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Editor's Note
It ain't over till the lame duck quacks? Or something like that. Congress is expected to return in November to take up a possible second stimulus package. In the meantime, President Bush signed into law a significant child welfare reform bill and the Reconnecting Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, to fund services and studies of what works best for homeless kids and teens. Speaking of what works -- a new Texas study has grim news about dropout rates, but the authors say there's a lot adults can do to boost graduation rates in Texas and across the country and they've got specifics to jump start action. For young people who graduate and enroll in college, there's new evidence that while schools have developed effective supports to help students stay in college, they fall short of reaching those who need them most. What's more, rates of college enrollment aren't keeping pace with population growth. What do students say about staying in college? Find out in the latest New Youth Connections publication. Also: why advocates are holding off on cheering the new CDC infant mortality findings, how states compare when it comes to kids' health and health care and why October 25 is a good time to get outside. Keep working for kids, everyone! Caitlin Johnsonweekly@connectforkids.org |
 New on Connectforkids.org
Graduation for All: "At This Rate, We'll Lose Generations"
Texas graduation rates haven't improved much in over 20 years. In fact, the latest Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) study finds that Texas schools lose one high school student every four minutes -- that's one-third of the state's students. So what would it take to get to a dropout rate of zero? IDRA's Grad4All project looks at what can work and how adults can get involved to make sure more students in Texas and across the country graduate on time and with the skills they need to succeed.
For U.S. Children, Mixed End to 110th Congress
While the $700 billion financial rescue package is capturing headlines,
child advocates across the country are quietly cheering some recent
successes in Congress, including significant reform to the child
welfare system, while raising concerns about a setback that may leave
many homeless children without services they need.
Also on CFK: Reading Into the Hope Meadows Story
In Hershel Sarbin's latest blog post, he writes, "I'm struck by how smartly Brenda Eheart and Martha Power, the founders of Hope Meadows intergenerational community, have adapted to changing conditions over the years." Therein lies a model for all of us.
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New Laws Worth Watching
 Bush Signs Remaining Youth-Directed Bills
This month, President Bush signed into law two bills aimed at keeping children safer and healthier: the Protect Our Children Act and the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act. The latter provides a funding increase for programs serving homeless youth and "mandates a study on runaway and homeless
youth every five years in order know how to serve this group properly," Youth Today reports.
>> That's not all! The president also signed into law a major child welfare reform bill -- get the scoop in our Foster Care section below.
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Youth Voices
 How to Succeed in College
A new youth-researched and youth-written publication from New Youth Connections and Youth Communication is all about staying in college. Among its cool features: an insider's look at the City University of New York's College STEPS (Success Through Education, Preparation and Service) program.
>> See Also: For more on college access and success, visit the Youth Development Institute.
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Kids & Politics: Ready for 2009
The Debate: Kids Make It In At the End
Did you catch the final moments of last week's presidential debate? The Every Child Matters Education Fund says: "mirroring the theme of our Homeland Insecurity report, debate moderator Bob Schieffer linked our national security to our failure to do right by our kids." Watch that clip from the debate on ECM's site or read the transcript.
Recommendations for No Child Left Behind
Dropout rates are rising and too many young people are finishing high school without the skills they need for college, work and life. Next year, Congress will reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as No Child Left Behind. Here's how the National Collaboration for Youth hopes to see it done -- add improvements to make education more relevant to young people, to better prepare them for success.
The Candidates on Kids' Issues
Where do the candidates stand on policies affecting children, youth and families? Here's a look at some new side-by-sides:
- Education. The Public Education Network has a nonpartisan comparison of the candidates' positions on public education, a subject that has not received tremendous attention the campaigns.
- Health Care. First Focus analyzes McCain's and Obama child health policies -- with a focus on the impacts of tax credits, purchasing private insurance across state lines, covering children through a mandate and how public programs interact with private sector coverage.
Families USA has a brief examining the impact on health care costs of each candidate's plan. - Early Childhood. The National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies summarizes where the candidates stand on early childhood issues and Head Start.
After the Election: Making a Plan
We'll all be watching what happens on November 4, but several organizations are going a step farther by holding conference calls, meetings and other events in the days following the election to start planning their advocacy efforts for '09 and beyond. Here are a few:
- Juvenile Justice. On November 6, the American Bar Association's Juvenile Justice Committee will host a Town Hall meeting in Washington, DC to provide the new administration with a bipartisan juvenile justice plan of action. Citizens, students and the media are welcome (RSVP online).
- Health. On November 6 at 12 Eastern, Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, will lead a post-election conversation on the path to significant health care reform with the incoming President and Congress. Join the mailing list at familiesusa.org for more details.
- Older Youth. Public/Private Ventures' October 7 forum, New Directions in Youth Policy, addressed the creation of a policy agenda that better meets the needs of America's older youth. You'll find materials, a forthcoming brief to inform the next administration and watch the replay of the webcast on October 22 at 1 Eastern online.
