Youth Issues / Public News Service

By age 8, 52% of children have had a cavity in their primary baby teeth. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

NC dentists stress importance of children's dental health during summer

As summer kicks into full gear, North Carolina dentists stressed the importance of maintaining children's dental health. Dr. Miranda Kalaskey…

There are no income or registration requirements for kids to participate in the state's Summer Meals program, which serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner to all youths up to age 18. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Summer meals for kids available to-go and by delivery in remote rural areas

With school cafeterias closed for the summer, community groups and nonprofits are working to ensure that Colorado's one in five children who go …

Nearly 50% of Mainers age 12-17 who have depression did not receive any care in the last year, according to NAMI Maine. Advocates for mental health care say listing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on student IDs could help. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Monday, July 1, 2024

ME groups boost awareness of 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline services

A monthly telecom surcharge could generate significant funding for Maine's 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, according to a new report. The mental …

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was rolled out nationwide in July 2022. (7N23/Adobe Stock)

Report on 988 crisis line rollout highlights OR youth suicide prevention

A new report examines the rollout of the 988 mental health crisis line in each state and found Oregon has more work to do. The national three-digit 9…

The mental health crisis line 988 was activated nationwide in July 2022. (7N23/Adobe Stock)

Report: WA 988 crisis line rollout successful but more work needed

A new report examines the rollout of the 988 mental health crisis line in each state and finds Washington state has fared well but still has more work…

New Mexico's Save the Children organization has previously engaged kids on summer break from school to help create a 9-foot paint-by-numbers mural. (Photo courtesy of Save the Children)

Helping prevent the summer slide among NM's school-aged kids

Some New Mexico kids hope summer never ends, while others cannot wait to get back in the classroom and both groups are at risk of falling behind in …

Save the Children works in more than 300 of rural America's most impoverished communities, helping kids prepare for kindergarten and reach grade-level goals. (peopleimages.com./Adobe Stock)

Save the Children works to end 'summer slide' for Arkansas students

During the summer months, children can lose up to 40% of the information they learned in school, in a phenomenon called the "summer slide." The …

Amazon sold a chemical used for suicide at high concentrations but said it cannot be held responsible for how customers use products. (michelangeloop/Adobe Stock)

Amazon responsible for selling chemical used for suicide, lawsuits allege

Lawsuits are seeking to hold Amazon accountable for selling a chemical used by people for suicide. The substance is known as sodium nitrite and is …

The latest EPA Clean School Bus funding of $940 million goes beyond health and environmental benefits. It supports school districts' transportation needs as well. (Adobe Stock)

$12 million in EPA rebates for clean school buses in Tennessee

Some Tennessee school districts are among 41 in the Southeast receiving funding from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus rebate pro…

Save the Children's mobile units deliver books and other educational resources to rural low-income communities in 11 states, including California. (Save the Children)

Mobile units aim to 'Make Summer Fair' for rural low-income kids

Mobile units are rolling out in rural California communities this summer to help keep kids engaged and combat learning loss. The nonprofit Save the …

The average college scholarship recipient in New Mexico is under 25 years old, female and Hispanic. (Julie/Adobe Stock)

New Mexico earns high marks, boosts enrollment with no-cost college

New Mexico consistently ranks low in childhood educational achievement, but its path to a college degree is being recognized at the highest levels…

A tax-cut package, passed in an Arkansas special legislative session, also increased the homestead property tax credit in Arkansas from $425 to $500. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Opponents of latest state tax cuts say they benefit wealthy Arkansans

Leaders of some nonprofit organizations in Arkansas are not happy with a recent tax cut package passed by the Legislature. The law reduces the tax …

A group of pornography website operators is suing Indiana over a new law mandating stricter age verification for adult content sites. (Adobe stock)

New Indiana law: Protection for minors or privacy invasion?

A controversial new law is set to take effect next week, requiring Hoosiers to upload sensitive documents, including driver's licenses and Social …

Maryland schools served more than 34 million breakfasts during the 2022-2023 school year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MD schools serving thousands fewer meals post-COVID

The latest Maryland School Breakfast Report finds tens of thousands fewer kids are being served post COVID. The end of pandemic era waivers two …

Among 3- and 4-year-olds in Texas, 58% are not in school. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)

Texas remains near bottom in kids well-being

Texas is near the bottom in this year's annual Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book, which studies trends in child well-being. The report …

Nationally, the child poverty rate decreased from 17.2% in 2021 to 15.9% in 2022, returning to pre-pandemic levels, according to the Annie. E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

NC kids face challenges at school, but rising economic well-being

A new report sheds light on children's well-being in North Carolina, and highlights the need for greater academic support. According to the latest …

The current American Legion Auxiliary Missouri Girls State is being held this week, through June 29, at Lindenwood University in St. Charles. High schoolers interested in attending Girls State in the future should check missourigirlsstate.org. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

Arkansas students learn importance of healthy foods through school gardens

School children in Arkansas are learning how to grow their own fruits and vegetables through the Farm to School and Early Childhood Education program …

