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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Report: West Virginians Need Good, Quality Care for Young Kids

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Tuesday, February 19, 2008   

Charleston, WV – West Virginia comes in pretty low nationally for children's quality of life, ranking number 44 among the states. According to the new Kids Count report out today, the state has an opportunity to do better for its children. The report looks at things like teen pregnancy, the high school drop-out rate, and a number of other measures.

Margie Hale with the West Virginia Kids Count Fund says the state can address many of those problems by investing in higher-quality early childhood education and child care, because studies show a lot of good results down the road for kids in good programs.

"They're going to stay in school, they're not going to get pregnant too soon, and they're going to graduate. They're going to go on to higher levels of education and earn more money."

She says in addition to boosting quality of child care programs, the state needs to boost their numbers, because there are more than two kids waiting for every available child care slot.

As part of the report, Kids Count talked to parents, child-care providers, and community leaders around the state. Hale says there was wide agreement about the need for higher-quality early childhood programs and for a state-run rating system, so parents can find the best-quality programs in their area.

"All the people we talked to were unanimous in their desire for quality, and they want government to establish a fair, reliable way to rate it."

Hale says it's things like a low ratio of pupils to teachers and good, positive interaction between the teachers and kids that make high-quality early child programs.

To view the report, visit www.wvkidscountfund.org.



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