

More than 64,000 North Dakotans are children younger than age 6. More than 70% have parents in the workforce. (Adobe Stock)

Report: ND Should Think of Child Care as Infrastructure

JAMESTOWN, N.D. -- A new report showed affordable and accessible child care remains an issue for North Dakota families. It is prompting calls for …

During the pandemic, more than 20% of U.S. parents with children ages 5-12 reported their children experienced worsened mental or emotional health, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — During the pandemic, more than 20% of U.S. parents with children ages 5-12 reported their children experienced worsened mental or emotional health, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report. (Adobe Stock)

Mental Health in Spotlight as MD K-12 Schools Reopen

BALTIMORE, Md. -- As Maryland children prepare to return to school in the next few weeks, experts say ensuring their mental health is stable is a top …

Recent Kaiser Family Foundation research shows more than 20% of parents with children ages 5 to 12 say their kids' emotional health has declined since March 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Youth Mental Health Emphasized as K-12 Schools Resume in NY

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- As New York schools gear up for the fall term, physical and mental well-being of kids in grades K-12 is in the forefront, …

Research increasingly points to early childhood, the period from birth through age seven, as the most critical time in a child's life. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Research increasingly points to early childhood, the period from birth through age seven, as the most critical time in a child's life. (Adobe Stock)

NC Grants Focus on Easing Racial Disparities in Early Learning

RALEIGH, N.C. - In some North Carolina counties, high poverty levels mean kids and parents lack access to quality pre-K learning. Some groups are …

The pandemic year of 2020 saw at least a 27% drop in kids' doctor visits, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. (Ben_Kerckx/Pixabay)

COVID, Lockdowns Cited as Cause for Reduced Childhood Vaccinations

AUSTIN, Texas -- Many of us lost track of days and months during the pandemic, and that may be why some parents skipped their kids' well-child visits …

According to the CDC, vaccine-preventable diseases have a costly impact, resulting in doctor's visits, hospitalizations and premature deaths, all of which could be avoided. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — According to the CDC, vaccine-preventable diseases have a costly impact, resulting in doctor's visits, hospitalizations and premature deaths, all of which could be avoided. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Missed Well Visits Put Kids at Risk for Communicable Diseases

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Parents should catch their kids up on missed doctor visits, and in some cases, vaccinations, to protect themselves and their …

Children enrolling in most Arizona public schools must receive several vaccines to protect themselves and their classmates from infectious diseases. (CSMedia/Adobe Stock)

Report: Annual Doctor Visit Should be High on 'Back-to-School' Checklist

TUCSON, Ariz. -- It is getting to be "back-to-school" time in Arizona, and pediatricians say a visit to the doctor is as important for kids as …

New Mexico Voices for Children says, as in many states, families of color in New Mexico were hit hard by the pandemic, in terms of school closures and job losses. (nappy.co)

NM Families Start School Year with Extra Money for Child Care

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Pandemic fallout still has U.S. states clawing their way back to normalcy, and New Mexico believes its decision to provide more …

Community action agencies connect missing pieces to help low-income individuals with assistance programs. In Minnesota, 24 of them, along with nearly 10 tribal governments, will share in new funding. (Adobe Stock)

MN's Community Agencies Can Stretch Dollars a Little Further

ONAMIA, Minn. -- Helping Minnesotans escape poverty requires behind-the-scenes work, often done by community action agencies on shoestring budgets…

Among other recommendations, child-care advocates want to see Pennsylvania expand its Infant/Toddler Contracted Slots Program to provide free child care to 3,000 to 4,000 more kids from eligible families. (Adobe Stock)

PA Child-Care Providers: State Budget Falls Short for Youngest Learners

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Gov. Tom Wolf signed the new state budget last week, which includes a historic $416 million increase in public-education funding…

North Carolina ranks 34th among states for children's well-being in the 2021 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, although the state improved on many individual measures in the report. (Adobe Stock)

Pandemic-Relief Measures Can Help More NC Kids

RALEIGH, N.C. -- New survey data offer a clear picture of how North Carolina kids and families are faring, both before and after the pandemic…

Prior to the pandemic, nearly 120,000 Indiana families with children lacked health insurance. That reflected progress in reducing the overall rate, but a new report says the pandemic has reversed it. (Adobe Stock)

Child Well-Being Report: More IN Families without Health Insurance

INDIANAPOLIS -- Like many other states, Indiana saw progress in improving children's lives before the pandemic, but an annual report said the crisis …

The newest edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book explores how America's child population fared during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Poverty Continues to Stall Progress on WV Kids' Well-Being

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- New survey data offer a clear picture of how West Virginia kids and families are faring. The Mountain State ranks 44th in the …

The number of Maryland fourth graders who were not proficient in reading increased to 65% in 2019, according to a new report. (Adobe stock)

