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A typical New Hampshire child care worker earned roughly $32,500 in 2023 while the federal poverty guideline for a family of four last year was $30,000, according to the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Burnout, low wages leave NH child care centers short staffed

A persistent child care worker shortage across New Hampshire is leaving families with few options. The state is currently short more than 7,000 …

More than 700 New Hampshire childcare providers remained in operation in 2022 with a capacity to serve more than 44,500 children but staffing vacancies are on the rise. (Adobe Stock)

NH 'Kids on Campus' program boosts retention, offers hands-on learning

You might say "every day is 'bring your child to college day'" at New Hampshire's Manchester Community College. On-campus childcare programs are …

Studies find traditional school voucher programs incentivize private schools to raise tuition, using the new taxpayer dollars as a public subsidy. (Adobe Stock)

Despite lack of data, NH lawmakers push expanded private-school vouchers

New Hampshire's program to subsidize private education with public tax dollars is rapidly expanding, but opponents believe a lack of data on student …

Across the 44 states that funded a preschool program in 2021-2022, only 32% of 4-year-olds and 6% of 3-year-olds were enrolled, which is still 8% below a pre-pandemic enrollment high, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research. (Adobe Stock)

Lack of state-funded preschool leaves NH children lagging behind peers

Education experts say children in New Hampshire are at risk of falling behind their peers in other states with well-funded preschool programs…

A new report ranks New Hampshire 4th nationwide in economic well-being but child advocates say the ranking doesn't consider that the state's cost of living is 20% above the national average, putting even more children and families at risk of living in poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Lack of Available Child Care Impacts NH Economy, Families

New Hampshire ranks first in the nation on measures of child well-being, according to a new report. The 2023 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

New Hampshire has the lowest amount of state funding for public higher education, relative to personal income, of any other state. The state government paid an estimated $1.50 for public higher education per every $1,000 in personal income during fiscal year 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Call for Halt to Revisions of NH Public School Standards

Public school advocates in New Hampshire are asking state officials to stop the current revisions being made to public education standards so parents …

Around 21 million American children receive free or reduced-price lunch at school, but only half of them receive free breakfast despite being eligible, according to New Hampshire Hunger Solutions. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Say Loss of Federal Funds Means NH Kids Go Hungry

Advocates for children say up to 7,000 students in New Hampshire public schools are going hungry following the rejection of a federal program for low-…

A UNH Granite State Poll found 60% of Republicans support school vouchers, compared with 8% of Democrats and 42% of Independents. Only about 28% of

Election Outcome Could Bring Big Changes to NH Public Schools

Republicans in New Hampshire have already submitted bills to expand the eligibility requirements for the state's Education Freedom Accounts Program…

The Department of Education is collecting backpacks for Granite Staters in need until Aug. 12. (Mark/Adobe Stock)

NH Education Department Holds Backpack Drive for Students In Need

The New Hampshire Department of Education is collecting new backpacks for students whose families may need some help this year getting those back-to-s…

In 2019, 24% of New Hampshire children lived in households with high housing-cost burdens, down from 39% in 2010. (zilvergolf/Adobe Stock)

NH Ranks High in Child Well-Being, But Pandemic May Disrupt Gains

CONCORD, N.H. -- New Hampshire ranks in the top 10 for overall child wellbeing, but advocates for children and families say that doesn't diminish the …

New Hampshire ranked fourth in education, but 10th in the nation for the number of 3- and<br />4-year-olds not attending school. (YouTube/happygj79)<br />

New Hampshire Tops Nat'l. List for Child Well-being

CONCORD, N.H. -– A new report ranks New Hampshire number one in overall child well-being, but advocates for kids and families say it's no time …

Eight percent of children in New Hampshire live in poverty, well below the national average of 19 percent. (pxhere)

NH Tops for Children’s Well-Being, but Census Change Raises Concerns

CONCORD, N. H. – The latest figures on the well-being of children show New Hampshire is number one in the country, but some children's …

Members of the Senate Finance Committee take up the New Hampshire budget Monday at the State House. The House failed to pass its budget bill last week. (AlexiusHoratius/Wikimedia)

NH Senate Now in Driver's Seat on State Budget

CONCORD, N.H. – The state Senate is now in the driver's seat with a hearing Monday on the state budget, following last week's failure in the …

Advocates for affordable child care are holding forums - like this one in Manchester - with state legislators across New Hampshire. (Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy)

Big Decisions Ahead on NH Child Care Funding

CONCORD, N.H. — The cost of child care is taking an ever-growing slice out of the family budgets of Granite State residents with young kids…

New Hampshire ranks sixth in the nation for graduation rates, but a new report says the state could do even better by graduating more students with disabilities. (Eevenson/Wikimedia Commons)

NH in Top 10 for Graduation Rates: Focus on Students with Disabilities

CONCORD, N.H. - As New Hampshire students take pride in earning their high school diplomas, a new report ranks the state in the top 10 for graduation …

A new report finds families in New Hampshire are spending about $12,000 a year for child care, and the lack of state-funded pre-kindergarten put it out of reach for many working families. (H Brady)

NH Called "Family Unfriendly" When It Comes to Child Care

CONCORD, N.H. - Wading through the paperwork involved in getting government help to pay for child care can be overwhelming to already overworked …

Parents in the Granite State are being urged to set an example for their kids by turning off the tube and getting outside for Screen Free Week. (Mike Clifford)

It's Screen-Free Week: Granite State Adults Urged to Set Example for Kids

CONCORD, N.H. - With all the smartphones, tablets, computers and video games around, it's easy to forget that there is life beyond a screen. It's …

