Connect for Kids / Child Advocacy 360 / Youth Policy Action Center - Kids & Politics

The Measure of America

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:00:40 -0500

This book marks the first time a human development approach to measuring well-being has
been applied to an industrialized nation. Published by the Social Science Research
Council and Columbia University Press, it ranks states and congressional districts

New York City to Implement New Poverty Measure

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:56:31 -0500

Mayor Bloomberg has a new plan and it's the first time any local government has put in
place an alternative to the country's 40-year- old standard for measuring poverty, the
National Academies repo

Children's Budget 2008

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:30:13 -0500

This report from First Focus is a road map for the Children's
Budget Bill in Congress (as of July 2008). Only one penny of every new, non-defense
dollar spent by the federal government has gone to children and children's programs.

Children's Budget Act in Congress: A Simple Way to Find Out if Our Money's Where Our

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:19:15 -0500

When it comes to the federal budget, not much is a simple. But a bill in Congress has
potential. The "Children's Budget" legislation -- introduced in Congress in July 2008
by Senator Menendez (D-NJ) and several co-sponsors -- would require future Presidents

Run to Vote: High School Students Leading a 48 State Voting Drive

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:57:05 -0500

Run to Vote combines the sport of track and field with your pledge to vote in 2008.

Spreading the Early Childhood Message: An Advocacy Q&A

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:26:09 -0500

As the 2008 election campaigns gain momentum, political hopefuls are bringing national attention to the importance of early childhood and supporting parents as children's first teachers. In this Q&A, Sue Stepleton, president and CEO, and Jane Callahan, public policy director of Parents as Teachers National Center provide helpful information for getting the early childhood message out to key decision-makers.

How Kids Fare in the Federal Budget: the Lowlights

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:15:00 -0600

President Bush's fiscal year 2009 budget proposal includes $2.8 billion in cuts to programs that impact children—a 3 percent drop from last year's federal budget. First Focus, a bipartisan children's advocacy organization, takes a reader-friendly look at the numbers and what they say about our nation's priorities.

The Buzz on the Budget

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:36:04 -0500

The president's annual federal budget submission is as much about sending messages as setting spending goals. So what's the buzz this year—and where in the nation's priorities are kids, families, and communities? Jan Richter takes a look at the 2008 budget proposal.

Young Writers Finding a Powerful Voice

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:34:45 -0500

Youth Communication, the non-profit founded by Keith Hefner in New York City to give young people a voice on the things that matter to them, is now 25 years old—a notable milestone in the notoriously under-funded world of youth media. Lisa R. Rhodes, a former Youth Communication writer herself, looks at how Hefner's organization has grown and thrived, transforming young lives along the way.

Congress' Spending Priorities out of Whack, Says Poll

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:05:31 -0500

Voters feel Congress is out of touch when it comes to funding education—that's according to a new national poll from the National School Boards Association (NSBA). Of 1,200 respondents, 74 percent said Congress does not do a good job of setting priorities for the federal budget and spending—and needs to change these priorities.

An Expert Prediction: Parents Face Long Odds in Supreme Court Case on Special Education

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:52:06 -0500

Pete Wright, an attorney with decades of experience in special education law—and his own memories of standing up before the U.S. Supreme Court to argue a case—attended oral arguments last week in the most recent special education case to reach the highest court. Wright shared his impressions with Connect for Kids Editor Susan Phillips.

Guide to the 2007 Budget: What's at Stake for Human Needs

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:48:39 -0500

In March 2006, the Coalition on Human Needs released a helpful guide to the 2007 budget plans—a much easier read than the hundreds of pages of the actual budgets!

Solid Footing for State Finances: Fiscal Year 2005 Tax Revenue Summary

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:47:43 -0500

What does a state's revenue have to do with kids? Everything. From funds for classrooms and after-school programs to public health coverage and housing assistance, state revenues matter. This Rockefeller Institute of Government policy brief has some useful information for anyone concerned about families and community programs. According to the report, 2005 marked the second year of revenue growth for states—their general fund tax revenue grew 10.7 percent from fiscal year 2004 to fiscal year 2005. Still, federal budget cuts will continue to challenge state resources.

Congressional Scorecard on Children's Issues

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:37:09 -0500

Did our elected officials live up to their campaign promises in 2005? Check out the latest Congressional Scorecard from the Children's Defense Fund to see how your members of Congress voted on key legislation affecting children and families.

Medicaid and the 2006 Federal Budget Bill

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:34:14 -0500

The 2006 federal budget, passed in February 2006, includes net cuts to Medicaid of $4.8 billion over the next five years and $26.1 billion over the next ten years. This six-page Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured brief looks at what areas of Medicaid will be cut and how families and states may be affected—including the introduction of co-payments and cost-sharing for low-wage families.