The mission of Kentucky Child Now! is to promote the healthy development of children and youth in Kentucky through innovative state and local strategies. Our initiatives integrate children's health and youth development; foster collaboration; create positive change and action on behalf of all children; and address the need to engage young people as partners and change agents.

The mission of the Institute is to redirect and focus public attention of the problems facing poor, minority, and the disabled children in order to enhance their quality of life. By virtue of this work, NICYF attempts to broaden the constituency of people in the United States who share a common goal to improve the lives of the nation's children. They serve as a bridge between academic and practice settings, holding fast to the integrity and ethics of both.

Kentucky Youth Advocates, a non-partisan, non-profit, children's advocacy organization, represents a voice for Kentucky's most precious asset-- its youth. KYA delivers Kentucky children's message to the state legislature, the community, and the media. We insist that our young citizens be given the opportunities and resources to ensure their productive development and health. KYA listens to children, their families, and service providers who are reluctant or unable to raise questions about existing policies.

Parents and the public say they're concerned about discipline in the schools, but zero tolerance policies that suspend or expel youth can be counterproductive and perpetuate achievement gaps. Instead, Northern Elementary School used old-fashioned disciplinary techniques, core values, committed teachers and leaders, and child and family support programs to dramatically raise achievement levels and reduce suspensions. During the 1999-2000 school year, only 15 percent of the students were reading at grade level. With school reforms, that number steadily increased to 81 percent in 2003.

The steady decline of manufacturing and farm jobs has had a devastating effect on small town economies and placed increasing stress on the fabric of rural family life, as described by families in three states. This Annie E. Casey report also has policy recommendations and strategies to help build rural family economic success.