EdSource | John Fensterwald “It’s about creating a school with a caring environment in every respect, one that is connected to families.” Several thousand schools in low-income neighborhoods are being transformed into community centers that provide important services for both families and students. Fensterwald explains what needs to be done to get these community schools…
Reducing Child Poverty is a No-Brainer — But Not Because of Effects on Children’s Brains
The Washington Post| Mical Raz “Many policymakers believed that early intervention would pay off in measurable academic and intellectual gains in poor children.” Raz discusses some of the anti-poverty programs that began developing as early as the 1960s. She explains how legislators explored the findings of experimental studies that showed placing children in early-enrichment centers…
Students Who Were Part of Tennessee Pre-K Program Continue to Trail Peers Who Weren’t, Study Shows
Chalkbeat Tennessee| Marta W. Aldrich “The study’s lead author, Dale Farran, said her team’s jarring findings should jumpstart conversations about whether early child care and education are headed in the right direction in the United States.” Aldrich reviews the results of an ongoing study which shows that disadvantaged children who attended Tennessee’s public pre-K program…
Colorado’s Reading Curriculum Crackdown Advances, Districts Commit to Change
Chalkbeat | Ann Schimke “The state began notifying districts about the need to switch from unacceptable curriculums in late October. Districts can choose from about a dozen state-approved core reading programs.” Ann Schimke explores the plan for many Colorado school districts to replace their reading programs within the next couple of years after many were…
Child Care Costs are Outpacing Inflation — The Average Cost of Daycare for Infants Now Exceeds In-State College Tuition Fees
MarketWatch | Leslie Albrecht “The existing structure of America’s child-care market itself is unsustainable… Child care is an expensive, labor-intensive service to provide. …Providers can only charge what families in their area can afford to pay, so wages remain low for the business to remain solvent.” A new report from Child Care Aware highlights a…
Children’s Hospital Hires First-Ever Chief of Mental Health After Declaring State of Emergency
Colorado Sun | Jennifer Brown “Liaw said she’s been surprised by the lack of options for children with acute mental health issues who end up in the emergency rooms of Colorado hospitals.” Jennifer Brown discusses the state of children’s mental health in Colorado and the potential for the Centennial State to become more invested in…
What Happened After These Unhoused People Got Monthly $500 Checks? Two-thirds Have Homes
Fast Company | Adele Peters “The idea is simple: People living in poverty need money, and they’re in the best position to know how to spend it.” Adele Peters explores the results of a San Francisco-based nonprofit that started a basic-income pilot last year for a small group of people experiencing homelessness. Two-thirds of the…
Cash Aid to Poor Mothers Increases Brain Activity in Babies, Study Finds
The New York Times | Jason DeParle “This is a big scientific finding. It’s proof that just giving the families more money, even a modest amount of more money, leads to better brain development.” A recent study provides evidence that a single year of subsidies to new parents could change something as profound as brain…
Positive Childhood Environments May Help Buffer the Physiological Effects of Adversity and Trauma
News Medical | Emily Henderson “Physiological adaptability is a key component of physical and psychological well-being and resilience.” Henderson explores a first-of-its-kind study conducted by Darcia Narvaez, emerita professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame and doctoral student Mary Tarsha in which results show positive childhood experiences can help improve the effects of…
Mental Health Advocates From Ohio and Elsewhere Urge Congress to Provide More Support
Cleveland.com | Sabrina Eaton “Congress is urged to make federal money available for mental health support for child welfare service staffers and to increase federal investments for a stronger system of care for children.” As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, there is an increased demand for child welfare services as burnout and traumatic stress…