Report: MD Lawmakers Need to Keep Spotlight on Child Well-Being

BALTIMORE -- Advocates said Maryland lawmakers need to focus more than ever on helping children, as a new report shows the state dropped from 21st in …

A new report shows Arizona's investments in its children's health, education and overall family economic stability are among the lowest in the 50 states. (cerva/Adobe Stock)<br /><br /> — A new report shows Arizona's investments in its children's health, education and overall family economic stability are among the lowest in the 50 states. (cerva/Adobe Stock)

Report: AZ Under-Invests in Children's Health, Education, Well-Being

PHOENIX -- A decade-long look at how Arizona is taking care of its children finds the state is failing to provide the social, educational and …

According to the 2021 Kids Count Data Book, the number of Connecticut children ages 3 and 4 not enrolled in preschool has dropped in the last decade, from 38% in 2009-2011 to 34% in 2017-2019. (Adobe Stock)

Report Suggests More CT Families Backslid Financially in Pandemic

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut ranks in the top 10 states for children's education and health, but its families rank lower in terms of economic well-…

New York state ranks 16th in the nation for education. The 2021 Kids Count Data Book shows from 2017-2019, 41% of New York children ages 3 and 4 weren't enrolled in preschool, compared to the 52% U.S. average. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Federal Support Vital to NY Families’ Economic Recovery

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York is among the top 10 U.S. states for health among children, and the bottom ten for families' overall economic wellbeing…

Before the pandemic, the percentage of Colorado children living in poverty fell from 17% in 2010 to 11% in 2019, a faster decline than in all but five other states and the District of Columbia. (Adobe Stock)

COVID Economic Shock Puts Decade of Children's Progress at Risk

DENVER - Colorado ranks 15th in the nation for overall child well-being, according to The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2021 Kids Count Data Book…

In 2019, 24% of New Hampshire children lived in households with high housing-cost burdens, down from 39% in 2010. (zilvergolf/Adobe Stock)

NH Ranks High in Child Well-Being, But Pandemic May Disrupt Gains

CONCORD, N.H. -- New Hampshire ranks in the top 10 for overall child wellbeing, but advocates for children and families say that doesn't diminish the …

A new report says during the pandemic, Iowa's Black, Latino and multiracial households with children were three times as likely as white households to worry about making their next rent or mortgage payment. (Adobe Stock)

Despite Ranking, Pandemic Clouds IA's Child Well-being Outlook

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa gets some high marks in the latest 50-state report on children's wellbeing, but the annual findings show the pandemic is …

The outlook for children's well-being in Utah is good, but a new report says 173,000 kids live in households where parents don't have stable employment. (diego serva/Adobe Stock)

Report: Utah Among Top 5 States for Children's Well-Being

SALT LAKE CITY -- Families with children in Utah and other states remained mostly steady over the past year in an annual report on children's wellbein…

About 16% of Latino families with children in Virginia were uninsured in March 2021, compared with 8% of all households in the state, according to the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Virginia Must Improve Child Health Coverage for Latino Families

RICHMOND, Va. -- Children in Virginia are better off than in most states, but a new report said the Commonwealth needs to improve health outcomes…

An annual well-being report says South Dakota has seen worsening child obesity numbers over the past decade. (Adobe Stock)

SD Ranks Near Middle for Child Well-Being

PIERRE, S.D. -- A mixed bag of news can be found for South Dakota in the latest report measuring child wellbeing in the U.S. As families emerge from …

Permanently expanding the Child Tax Credit is projected to lift as many as half of the nation's children in low-income families out of poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Nebraska's Families of Color Hit Hardest by Pandemic

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska as a whole is performing well for families with children, ranked seventh in the nation overall, according to the Annie E…

A new report found, as of 2019, there were more children in families where the head of household hadn't graduated from high school than in any other state. (5Second/Adobestock)

Report: CA Children of Color Bear Brunt of Pandemic

LOS ANGELES -- Kids in California were among the hardest hit during the pandemic, according to the just-released 2021 Kids Count report. Researchers …

States such as Texas that chose not to expand Medicaid in recent years saw uninsured rates for young children grow almost three times as fast as states that did expand Medicaid, according to Every Texan. (badski007Pixabay)

Texas Ranks Last Among 50 States for Kids With Health Insurance

AUSTIN, Texas -- One million, or 13%, of Texas children went without health insurance in 2019, a significantly higher number than the national …

Approximately 23% of Maine kids lived in households with a high housing cost burden in 2019, compared with 33% in 2010. (Daniel Jedzura/Adobe Stock)

Report: Child Tax Credit to Benefit More than 90% of Maine Kids

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Child wellbeing in Maine improved between 2010 and 2019, according to a new annual report, but advocates for children and families …

