eNotes
July 25, 2014In this Issue:
- 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book Available Online Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation - July 22, 2014
- New Child & Family Blog Brings Together Experts from Across the World Source: The Future of Children - July 21, 2014
- Improving Children's Chances by Intervening Early and Often Source: The Brookings Institute - July 23, 2014
- Kindergartners' Skills at School Entry: An Analysis of the ECLS-K Source: Mathematica Policy Research - Retrieved July 25, 2014
- Exploring Instability and Children's Well-Being Source: Urban Institute - July 22, 2014
- Early Childhood Content in Principal Preparation and Licensure Requirements Source: Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes - Retrieved July 25, 2014
1. 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book Available Online
The 25th edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's signature KIDS Count Data book was released on July 22, 2014. Using an index of 16 indicators, the 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks states on overall child well-being and in four domains: (1) economic well-being, (2) education, (3) health, and (4) family and community. The report also examines trends since 1990 and highlights policies and practices that have improved child health and development over the years. This year's report finds that U.S. children are improving on 10 out of the 16 indicators and over the past two decades, preschool attendance among 3- and 4-year-olds has increased by 34%. However, a higher percentage of children live in poverty today than in 1990 and on most of the measures, African-American, American Indian and Latino children continue to face steep barriers to success. Read some national and state news releases here.
2. New Child & Family Blog Brings Together Experts from Across the World
The Child & Family Blog is a new project that brings together experts from across the world who share and conduct research related to the well-being of children and family. The emphasis is on improving the lives of children based on cutting-edge research. Articles are translated in multiple languages and are intended to serve as an international resource for the media, policy makers, professionals who care for children, and families. The blog is sponsored by The Future of Children, a collaboration of Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the Brookings Institution, as well as the University of Cambridge Applied Developmental Psychology Group in England, and the Jacobs Foundation in Switzerland.
3. Improving Children's Chances by Intervening Early and Often
The Center on Children and Families (CCF) at the Brookings Institute recently published a new brief, How Much Could We Improve Children's Life Chances by Intervening Early and Often? (July 2014), by Isabel V. Sawhill and Quentin Karpilow. The brief finds that well-evaluated targeted interventions can close over 70% of the gap between more and less advantaged children and can greatly improve social mobility and enhance the lifetime incomes of less advantaged children. The brief also suggests that the programs would have a positive ratio of benefits to costs for the American taxpayers. The biggest challenge is taking these programs to scale without compromising their effectiveness.
4. Kindergartners' Skills at School Entry: An Analysis of the ECLS-K
Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 data set, a new brief examines the school readiness and abilities of beginning kindergartners across several academic and behavioral areas and highlights those areas where attention before kindergarten might benefit all children, as well as help close the gaps between more- and less-advantaged children. Kindergartners' Skills at School Entry: An Analysis of the ECLS-K (July 2014) was commissioned by Sesame Workshop and written by Mathematica Policy Research.
5. Exploring Instability and Children's Well-Being
There is a growing awareness of the essential role of stability in children's healthy development and ability to learn - and of the negative consequences that instability can have. Instability can occur in a single domain of a child's life (change in school) or in multiple domains (loss in family income, food insecurity, divorce of parents, change in housing situation). A new paper from the Urban Institute, Exploring Instability and Children's Well-Being: Insights from a Dialogue among Practitioners, Policymakers and Researchers (July 2014), presents insights gleaned from a November 2013 meeting of policymakers, practitioners, and researchers about issues related to stability and instability in children's lives and identifies strategies to better support children's ability to learn and succeed. A companion report provides commentaries from some of the meeting participants.
6. Early Childhood Content in Principal Preparation and Licensure Requirements
A new policy brief from the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) finds that although preschool classrooms are often part of primary schools, early childhood content is not a required element of principal preparation or professional development for principals in most states. Very few states have any formal requirement for early childhood content in licensure for principals responsible for early education programs. To learn more, see What Do We Know About Principal Preparation, Licensure Requirements, and Professional Development for School Leaders? (July 2014).