CFK reports from: Using Preschool to Close the Education Gap
Event: A panel discussion on the role of preschool in preparing poor and minority children for academic success, with Virginia Governor Mark Warner and Congressman Michael Castle of Delaware.
Organized by: The Brookings Institution Center on Children and Families
Where/When: Washington DC, Tuesday, September 27, 2005

This discussion marked the official launch of Brookings' new Center on Children and Families, jointly directed by Isabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins. The new policy center will conduct research and communicate its findings on issues important to low-income children and families.

CFK reports from: Child Well-Being: Their Present, Our Future
Event: A Briefing on America's Children: Key National Indicators of Child Well-Being, released by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics
Organized by: America's Promise
Where/When: Washington DC, Thursday September 22, 2005

Members from non-profit organizations and government agencies gathered at an annual policy seminar conducted by The Alliance for Youth to discuss the latest data on child well-being and how this data should be used to inform federal policy in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The briefing was to discuss the biennial release of America's Children: Key National Indicators of Child Well-Being, a compilation of statistics gathered by a collaboration of 20 agencies collectively known as the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics that provides data on education, health status, social development and other measures of how children are faring.

CFK reports from: The Library of Congress
Event: The Education Policy Forum
Organized by: The American Educational Research Association, and The Institute for Educational Leadership
Where/When: Washington DC, Friday, September 9, 2005

Members of various child advocacy organizations congregated at a monthly forum hosted by The American Educational Research Association (AERA), and the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) to discuss the findings and implications of Children: Key National Indicators of Well Being, 2005.

CFK reports from: The Brookings Institution
Event: Poverty and Income in 2004: A Look at the New Census Data and What the Numbers Mean for Children and Families
Organized by: The Brookings Welfare Reform and Beyond Initiative
Where/When: Washington, D.C., August 30, 2005

As has been widely reported, the U.S. Census Bureau released 2004 poverty and family income data on Wednesday, August 31, 2005, showing that 1.1 million more people lived in poverty in 2004 than in the previous year.

CFK reports from: Hall of States Building
Event: "2005 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard: Can Families Still Achieve the American Dream?"
Organized by: Corporation for Enterprise Development
Where/When: Washington, D.C., July 29, 2005

Experts at a Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) policy briefing said they believe CFED's 2005 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard will generate discussion and collaboration on asset development for working families.

CFK reports from: eConference Center
Event: "Kids, Video Games & the Classroom: Is it time to incorporate kids' favorite technology into our schools?"
Organized by: Education Development Center
Where/When: Washington, D.C., July 27, 2005

A panel of education technology experts assessed the educational benefits of video games in an online conference called "Kids, Video Games & the Classroom." The panel, hosted by the Center for Media and Community at the Education Development Center, featured both research-based as well as empirical evidence that gaming can be an effective instructional tool in the 21st century.

CFK reports from: Rayburn House Office Building
Event: Hearing on "Coordination Among Federal Youth Development Programs"
Organized by: The American Youth Policy Forum and the Campaign for Youth
Where/When: Washington, D.C., June 24, 2005

Witnesses and committee members at a hearing held by the House Subcommittee on Select Education discussed how coordinating federal, state and local efforts to help disadvantaged youth will increase efficiency and accountability.

CFK reports from: Dirksen Senate Office Building
Event: High School Achievement Forum: The Alabama Reading Initiative at Buckhorn High School
Organized by: Alliance for Excellent Education
Where/When: Washington, D.C., July 13, 2005

The Alliance for Excellent Education's second breakfast forum on high school achievement featured the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) at Buckhorn High School, a racially and economically diverse school in rural northwest Alabama.

CFK reports from: The American Youth Policy Forum
Event: Forum on Capitol Hill on the Dropout Crisis
Organized by: The American Youth Policy Forum and the Campaign for Youth
Where/When: Washington, D.C., June 24, 2005

Paul Barton reviewed the findings from his "One-Third of a Nation: Rising Dropout Rates and Declining Opportunities," published by the Educational Testing Service in February, 2005.

CFK reports from: The Brookings Institution
Event: Release of study on Protecting Low-Income Families’ Savings; panel discussion
Organized by: The Retirement Security Project
Where/When: Washington, D.C., June 21, 2005

Changing methods of saving for retirement, combined with outdated government regulations on counting family assets, have increased the risk that low- and moderate-income families who attempt to save for later years will lose their eligibility for government assistance programs such as food stamps, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid and cash public assistance.