Approximately 28% of Illinois kids lived in households with a high housing cost burden in 2019, compared with 42% in 2010. (Darren Baker/Adobe Stock)

IL Child Well-Being Improved in Last Decade, Although Disparities Remain

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Child well-being in Illinois was looking up in 2019 compared with 2010, but advocates say the full impact of COVID-19 is yet to …

New Mexico had a 45% improvement in children without health insurance in 2019, compared with the previous year, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (darkside-550/Pixabay)

NM Notes Marked Improvements in Child Well-Being Report

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A New Mexico child-advocate group is expressing cautious optimism about incremental improvements in the latest Kids Count report…

An annual well-being report said roughly 15,000 North Dakota children lacked health-care coverage leading up to the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

ND Children's Report Looks Good on Surface, But Concerns Lurk Beneath

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota ranks first in the U.S. when it comes to economic stability for children, according to an annual report measuring child …

Nearly one in three Wyoming adults with children reported feeling down, depressed or hopeless in March. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wyoming Still Far Behind on Children's Health Care

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming ranks 45th nationally for child health, and an estimated 15,000 Wyoming kids do not have health insurance, according to The …

Part of a proposed bump in education funding would cover free pre-K education for all 4-year-olds in California. (Briana Jackson/iStockphoto)

Governor's Multibillion Dollar Boost to Education Budget Thinks Big

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Education advocates are cheering Gov. Gavin Newsom's May budget revise, which pours almost $122 billion into public schools…

Research shows unequal application of school discipline is due to different treatment, not different behavior by students. (MIA Studio/Adobe Stock)

Report Highlights PA School Discipline Disparities

PHILADELPHIA -- A report to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission recommends banning exclusionary discipline for nonviolent offenses in Pennsylvania …

The pandemic has put added stress on the child-care workforce across the country. In Washington state, it caught the attention of legislators, who've included more money for pay and health benefits in the new state budget. (ShunTerra/Adobe Stock)

WA Child-Care Workers Get Wage Boost, Health Coverage

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- This session, Washington state lawmakers approved a major investment in child care and its workers. The state budget provides $360 …

A majority of women are breadwinners in their families. (Pixabay)

Survey: Moms Want More Than Breakfast in Bed This Mother’s Day

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Mother's Day draws near, a new survey conducted by the Institute for Women's Policy Research offers a clearer picture of what …

About 200 child-care centers have closed in Idaho since September. (Oksana Kuzmina/Adobe Stock)

ID Child-Care Centers Raise Alarms, Await Federal-Funding OK

BOISE, Idaho -- Idaho child-care providers closed their doors and came to the doors of the Capitol this week to call on lawmakers to approve federal …

A team of community-based organizations across North Carolina recently interviewed dozens of parents of young children for their views about the state's social-emotional health ecosystem. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — A team of community-based organizations across North Carolina recently interviewed dozens of parents of young children for their views about the state's social-emotional health ecosystem. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Resources Scarce for NC Parents of Young Kids

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A new survey of more than 200 North Carolina parents of young children finds a lot of concern - and at times, panic and even …

Students from multi-generational families who studied at home during the pandemic may be putting their grandparents at risk now that Arizona is returning to in-class studies. (studio romantic/Adobe Stock)

Keeping Grandparents Safe as AZ Students Return to Classroom

TUCSON, Ariz. -- As Arizona classrooms begin reopening this week, students and educators seem equally enthusiastic over a return to in-school …

Universal, no-cost school meals have been tried in certain U.S. cities. Now more state legislatures, including Minnesota, are seeing a push for this approach. (Adobe Stock)

MN Campaign Launches for Universal Free School Meals

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Transportation and learning supplies are among the things to which all K-through-12 students can have access. In Minnesota…

Community child-care programs in El Paso County have added pollinator gardens, native plants and other natural elements to kids' outdoor play areas. (Pixabay)

Adding Nature to Kids' Play Boosts Education, Health

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Plastic- and rubber-dominated playgrounds in Colorado Springs have added winding pathways with tall grasses, gardens…

Teachers said prioritizing vaccinations for school staff is essential to providing the best education for students and keeping the community safe. (David Gales/Adobe Stock)

PA Teachers Praise Vaccination Plan

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The union representing more than 170,000 school employees is praising a new vaccination plan that will make returning to in-…

Some Ohio schools are expanding programming to include outside services that support the entire family. (AdobeStock)

Looking Beyond Classroom to Improve Student Success

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A new bill would help schools in Ohio look beyond the classroom to improve student success. The Full-Service Community School …

The American Rescue Plan would create a $25 billion emergency child-care stabilization fund. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates for Children, Families Say Mainers Need COVID Relief

AUGUSTA, Maine -- As Maine families struggle to recover from the pandemic's economic fallout, advocates for children and families say quick passage …

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