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 Health & Health Care
Infant Mortality Down Slightly, but Don't Celebrate Just Yet
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that U.S. infant mortality decreased by 2 percent in 2006 but remains considerably higher than most other industrialized nations. An October 19 New York Times editorial says that's still far too high to celebrate much improvement. The Kaiser Network has a comprehensive summary.
America's Health Starts With Healthy Children
How does our social, economic and physical environment affect our health? And how close are our kids to reaching "optimal health"? A new Robert Wood Johnson Foundation chartbook looks at children from different
socioeconomic backgrounds in every state to document how healthy our
nation's children are now and how healthy they could be -- if we as a
nation were realizing our full health potential. Where the biggest gaps are may surprise you.
Children Enrolled in Medicaid Have More Untreated Tooth Decay
Children covered under Medicaid receive considerably less dental care and are more than twice as likely to have untreated tooth decay than kids who are privately insured, according to a Government Accountability Office report cited in CQ HealthBeat and the Kaiser Network. It's not intractable: several states that increased Medicaid provider reimbursement rates and streamlined enrollment were able to boost kids' access to dental services.
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Access to College
Gains in College Enrollment Appear to Have Stalled
A new report from the American Council on Education finds record high minority enrollment in college -- yet these numbers have not kept pace with population growth. Minorities in Higher Education 2008 Twenty-third Status Report finds that "the tradition of young adults in the United States attaining higher levels of education than previous generations appears to have stalled, and for far too many people of color, the percentage of young adults with some type of postsecondary degree compared with older adults has actually fallen."
High-Impact Educational Practices: What Are They, Who Has Access To Them and Why They Matter
Colleges have a number of successful practices to support student learning, but too few students -- especially first-generation college students and other at-risk populations -- have access to them, a study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities finds. Inside Higher Ed has a useful summary and link.
>> See Also: Don't miss the Youth Voices section above, which features youth-created "Access to College" content!
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Foster Care & Child Welfare
President Signs Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act into Law
On October 7, President Bush signed into law the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-351). It delinks adoption assistance from the old AFDC program, enables federal payments for kinship care guardians, and will allow states to extend foster care services to young people up to age 21. The Child Welfare League of America has the details.
 Seeking Therapeutic Foster Care Parents
The Maryland-based Kennedy Krieger Institute is actively recruiting foster, respite and adoptive parents. The Institute offers specialized training, emergency coverage, 24-hour assistance, monthly support groups and more. (If you like the model but don't live in Maryland, here's a chance to learn more and get something started in your state.)
 Foster Youth Transitions: Opportunities for City Leadership Audioconference (October 29)
Older
youth making the transition from foster care to adulthood are a distinctly vulnerable population. Join this National League of Cities Municipal Network for Disconnected Youth call
to learn about collaborations among
social service, law enforcement and housing
agencies that are achieving results. It is toll-free and takes place at 2:30 Eastern. Register by October 27 by sending contact information to becerra@nlc.org.
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Grants & Awards
State Farm® Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants
From Youth Service America and the State Farm Companies Foundation, these grants support teachers and service-learning coordinators in engaging students ages 5 to 25 in service-learning projects for Global Youth Service Day, April 24-26, 2009. Deadline: October 30.
 Young Parents Demonstration Grant
This Department of Labor grant supports community organizations that train and educate young parents to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency; it targets high-risk young mothers and fathers and expectant mothers ages 16-24. Open to nonprofit and faith-based groups. (There is also a free Webinar for applicants.) Deadline: November 17.
Health Care Reform: Coverage Ideas from the Field
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is offering up to $400,000 for individuals and organizations to develop plans to increase national understanding of how to design, implement, administer and sustain policies to expand health care coverage to all Americans. Brief Proposal Deadline: December 2.
Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year Award
To honor individuals who make an impact on the literacy and language development of children and adults, this program awards a teacher $7,500 for his or her family literacy program and a free trip to the National Conference on Family Literacy. Finalists will receive a $500 scholarship. Deadline: December 5.
2008 NFL Grassroots Program
Does your community football field or high school football field need new turf or other improvements? The Request for Proposals is now available! The program provides nonprofit community groups with financial and technical assistance to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of local football fields. Deadline: December 15.
SRCD Fellowships in Public Policy
The Society for Research in Child Development Fellows work in Congressional and Executive Branch placements as "resident scholars" at the interface of science and policy. Applicants must have a doctoral level degree in any discipline related to Child Development. Deadline: December 15.
Humana Foundation Grants
The
Humana Foundation supports efforts to promote healthy lives and healthy
communities in locations where the company has a meaningful presence,
with emphasis on, but not limited to, Louisville, KY. Educational
institutions, human service agencies and civic and cultural
organizations are given priority. Deadlines: January 15 and June 15, 2009.
ExploraVision Awards
K-12 students select and research a current technology and explore what it could be like 20 years from now. Members of the four first-place teams will each receive a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond and a trip to Washington, DC, to be honored. Deadline: January 28, 2009.
 For more funding alerts and resources, check out Funding section of CFK's Taking Action page.
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Caitlin Johnson and Thaddeus Ferber
Connect for Kids and the Forum for Youth Investment
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