The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on March 1 that it's unconstitutional to execute someone for a crime committed before age of 18. In preparation for the ruling, Connect for Kids Editor Susan Phillips recently reviewed the legal arguments—and the young journalists at Children's PressLine interviewed two young men on Texas' death row for crimes committed as teens.

The president's annual budget submission is as much about sending messages as setting spending goals. We asked Robin Nixon, director of the National Foster Care Coalition, what key messages emerge for the foster care and child welfare fields from President Bush's fiscal 2006 proposal.

Millions of children rely on Social Security payments. What might reform of the system mean for them? Rob Capriccioso reports.

In recent years, the number of nations which impose the death penalty against juvenile offenders has dwindled to a very small handful, including just one democracy: the U.S. With the Supreme Court poised to rule on the issue, Connect for Kids Editor Susan Phillips spoke with experts about evolving views of the juvenile death penalty.

It's a Connect for Kids tradition to have Jan Richter, editor of the CFK Weekly e-mail newsletter, share her thoughts on the issues and battles ahead for child advocates in a special "crystal ball" column each January. This year, says Jan, expect rough sailing.

President Bush's education centerpiece, No Child Left Behind, was hailed as a bipartisan benchmark when it was signed into law three years ago. The legislation has resulted in the greatest level of federal involvement in education in history, and its implementation has prompted questions about testing, accountability, funding, and the future of local school control. As Bush takes office for his second term, the American School Board Journal is conducting a virtual roundtable on what the next four years might hold for education. Managing Editor Glenn Cook posed questions to seven respected education observers—with views representing the political and ideological spectrum—who responded in writing.

Young people are volunteering in record numbers—so why are they so politically disengaged? In January 2004, Wisconsin college students joined U.S. Representatives Tammy Baldwin and Mark Green to discuss the disconnect between service and politics. Students noted that, for example, working in a soup kitchen prepared them for service work, but it did not prepare them to advocate for policies to decrease homelessness. Students need more ways, in school and out, to engage in realistic political exercises and experience partisanship without advancing one side or the other. These and other findings appear in the CIRCLE Working Paper 27 "From the Horse's Mouth: A Dialogue Between Politicians and College Students."

Among the several hundred pieces of legislation that have been introduced in the 109th Congress are a number of bills that affect children and child health—including topics like bullying, immunization, school pest management, children's health insurance programs (CHIP and SCHIP), and abortion. All of the bills have been referred to their appropriate committees, and it's expected that hearings will be held later in the session. (To follow the progress of legislation, or to read the full text of any of the bills, go to Thomas, the Library of Congress Web site) and enter the bill number.

The nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy group, Voices for Children, has launched its new federal agenda—which it says "reflects the reality and the need for change voiced by almost 60 state-based, child-advocacy organizations across America and will guide our work with Congress on behalf of America's children." Among the provisions: Allow states to give child support directly to families that have left welfare, without returning the federal share; ensure and expand public health insurance programs for children; keep over $1 billion in SCHIP funding available for states to preserve and expand enrollment; ensure that no families lose child care subsidies; and require tax cuts to be off-set by increased revenues from other sources, or from spending cuts that do not harm children and families.

Several organizations have compiled a table illustrating the positions of key members of Congress on Social Security privatization. The Coalition on Human Needs has the details.