Public News Service

A joint tax return is required for married couples to claim the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit at the end of the tax year. (New Africa/Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

PA tax credit expansion increases support for child, dependent care

Pennsylvania families facing challenges with child and dependent care expenses may now benefit from a significant state tax break. The expansion of …

Studies show mental health literacy and life skills decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety and help children succeed. (Seventyfour/AdobeStock)

Experts recommends PA educators, parents prioritize student mental health

Experts are advising schools and parents to prioritize student mental health as Pennsylvania children return to learning. A new checklist from the …

The Children's Health Insurance Program provides coverage for uninsured children and teenagers under 19 who do not qualify for Medicaid. (Fizkes/Adobe Stock)

PA expert advises parents on keeping kids healthy, insured while learning

As Pennsylvania children return to school, health advocates stress the importance of keeping them insured. The 2023 State of Children's Health in …

Gov. Josh Shapiro's fiscal 2024-25 budget includes $1.5 billion over five years to repair schools and make them healthy and safe. (wavebreak3)

Education bill awaiting PA Senate vote would boost billions in funding

A bill to increase Pennsylvania public school funding by billions of dollars passed the State House and is heading to the Senate for a vote. House …

Pennsylvania's economic well-being ranks 23rd and shows improvements in children in poverty, with only 394,000, compared to more than 583,000 nationwide, according to the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (WavebreakmediaMicro/AdobeStock)

Report: PA ranks 23rd among states in child well-being

Pennsylvania ranks in the middle among states for the well-being of its children, at 23rd overall in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

Upon release from prison, Section 1115 waivers would offer individuals reentry services, case management, medication-assisted treatment and a minimum 30-day medication supply. (AliFuat/Adobe Stock)

PA aims to simplify health coverage for kids with Medicaid waiver

A proposed waiver would eliminate Medicaid issues by ensuring uninterrupted coverage for qualified children until they turn 6. If approved by the …

Eligible Pennsylvania children live in families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level. Children with access include those enrolled in high-quality providers using public funds to support their pre-K education. (Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

PA pre-K advocates back governor's funding boost to expand access

Recent data on pre-K education in Pennsylvania revealed much work remains to improve investments in pre-K education in the state. In Pennsylvania…

Junior and senior Educators Rising members with Dr. Khalid Mumin, PA Secretary of Education, and Dr. Keith Miles, School District of Lancaster Superintendent. (School District of Lancaster)<br />

Education association tackles teacher shortage with 'Educators Rising' program

The shortage of educators and school staffers has reached a crisis level in some Pennsylvania public schools, prompting a new "Educators Rising" …

Gov. Josh Shapiro ensured $100 million for mental-health services for students and $20 million for mental health support at the county level, in Pennsylvania's 2023-24 budget. (JenkoAtaman/Adobe Stock)

Expert: Practical tools, neuroscience help parents build mentally strong kids

As Children's Mental Health Awareness Week kicks off in Pennsylvania, an expert said parents can help their children have a healthy brain to thrive…

Frequent staff turnover has resulted in delays for families to start or even end child welfare-related services because of delays in response time, from either the lead caseworker or supervisors. (Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

STEM model may offer hope for PA child welfare workforce crisis

The child welfare system in Pennsylvania faces a staffing crisis affecting children and families throughout the system. The Child Welfare Resource …

In March, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, introduced House Bill 2063, which would reform the Educational Improvement Tax Credit and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit programs. (Jasmina/AdobeStock)

Report: PA track record on private-school vouchers finds still no accountability

A new report analyzes Pennsylvania's existing voucher programs, that divert public funds to private schools. This comes on the heels of Gov…

In Pennsylvania, infants and toddlers qualify for Early Intervention services if they exhibit a 25% or greater developmental delay in one or more key areas of development. (santypan/Adobe Stock)

PA Early Intervention programs vital for child development

A new study highlights the importance of Pennsylvania's Early Intervention program and its services for infants and toddlers at risk of developmental …

