The new Kids Count Data Book found the child care system still struggling in the wake of the pandemic.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation report showed difficulty getting child care was already well known prior to COVID, but the U.S. child care workforce remains 50,000 workers smaller than it was in February 2020.

This year's Data Book illustrates families' ongoing challenges with child care cost and availability. In Maryland, the average price to care for a toddler is just over $11,000 dollars a year, which is 8% of a couple's median income, and 25% of a single mother's income in the state.

Nonso Umunna, Kids Count director at the Maryland Center on Economic Policy, said access is essential.

"We know that access to high-quality, affordable child care is essential for families, the Maryland economy, and the national economy," Umunna pointed out. "Unfortunately, this year's Data Book reflects that our child care system today is not working very well for anyone."

Maryland ranked 21st overall in child well-being, but the report shows nearly 12% of children in the state live in families where someone quit, changed or refused a job because of problems accessing child care.

Since the first Data Book was published in 1990, child care costs have risen 220%, much faster than inflation. Even so, the report showed child care workers are paid worse than 98% of other professions. Umunna noted the pay is less than other jobs requiring less training.

"Here in Maryland, for instance, child care workers have a medium wage of about $14 an hour, which is slightly above the national average," Umunna observed. "That is less than the wage for retail workers and even customer service workers, who are earning about $18 an hour."

The report called for increasing federal, state and local financial support for child care. The U.S. spends 0.33% 0.33% of its gross domestic product on early childhood education, well below countries such as France, Norway and Sweden, spending 1.3% of GDP or more.

The report found declining educational outcomes, with three of four education indicators getting worse.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said the pandemic contributed to students losing ground.

"In particular, in the area of education, we've lost significant gains on third grade reading, as well as math proficiency by eighth grade, as well as the number of three- and four-year-olds who are enrolled in pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten," Boissiere reported.

Between 2019 and 2022, the number of Maryland eighth graders not proficient in math worsened from 67% to 75%, reflecting national trends.

Everybody loves to get something free and right now, kids aged 12-17 can get a fishing and hunting license at no cost from the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

The license is good for one year and normally sells for $15.

Bobby Jones, outdoor connection coordinator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife, said the free licenses are funded by donations to the Nevada Youth License Fund.

"This is actually the third year that the program's been active," Jones explained. "We keep it open as much as possible. We're just limited by the amount of donations that we have. Right now, we have almost 2,000 available and they go fast."

Youth can get a free license on the Nevada Department of Wildlife website or wherever the licenses are sold. Children under age 12 do not need a fishing license. The state said almost two-thirds of the kids who have taken advantage of the program in the past have never had a hunting or fishing license before.

Jones emphasized the program is designed to tempt kids to leave the digital world behind for a short time and enjoy some time outdoors. It could lead them to even consider a nature-based career like wildlife biology, forest management or outdoor education.

"Essentially what we're up against is a lot of kids are engaged in their phones and social media, TV," Jones pointed out. "They're constantly bombarded with things. We're trying to make it a little bit easier for them to enjoy the outdoors."

Some of the most popular fishing spots include Lahontan in the Fallon area, Wild Horse and South Fork in Eastern Nevada, and Lake Mead down south.


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The University of Nebraska is addressing a shortage of lawyers who represent the state's most vulnerable children, especially in rural areas.

The attorneys are being equipped to work with kids who have suffered through physical, emotional, or financial trauma - and are often living in poverty.

Of Nebraska's 5,500 licensed attorneys, only 7% of them practice in rural areas.

Michelle Paxton, director of the Nebraska Children's Justice and Legal Advocacy Center, said two thirds of child neglect and abuse cases originate outside the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas, in what she calls "rural legal deserts."

"We have twelve counties in Nebraska with zero attorneys living in those counties," said Paxton. "We have 22 with less than three."

Paxton said that there are too few qualified rural child justice attorneys, which means lawyers may drive hundreds of miles for juvenile cases, creating delays and court backlogs.

The University of Nebraska program will add lawyers trained to handle issues unique to children in low-income families.

Attorneys who work on juvenile court cases are getting the tailored knowledge they need, but Paxton added that the program is also creating an opportunity for those attorneys to network and get support from other lawyers in the field - who are often isolated.

"And so they don't often have another attorney doing this type of work that they can rely on for support and mentorship," said Paxton, "and our program provides that support and mentorship so that they are not only willing to continue working in juvenile court, increase their hours in juvenile court and increase their commitment. "

The advocacy center will also develop a case-tracking tool, enabling people to find an attorney online.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.



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Statistics show one in five children in Texas struggles with hunger.

Approximately 10,000 students a day are getting a nutritious meal through the Summer Food Service Program offered by the Houston Food Bank. The meals are distributed across the food bank's 18-county region.

Jourdan Stansberry, senior manager of education programs for Houston Food Bank, said they partner with summer camps, churches and other nonprofit organizations to serve the students. She added anyone who is not near a meal site can take advantage of their non-congregate option.

"Sites that are considered rural by the Texas Department of Agriculture," Stansberry explained. "It's a grab-and-go model where families can pick up the meals, It's like a five-day bundle of frozen meals, breakfast and snacks, so 10 meals all together. They're able to pick it up and take it home."

Locations of the meal sites in the Houston area and across Texas are available at the Department of Agriculture's Summer Meal Site Map. The meals are available to anyone 18 years old or younger or students with a disability, up to 21 years old.

The meals are distributed at more than 250 sites around the Houston area. Students do not have to register to take advantage of the meals. Stansbury emphasized it is a great way to ensure kids have access to fresh fruits and vegetables during the summer. She added the menus consist of more than just a sandwich and chips.

"One thing that I know has been pretty popular is our orange chicken with rice, and we also have broccoli, vegetable-medley side that goes along with that. We saw also chicken tikka masala," Stansbury outlined. "We try to expose them to different meals, not only healthwise but also culturally."

The Houston Food Bank expects to distribute around 800,000 meals this summer. The meal program runs through Aug. 8.


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