I had a few hours to read, so I pulled out the folder into which I cram all of the things that catch my eye and might make good material for a column. Here’s what I read recently:

To make positive change for kids, you need to know where things stand, what’s working and what needs to be improved. The annual KIDS COUNT Data Book offers both data and context for 10 indicators of child well-being—and drills down to a state and local level. This year’s essay offers a “roadmap for reform” in juvenile justice. CFK summer intern Maria Allen attended the June 2008 launch event in DC and has this overview.

If you work with teens with disabilities, you’ll want to know about the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work (TTW) program. Its Youth Transition portion offers funds for organizations that help students receiving Social Security disability benefits find employment. Is it right for you? Melody Goodspeed, Youth Transition Specialist for TTW answers some common questions about the funding.

Finding quality, affordable child care can be difficult for any parent. For those with a special needs child, it can also be a very confusing and emotional experience. Rebecca Freshour looks at what the law says, and what parents need to know to find care for their children.

As Congress considers how to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act—set to expire in September—many organizations and agencies are weighing in on its successes and shortcomings. This article, by Children’s Advocate writer Kelly Virella, lays out the differing arguments in several areas.

There aren’t many physical challenges that measure up to running a marathon. In Los Angeles, volunteers have helped thousands of low-income middle and high school students train for and complete the L.A. marathon each March, changing some lives along the way. Holly St. Lifer reports.

In the upcoming year, $2876 million dollars is scheduled to be cut from academic and social programs in public high schools across the nation. This is a staggering number, considering the recent decline in test scores. To be sure, there are still many programs that tend to the needs of the students, but with all of the future cuts, this may not be the case in the future. I feel that unless changes are made, the students will continue to receive less academic attention with every passing year. The decrease in attention to gifted programs, the inadequate teacher qualifications, and the lack of funding for social events are taking away support from the students, making them less likely to succeed in the future.

A person's high school years have always been said to be the best of their lives. Not only is it supposed to be a time of meeting and befriending new people who are different, but most importantly, it is the point in life in which you take the first step in setting the foundation for the future to come (the next step being college). Not only are they supposed to be the best, but they are supposed to be the most important as well. However, it must be realized that in order for someone's high school years to be successful, there needs to be a lot of support given to every single person or they will not succeed. I feel that the high schools in the United States do not give the social needs, interests, or academic needs of today's student's the support they need.

High schools do support the academic needs of today's high schools well. There seems to be a very high percentage of college-bound students, which would indicate that this is the case. Many high schools offer advanced courses that will help the more advanced students, and they offer the regular core classes for the rest. High schools offer many areas of study as well. Courses range from Advanced Calculus to Drama. High schools are doing a very good job of preparing their students for the next levels of education.