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has set a goal to boost the retention rates for educators of color from 80% to 90% by August 2025. (Adobe Stock)

PA high school focuses on attracting new teachers to the field

The shortage of educators and school staffers has reached a crisis level in some Pennsylvania public schools. The state will need to fill thousands …

El Departamento de Educaci�n de Pensilvania se ha fijado el objetivo de aumentar las tasas de retenci�n de los educadores de color del 80% al 90% para agosto de 2025. (Adobe Stock)

Preparatoria de PA se centra en atraer nuevos profesores a este ámbito

La escasez de educadores y personal escolar han alcanzado un nivel crítico en algunas escuelas públicas de Pensilvania. El estado …

Chesapeake Bay Foundation educators, with students on a field trip, explore the Susquehanna River at City Island. The Capitol building is in the background. (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

PA students gain hands-on experience in watershed conservation

It is almost time for some Pennsylvania students to get out of the classroom and into a canoe. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Pennsylvania Rivers …

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Educators voice concern PA school voucher programs 'discriminate'

Pennsylvania's teachers' union is voicing concerns that the state's public school voucher program will negatively affect public education in lower-inc…

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Educadores preocupados por 'discriminación' en programas de vales escolares

El sindicato de maestros de Pensilvania expresa su preocupación de que el programa de vales para escuelas públicas del estado afecte negativ…

A 2024-2025 budget proposal from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro includes $100 million in mental health funding for K-12 schools, building upon one-time federal funds, to ensure schools have the resources to provide mental health services to students and staff. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

PSEA applauds Gov. Shapiro's record budget proposal for public schools

Looking to tackle inequitable education funding across the state, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has unveiled a new budget plan, including a major …

About 77% of Pennsylvania students who experienced homelessness lived in doubled-up situations, 11% lived in shelters or transitional housing, 8% stayed in hotels and 4% lived in unsheltered locations, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. (Homeless Children Education Fund)

Mobile classroom 'Winnie’s Wagon' helping unhoused students

In Pennsylvania, a unique mobile classroom brings education and support directly to unhoused youths. More than 3,100 school-aged children in …

Black children are more than six times more likely to re-enter foster care than white children.<br />(Jade M/peopleimages.com)<br />

Report: Strengthening PA child-welfare system for kids, families

The 14th annual "State of Child Welfare in Pennsylvania" report is out. It shows some progress but also highlights ongoing areas of concern. Reports …

Journalism student Zoe Baker Herron, a freshman at Manheim Township High School, says students want to listen to the podcast to hear their peers talk about things that they're passionate about.<br />(Manheim Township High School)

Beyond bookshelves, PA high school library rocks with student podcasts

A Pennsylvania high school has created a space in its library that's fostering learning and creativity that benefit students and educators. Manheim …

By August 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Education is expected to establish a streamlined pathway to certification for educators who earned their certification outside Pennsylvania. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

A call for 'bold action' to address PA school funding disparities

During a public hearing on improving school funding, the Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding Commission heard from people who stressed the need to …

Asian children are the only group to have continued seeing improved uninsured rates from 2019 pre-pandemic to the present: From 4.4% in 2019, down to 4.2% in 2021 and 3.8% in 2022. (Tom Wang/Adobe Stock)

PA sees drop in health insurance coverage for children as national rates rise

A new analysis of 2022 census data has uncovered a troubling trend: The uninsured rate for Pennsylvania children worsened during the final full year o…

The new survey revealed 15% of the state's congregate-care providers have programming and policies in place to serve transitioning, non-binary and/or transgender youth. (Daniel/Adobe Stock)

Report examines strengths, challenges of PA congregate-care settings for teens

For young people with serious behavioral health challenges, a new report showed Pennsylvania's congregate-care settings may be the best option…

