CFK Weekly: June 27, 2007

06/26/2007

CFK Weekly: Funding Tools, Babies' Brains in Child Care, Federal Budget and more

Bringing you the most up-to-date and relevant news, research and policy developments affecting children, youth and families.June 27, 2007

In This Issue

Funding for Communities and Youth

Early Childhood News and Tools

Kids & Politics: Minding the Budget

Health and Health Care

Education News

Ed Tech: Wired for Learning

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Editor's Note
Got a great idea for action in your hometown? The Case Foundation is offering Make It Your Own grants so you can put some money where your momentum is. (While you're at it, why not try for the YSA/Disney and Staples grants too!) This week, as Congress continues to consider the federal budget, advocates are working to reverse a downward trend in funding for children and families. Also, voters say health care wll be a big issue in '08; the Commonwealth Fund examines state health care systems, and says all have room to improve, but 13 consistently do well.Also this week: want to know what's really going on in their heads? Then take ZERO TO THREE's new interactive baby brain map for a spin. Speaking of brains, PBS has a new documentary and website to help children and adults get a better understanding of learning difficulties. In Education News, NCLB has changed the way teachers teach, and RAND has the evidence to prove it. The CFK Weekly will be shortened for the July Fourth holiday next week, but we'll back in full on July 11. Keep us posted on your work, everyone!Caitlin Johnsonweekly@connectforkids.org To read PDF files, download the free Adobe Reader.

Funding for Communities and YouthCase Foundation's Make It Your Own Awards Do you have big dreams for your community? Starting June 26, the Case Foundation can help you make them a reality. To encourage community members (even those who disagree) to come together to create local solutions, the Foundation is offering 20 $10,000 grants; four finalists chosen online by the public will each get an additional $25,00! All applicants welcome, ages 14 and up. Application deadline: August 8.

Read the related paper, Citizens at the Center: A New Approach to Civic Engagement

YSA - Disney Minnie Grants The Walt Disney Company and Youth Service America (YSA) are offering up to $500 to support youth (ages 5 to 14) in creating service projects in their community. Teachers, older youth and youth-serving organizations are also eligible to apply, but they must engage younger youth in the work. To learn more, email MinnieGrant@ysa.org. Deadline: August 30.Staples Foundation for Learning GrantsStaples Foundation for Learning supports programs that provide job skills and/or education for all people, with a special emphasis on disadvantaged youth. Deadline: August 3.

Early Childhood News and ToolsHead Start Passes in Senate, Moves to Conference with HouseOn June 19th, the U.S. Senate passed its Head Start for School Readiness Act (S. 556). The House version of the bill, H.R. 1429, was passed on May 2nd. The differences in the two bills will be worked out in conference. The Child Welfare League of America says the bill, among other things:

Ends controversial standardized testing of 4-year-olds;
Increases the set-aside for Early Head Start;
Sets a "goal" that by September 2013, 50 percent of all center-based Head Start teachers in each state attain a Bachelor's degree.

For more on the program, visit the official Head Start website. How to Plan a Site Visit: Inviting Policymakers to See Your Work with Infants, Toddlers & Their Families If a picture is worth a thousand words, showing someone your work firsthand can be worth even more. This advocacy tool from ZERO TO THREE helps early childhood workers learn about how site visits can connect policymakers' decisions to the faces of infants, toddlers, and families in the community. Questions? Contact Debbie Rappaport at drappaport@zerotothree.org.For more information, join the ZERO TO THREE Policy Network (it's free). And visit the site to try out the interactive "baby brain map" and new School Readiness Interactive tools.Supporting the Growth and Development of Babies in Child Care: What Does the Research Say?Most infants and toddlers will spend some time in non-parental care during their early years, and research shows that secure relationships with parents and caregivers are of primary importance for cognitive, social, and emotional development. This Center for Law and Social Policy/ZERO TO THREE brief reviews existing research to make the case that state policies can promote quality early childhood experiences and promote healthy growth and development for kids in child care.

Kids & Politics: Minding the BudgetSave the Date: Children's Budget Summit (July 20)Federal domestic spending on children has declined by 23 percent since 1960, according to the Urban Institute. To reverse this trend, Urban and the bipartisan advocacy organization First Focus are hosting this event at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It will include policy and communications experts and state groups that have successfully advocated for additional funding. RSVP to Emily Mah at Emily@firstfocus.net by July 9. For more on the federal budget and kids, check out:

KIDS' SHARE 2007: How Children Fare in the Federal Budget (Urban Institute)

Policy Agenda/Resources (First Focus)

How the Budget Affects You (Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities)

Budget Topic Page (Coalition on Human Needs)

Federal Budget Research (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

dome Citizen Activists Speak Out for a Fairer Budget Earlier this month in cities across the nation, members of the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities (ECAP) gathered at community hearings to advocate for a federal budget and spending plan that supports important programs for families and communities. On the site, you can:

Watch testimony from Marilyn, a teacher who runs an after-school program; she asks her senators to boost funds for SCHIP, food stamps and WIC, the nutrition program for women, infants and children.

Sign the Petition for a Fair Budget.

Health and Health CareAiming Higher: Results from a State Scorecard on Health System Performance Where you live has a lot to do with the quality of state health care you get, according to a new Commonwealth Fund comparison of state health system performance. States vary widely in terms of access, quality, avoidable hospital use and costs, equity, and "healthy lives." Overall, better access is closely associated with better quality. If the poorer-performing states could bring their rankings up to the level of the more successful states, it would mean better health and lower costs to governments. If insurance rates nationwide reached that of the top states, the uninsured population would be cut in half.Health Care Matters to Voters

How will the 2008 presidential candidates handle health care? That's
the top domestic issue for voters, according to the latest Kaiser
Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll. Iraq remains the most important
topic overall for candidates to talk about (43 percent), but health
care is second (21 percent).

Education News Standards-Based Accountability Under NCLB: Experiences of Teachers and Administrators in Three StatesThe 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act is famous for, among other things, its emphasis on standards-based testing and accountability. This RAND study examines how these policies have influenced the attitudes and actions of teachers and administrators in classrooms, schools and districts in California, Georgia and Pennsylvania. The bottom line: the focus on student achievement is positive and apparent, but a single-minded emphasis on test scores has potentially negative consequences, such as narrowing curriculum and reducing staff morale.Misunderstood Minds: Tools to Tackle Learning IssuesOne in five students face a learning disability or learning problem. This 90-minute Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) documentary follows five families as they work with experts to try to solve the mysteries of their children's learning difficulties. The website has scientific explanations, strategies for school success, and more -- check out the interactive section, "Experience Firsthand," for a glimpse at what it may be like to struggle with a basic skill.For more on learning disabilities, visit LD OnLine.Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and EngineeringSticks and stones? Researchers took 200 women with strong math skills and separated them into two groups. They told one group it was part of a study on math performance, the other a study on why men outperform women in math. The first group did well; the second group's scores dropped. This National Academies book argues that the real-world version of this study is why girls and women are under-represented in higher levels of math, science, and engineering. (Read sections online, or order the book or PDF.)

Ed Tech: Wired for Learning Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-2005 This National Center on Education Statistics report looks at Internet access in public schools since 1994. Overall, schools have consistently expanded Internet access in classrooms; 94 percent of public school instructional rooms had Internet access in 2005, compared with 3 percent in 1994. Nearly 100 percent of public schools have some access to the Internet, compared with 35 percent in 1994.EdTechNext: Tech Tips for TeachersA new series of briefs from the Consortium for School Networking is designed to keep teachers up to date on cutting-edge educational technology. Each report offers background and tips for using new technologies in schools -- including Internet2 and instant messaging.