New England children's advocates are warning about claims made by the

NH Professor: "Your Baby Still Can't Read" Despite Product's Claim

PLYMOUTH, N. H. – New England children's advocates say a video learning series is back at it again, making "unfounded claims" about infants' …

PHOTO: Outreach efforts, such as this one at Dr. Norman W. Crisp Elementary School in Nashua, helped New Hampshire enroll nearly 1,000 more kids in school breakfast programs last year. Courtesy: NH Kids Count

More NH Low-Income Kids Getting Breakfast, Lunch at School

CONCORD, N.H. - It's considered the most important meal of the day and the Granite State made progress in the latest School Breakfast report card…

PHOTO: A new Annie E. Casey Foundation report finds New Hampshire could produce better outcomes for tens of thousands of low income families by taking a two-generation approach to poverty. Credit: @mlcliff

It Takes "Two Generations" to Tackle NH Poverty

CONCORD, N.H. - A two-generation approach, is what a new report says is needed to help New Hampshire families and others across the nation break the …

PHOTO: The latest Kids Count Data Book ranks New Hampshire fourth in the nation for education, but shows there is room for improvement in other areas. Photo credit: Randen Peterson / Flickr.

NH Among Nation's Best for Education; Not So for Child Well-Being

CONCORD, N.H. - The Granite State ranks among the best places in the nation for education, according to a new report, but it also says many …

NH Gets New Snapshot on How Kids are Doing

CONCORD, N.H. - It's a mixed bag in the Granite State for how children of all races are progressing, according to a new report. New Hampshire …

PHOTO: A new study finds the majority of New Hampshire fourth-graders are reading below grade level, and the reading gap between high- and low-income students is growing. Photo credit: publicdomainpictures.net

Report: Granite State 4th Grade Reading Gap Follows Income

CONCORD, N.H. - A new report offers some lessons about early reading skills - and the big picture is that the majority of fourth-graders in the state …

PHOTO: At times it can seem little more than controlled chaos, but when it comes to roughhousing, be it peer to peer, or parent and child, there are numerous benefits. CREDIT: Sharon Mollerus

Letting Kids Be Kids - The Benefits of Roughhousing

CONCORD, N.H. - It is an order that has passed through the lips of many a parent: "Quit that horsin' around!" However, a better option may be to …

GRAPHIC: Children � and adults � are urged to resist the tantalizing images on entertainment screens for one week, starting April 29th. Courtesy CCFC.

Fewer Screens, More “Free-Range Children”

NASHUA, N.H. - Today is the first day of Screen-Free Week, an annual effort by children's advocates to free kids from the grip of electronic devices -…

PHOTO: With renewed emphasis on early childhood development in Albany and Washington, DC, advocates are hoping more attention is paid to the roll public libraries can play. Photo courtesy MCPL

Advocates of Pre-K Pushing Obama: “Go To The Library”

NASHUA, N.H. - President Obama highlighted support for early learning in his State of the Union address. He should go to the library, according to …

Study: Girls and Boys Who Act Like the Opposite Sex at Risk of Abuse

CONCORD, N.H. - Boys who act like girls and girls who act like boys are at risk of abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a new study …

Report: 3rd Grade Reading Skills Predict High School Graduation

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Children struggling with reading in third grade are more likely to miss out on a high school diploma, according to a new study …

Thousands Expected at State House Rally Today

CONCORD, N.H. - Organizers say they expect thousands to gather outside the State House at noon today to call for the House and Senate to scrap a …

Shopping for Tots? Keep it Simple, Santa

NASHUA, N.H. - Those battery-operated, digital wonder toys have their place, but experts say the best way to help a young child develop creativity …

Congress May Tell NH Kids to “Go Outside and Play”

CONCORD, N.H. - Seven hours in front of electronic entertainment, and seven minutes outside. That's what constitutes play for most American kids …

Report: Outdoor Time Boosts Academic Performance for NH Kids

CONCORD, N.H. - Back-to-school has traditionally meant less outdoor time for children, and a new report from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) …

New Lesson for NH Classrooms: Teaching Social Skills

CONCORD, N.H. - It's back to school in New Hampshire and across the country, and teachers and parents are realizing some children could use help with …

National Summer Learning Day: Keeping NH Kids Interested All Summer Long

CONCORD, N.H. - School is out for the summer across the country, and National Summer Learning Day today kicks off the start of continued learning and …

Environmental Health Risks: Not Just Cancer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A recent report delivered to President Obama by a special panel appointed by President Bush warned that the risk of cancer from …

Getting the School Cafeteria Connected to the Farm

CONCORD, N.H. - There are lots of schools in New Hampshire and lots of farms, and some new thinking is aimed at connecting the two to make kids …

Groups says: NH Kids need to Ditch the Screens and Get Outside

CONCORD, N.H. - A lot of people are urging the country's top doctor to tell kids in New Hampshire - and across the country - to ditch the screens and …

Report: Dramatic Rise in TV Violence against Teen Girls

CONCORD, N.H. - It's enough to make any New Hampshire parent squirm with discomfort - and then change the channel. A new study analyzing five years …

School Season Equals Germ Season: Tips for Keeping Healthy

CONCORD, N.H. - School is back in full swing in New Hampshire and that also means the annual battle against germs has begun. Schools are often called …

Back-to-School Tough for both Kids and Parents

CONCORD, N.H. - Children across New Hampshire are back at school, and it can be hard for both the kids and parents to be separated for the first time…

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NH: Early Childhood Education