Pennsylvania's educational system includes a network of 604 state-supported public libraries and 29 District Library Centers, which provide resources, technology and programs for pre-K-to-12 students, as well as adult learners, in all 67 counties. (Lightfield Studios/AdobeStock)

PA group pushes to educate voters ahead of Nov. 7 general election

As the November 7 municipal elections fast approach, there's a push for voter education in the Keystone State. The Commonwealth is home to more …

El sistema educativo de Pensilvania incluye una red de 604 bibliotecas p�blicas subsidiadas por el Estado y 29 Centros Bibliotecarios de Distrito, que proporcionan recursos, tecnolog�a y programas para estudiantes de preescolar a 12�, as� como para estudiantes adultos, en los 67 condados. (Estudios Lightfield/AdobeStock)

Grupo de PA presiona para educar a votantes antes de las elecciones del 7 de nov.

A medida que se acercan las elecciones municipales del 7 de noviembre, hay un impulso para la educación de los votantes en el estado de Keystone…

Some 23% of children served in Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs in Pennsylvania are non-Hispanic Black, compared to 41% of children identifying as non-Hispanic White.<br />(Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

Charting a Path to Equitable Access for PA Early Learning System

The Keystone State has some work to do to provide more access to quality pre-Kindergarten programs for the youngest Pennsylvanians. Only 43% of …

The Southern Poverty Law Center report finds that school safety is a major concern for youths, and that worry about school shootings is associated with a host of negative mental-health outcomes. (Jacob Lund/AdobeStock)

Survey: Young Pennsylvanians Want Stricter Gun Laws

In Pennsylvania and across the country, some 74% of young people in the U.S. believe gun violence is a problem, and 60% want to see stricter gun laws…

Pennsylvania's 500 school districts range in size from approximately 200 students to more than 140,000 students. (WavebreakmediaMicro/AdobeStock)

PA State Budget in Limbo Over Private School Voucher Plan

Pennsylvania is still operating without a budget as the new school year approaches. House Bill 611 is now in the state Senate. It would provide more …

In June 2019, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf recognized Juneteenth as a holiday in the state. (Be Pro/AdobeStock)

Juneteenth: Celebrating Literacy, Artistic Freedom

A Pennsylvania literacy organization is commemorating the Juneteenth holiday by highlighting the history and contributions of Black people in the Unit…

The 2023 Kids Count Data Book noted Pennsylvania's average annual cost of center-based child care for a toddler was $11,346, or 10% of the median income for a married couple and 35% of a single mother's income in the state. (DenisProduction.com/Adobe Stock)

Report: PA Ranks 22nd Among States in Child Well-Being

Pennsylvania ranks in the middle among states for the well-being of its children. It is 22nd overall in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

A recent analysis found the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in about 50,000 fewer births than expected nine months later. This suggests recent downward trends in the number of births will continue and perhaps accelerate. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Child Population Declines in Pennsylvania

The population is made up of fewer children - in Pennsylvania and across the United States, according to the latest analysis of census data. The …

The Commonwealth's K-12 public school system serves more than 1.7 million students. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Call to Action: PA Group Pushes for More K-12 School Funding

More school funding for basic and special education, along with more funding targeted to lower-income districts are on the wish list of a …

Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program covers dental and vision care, as well as medical care. (Halfpoint/AdobeStock)

Pennsylvania DHS Now Oversees Children's Health Insurance Program

As families enrolled in Medicaid transition to the Children's Health Insurance Program, it is important for them to know Pennsylvania has changed how …

Parents are concerned about their child experiencing violence at school has increased since last school year. Hispanic parents are significantly more worried than Black and White parents, according to a new survey by the National Parent Teacher Association. (Vasyl/AdobeStock)

Survey Explores Parents’ Mindsets During School Year 2022-2023

A new survey finds that parents are concerned about their children's emotional and mental health and want schools to provide resources services to sup…

According to the State of Philadelphia Child Welfare Workforce report, 72% of respondents reported feeling overwhelmed by their student loan debt amount when compared to their salary or pay. (Nimito/AdobeStock)

