CFK Weekly June 20
Bringing you the most up-to-date and relevant news, research and policy developments affecting children, youth and families.June 20, 2007
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Editor's NoteIt's summer, but we've got work on the brain -- with new data on why teens will have a hard timing finding on-the-job experience this summer, and why caregivers are more likely than many other workers to earn low wages and change jobs often. On the school front, there's new evidence of education gains in all 50 states since No Child Left Behind, but the Center on Education Policy cautions that it's too soon to credit the controversial law. Also this week, two new educational campaigns kick off: in support of high school equity and whole child learning, respectively. The South is emerging as a leader in pre-K, and California has lessons for other states in expanding after-school programs. In health news, a new report finds that teens really do need a doctor of their own, and has tips to help providers address financing challenges. Finally, we're looking for a few good interns to help us continue to improve the CFK site and Weekly. Know anyone you can send our way?
Keep us posted on your work, everyone!Caitlin Johnsonweekly@connectforkids.org
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News from CFK
Intern for CFK!Connect for Kids seeks a talented intern located in New York or Washington, D.C., to work 10 to 15 hours per week on its Web site, Connectforkids.org, and the Weekly. Connect for Kids offers flexible scheduling options. Training and a modest stipend will be provided. College juniors, seniors, recent graduates or graduate students with coursework in journalism, child advocacy, social work, political science, online activism, or other related fields are encouraged to apply. Qualifications:
- excellent verbal, written communication and organization skills;
- detail-oriented;
- experience with HTML and PhotoShop preferred.
For more information or to submit your resume, contact Caitlin Johnson at intern@connectforkids.org.
New on Connectforkids.org: The Daddying Movement
Over the past nine years, writer and former teacher Allan Shedlin has interviewed fathers, grandfathers, and children in three countries. He says that here in the United States, a silent revolution is underway -- and our ideas about fatherhood are getting a 21st century update.
Reconnecting Youth
Join the Conversation: Youth Transitions Communications Toolkit (June 28)The Youth Transition Funding Group (YTFG) has partnered with Fenton Communications to develop a toolkit for effectively spreading the word about issues related to youth transitions. To unveil the toolkit and help advocates and others understand the recommendations, YTFG and Fenton will host a conference call on Thursday, June 28 at 11 a.m. Pacific/2 p.m. Eastern. RSVP by June 21 to lmcgill@ytfg.org.
Ready by 21 Training in Sacramento, California (July 11)
This event will center on how communities can use the Forum for Youth Investment's "big picture" Ready by 21 approach for youth-centered community planning and partnership development. Participants at the training will learn how to assess their change horsepower, and will leave with specific action steps for their communities. They'll also have the chance to network, learn new tools and strategies and receive a Ready by 21 introductory workbook to take back to their communities. The cost of the training is $195 per person. Contact Sara Covington at sara@forumfyi.org for more information or to register.
Why Teens Have a Tough Time Finding Summer WorkThis summer may be a tough one for teens looking for work, reports the Christian Science Monitor. Despite a strong U.S. job market, youth employment rates are at historic lows, particularly among young black, Latino and Asian-Americans. Some of the reasons for this are positive, including growing opportunities for summer learning and community service. "But the trend also reflects more competition from older workers for a shrinking pool of entry-level jobs," notes writer Mark Trumbull.
Work and FamilyNeed For and Use of Family Leave Among Parents of Children With Special Health Care NeedsParents of children with special health care needs are especially vulnerable to work-family conflicts that family leave benefits might help resolve. In this study, published in the May issue of Pediatrics, researchers find that many full-time working parents of kids with special health care needs say they need more leave than they have access to. 
Fast Fact: Why Has the Poverty Rate Not Fallen Since the Early 1970s?MDRC says the 30-year decline in earnings is due in part to: (1) technology and globalization, which reward higher education, (2) demographic changes leading to a generation less prepared for college than the previous one, (3) the decline of unionization, and (4) the erosion of the value of the minimum wage. But wait, there's more... 