Report: PA Child Welfare Workforce Faces Low Pay, Turnover

A recent report on the child welfare workforce shortage looks at how worker turnover, recruitment, and retention are impacting children and families …

A 2021 Pennsylvania Department of Education report found that Career and Technical Education participants (86.5%) had slightly higher odds of graduating on time from high school than non-CTE students (85%). (Adobe Stock)

Call to Action: More Funding for PA Career and Technical Education

A Pennsylvania advocacy group wants the state budget to include more funding for Career and Technical Education programs, or CTE, for high school …

According to a mental health workforce study, Pennsylvania is one of many states struggling with a shortage of mental-health practitioners, especially in rural communities. (Valerii Honcharuk/Adobe Stock)

PA Needs More Mental, Behavioral Healthcare Workers

A Pennsylvania children's advocacy group said the state should be doing more to help end a critical staffing shortage of mental and behavioral health …

One in four girls and one in 13 boys in the United States experience child sexual abuse, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Yupachingping/Adobe Stock)

PA Senate Bill Proposes Changes to State Constitution

A bill in the Pennsylvania General Assembly would amend the state Constitution to allow more adult victims of childhood sexual abuse to sue their abus…

Every four in a half minutes a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Elena/AdobeStock)

National Birth Defects Awareness Month in PA

This is National Birth Defects Awareness Month. Birth defects are common, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and they can …

Subsidized Child Care Program assists low-income families in Pennsylvania to help with child-care expenses, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. (Lordn/AdobeStock)">

Study: Children in Child Care Don't Exhibit Problematic Behaviors

A new study shows kids in child care are not more likely to exhibit behavior problems than those who don't attend them. The Society for Research in …

During the pandemic, the child poverty rate dropped to 5.2% because of the expansion of the child tax credit and other relief efforts. (Andrii/AdobeStock)

PA Group Urges Congress to Expand Child Tax Credit

A Pennsylvania policy analysis group is adding its voice to the calls for Congress to bring back the expanded child tax credit for families in place d…

Report: More PA Kids had Health Insurance During Pandemic

A new report says during the pandemic, more children were able to keep their health insurance in the Commonwealth. The "State of Children's Health" …

According to the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, compared to their peers, teens in foster care experience worse outcomes by age 21, and only 49% have full or part-time employment. (DrobotDean/Adobe Stock)

PA Teens in Foster Care Await Outcome of 'Permanency' Bill

Backers of legislation awaiting Gov. Tom Wolf's signature said it would improve the odds of success for teens transitioning out of foster care…

Almost one in four children and youth in placement experienced a re-entry into care, according to the recent State of Child Welfare report by the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. (Africa Studio/AdobeStock)

PA Pandemic Toll on Children Shows Progress, Racial Disparity and Recommendations

The 13th annual Pennsylvania State of Child Welfare report is out. Children advocates said the 2021 pandemic numbers showed some progress and …

Vaccine-preventable diseases, such as chicken pox, meningitis, measles and whooping cough are still seen across the commonwealth, according to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health. (InsideCreativeHouse/Adobe Stock)

Health Professionals Urge Back-to-School Checkups for PA Kids

As a new school year starts, experts are reminding Pennsylvania parents not to overlook some important health screenings for kids. The required …

In Pennsylvania, one out of 12 high schoolers has attempted suicide. The report suggests students of color need more support, as one in eight Black students and more than one in seven Hispanic students tried to take their own life. (MonkeyBusiness/Adobe Stock)

Report: Pennsylvania Ranks 21st in Nation for Child Well-Being

Pennsylvania ranks in the middle among states for the well-being of its children. The latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation …

Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program covers kids' dental and vision care as well as medical care. (Yurii Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

PA Touts Success of Children’s Health Insurance Program

The Children's Health Insurance Program, covering low-income kids across the country, turns 25 in August, but Pennsylvania has had its own "CHIP" …

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