Caregivers More Likely to Earn Low Wages and Lack InsuranceLast week's Supreme Court ruling that home aides are not eligible for the federal minimum wage makes this Carsey Institute brief all the more timely. It finds that workers who care for children and the elderly (including preschool teachers and child care providers) are more likely than other female workers to receive low wages, change jobs often, lack health insurance, and live in low-income families. 
EITC and Beyond: 2007 Leadership Summit (July 11-13)This
San Francisco summit, jointly hosted by United Way of America and the
National League of Cities, will examine how the Earned Income Tax
Credit can promote the financial stability of families in your
community. Register online.
Education News
Answering the Question That Matters Most: Has Student Achievement Increased Since No Child Left Behind? In most states with three or more years of comparable test data, reading and math scores have risen since 2002, the year No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was enacted. More achievement gaps between groups of students have narrowed than widened since 2002, although substantial gaps remain. The Center on Education Policy notes that gains can't be directly attributed to NCLB, since other reforms have also been underway.
- Read Education Week's coverage, State Tests Show Gains Since NCLB.
Campaign for High School Equity On June 19, representatives from nine major civil rights organizations gathered on Capitol Hill to announce a new partnership to reform the nation's high schools so they prepare every student for graduation, college, work and life.
- Read the inaugural publication: A Plan for Success: Communities of Color Define Policy Priorities for High School Reform.
Whole Child Learning CampaignThe Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, made up of about 175,000 teachers, has launched an advocacy campaign to minimize what they say are NCLB's harmful effects and to champion a "whole child" approach to education.
Early Learning and Pre-KRIF Launches Multicultural Literacy Campaign This new Reading is Fundamental (RIF) campaign is designed to promote and support early childhood literacy in African-American, Hispanic and Native American communities. It gives parents and caregivers of children under age 5 tools to build children's language skills. Check out the site and educational video.
Enriching Children, Enriching the Nation: Public Investment in High-Quality PrekindergartenFunding remains a major challenge to quality pre-K programs. This Economic Policy Institute book offers evidence that investments in early learning pay off for state governments -- for example, 80 percent of states would see surpluses in 10 years or less from spending on targeted pre-K initiatives. You can buy the book for $14.95 or download the executive summary and introduction; click on the media kit for a fact sheet and state-by-state analyses. 
Pre-Kindergarten in the South: the Region's Competitive Advantage in EducationSouthern states have typically lagged behind other regions in many areas of education performance -- but not when it comes to pre-K. Souther states show greater enrollment, higher standards and more funding in state-funded pre-K than other regions. This will lead to economic and educational gains in the area, says this Southern Education Foundation report. (Free PDF.)
After-School Resources
California's Afterschool ExpansionFormer reporter and editor Joseph Ames wrote this very readable new William T. Grant Foundation report about California's work to create the largest state-funded expansion of after-school services in U.S. history. The report profiles the effort, offers an early look at the results, and distills lessons for policymakers and planners in other states.Quality Time After School In Brief What works to engage youth in out-of-school time activities and learning? For starters, good group management and positive adult support. This Public/Private Ventures brief also finds that program directors and funders need clear guidance about what works. The findings are drawn from data from five Philadelphia-based Beacon Centers.Check it out: AfterSchoolResources.org Funding by the C.S. Mott Foundation, Afterschoolresources.org is a searchable, comprehensive online database with more than 500 resources and tools for designing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining afterschool systems. To suggest resources for inclusion, contact dahnke@publicengagement.com.
Health Care News
Under One Roof: Primary Care Models that Work for Adolescents This report looks at integrated health care models that tailor their services to teens' unique physical, behavioral and reproductive health care needs and focus on positive youth development. It examines three programs in different settings -- in a hospital, private practice and a qualified community health center -- and examines how each addressed the financing challenges to creating an integrated program.From the CFK Archives: Not Their Parent's MD -- Why Teens Need a Doctor of Their OwnIn this CFK article, historian Heather Prescott argues that adolescent health care is a much-needed and often-overlooked field of health. Now Online: Cases in Public Health Communication & MarketingCheck out this open-access online journal for reviews of lessons learned from recent public health programs, designed to improve public health communication and marketing. Contact cases@gwu.edu for more information.
Caitlin Johnson and Thaddeus FerberConnect for Kids and the Forum for Youth Investment
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