Rhode Island has one of the nation's highest percentages of students enrolled in early childhood education programs. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Building a brighter future for Rhode Island children

Rhode Island has ranked 12th in the nation for child well-being according to the 2024 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The …

Only 28% of Hispanic people and 37% of Black people have taken swimming lessons, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (cabq.gov)

'World's Largest Swimming Lesson' comes to Albuquerque pools

It is the first day of summer and time for a global event called the "World's Largest Swimming Lesson." Albuquerque's West Mesa Aquatic Center will o…

New York is one of eight states requiring exit exams for high school graduation. (Adobe Stock)

NYS no longer requires Regents exams for graduation

Regents exams will no longer be a graduation requirement for New York State students. The State Department of Education announced the change several …

According to Indiana Career Explorer, 1,300 job openings as chefs and head cooks are projected through 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Culinary camp teaches IN teens cooking, business skills

Kids' summer camp means horseback riding, hiking and scavenger hunts. But one Indianapolis chef is using the school break to teach youths cooking and …

In 2021, an estimated 352,000 children and adolescents younger than 20, or 35 per 10,000 U.S. youths, had diagnosed diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Childhood diabetes becoming more common in Kentucky

Experts say sedentary lifestyles, food insecurity, and other factors are driving an increase in childhood diabetes in Kentucky. Research shows …

Administrators says the comprehensive pathway will allow students to seamlessly transition from high school to higher education and complete a degree in record time. (ktsdesign/Adobe Stock)

Texas Tech, TTU K-12 offer six-year degree plan

Texas Tech University and the online public-school TTU K-12 are teaming up to offer high school students an opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in…

More than 40 U.S. colleges and universities now obtain 100% or more of their electricity from renewable energy sources while at least 76 schools get at least 50% of their energy from renewables, according to the Public Interest Network. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Dartmouth decarbonization plan preps students for climate-related future

Officials at Dartmouth College say a massive campus decarbonization project will serve as a real-world classroom for students interested in sustainabi…

States ranked lowest in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation tend to have more children of color in their populations, highlighting institutionalized and systemic racism. (Diego Cervo/Adobe Stock)

Children's advocates: NM 'cradle to career' investment pays off

Advocates for New Mexico's kids say at the heart of an annual report on child welfare is positive news for the state's families. The Annie E…

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2024 Kids Count Book, 425,000 Illinois children live in poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Kids Count Data Book shows IL children fare well in health care, lag in academics

The 2024 Kids Count Data Book was released this week. The publication is a 50-state report of data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation about the …

Advocates are calling for higher teacher salaries to help Alaska can recruit and retain more educators. (Jacob Lund/Adobestock)

Report: Alaska ranks near bottom in overall child well-being

Alaska ranks 41st in the nation in terms of overall child well-being, according to the new 2024 Kids Count Data Bookfrom the Annie E. Casey …

Chronic absence from school may be driving learning loss. Some 30% of students, about 14.7 million, were chronically absent in 2021-2022, nearly double pre-pandemic rates, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Report: Ohio make has made some progress on child well-being

Math and reading proficiency among Ohio kids has worsened over the past five years, according to new data. The latest Kids Count Data Book from the …

Students with strong math and science skills are more likely to graduate from high school, attend and complete college, earn higher incomes and take advantage of the future opportunities available to them, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Mixed reviews of Michigan kids' well-being in new report

Michigan ranks 34th in the nation for overall child well-being, in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. A closer look at …

Georgia's highest ranking among four domains studied by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in its Kids Count Data Book is in education, at 31st. (Adobe Stock)

GA ranks among bottom 10 for health despite gains in child well-being

Georgia remains among the bottom 10 states for children's health, according to the latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

About 1.3 million public school educators and 100,000 college and university professors have been affected by educational gag orders from 2021 through 2023, according to a new report from the American Association of University Professors. (Adobe Stock)

University of Wyoming dealing with state’s cuts to diversity office

The University of Wyoming is scrambling to address a major funding cut state legislators passed in a footnote to the state budget. During this …

Research has shown the most effective tutoring is in person, 'high dosage' and tied directly to the school. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado drops two spots to 17th nationally for child wellness

Colorado lost ground - dropping from 15th to 17th overall - in this year's Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which ranks states …

The number of young children ages 3 and 4 not in school remained the same before and after the pandemic at 42%, which is lower than the national average of 54%. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NY kids’ pandemic-era education troubles persist

A new report found New York kids' well-being is improving despite lingering pandemic issues. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book …

Both public and private organizations across Mississippi reported using Mississippi Kids Count data for grant applications over the past three years resulted in a collective $48 million to programs and services in the state. (gpointstudio/Adobe Stock)

Report: Some progress, but low rankings, for MS kids' well-being

Mississippi ranks near the bottom among states for children's well-being, at 49th overall in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey …

Merit America's goal is to drive $1 billion in wage gains by 2025, by retraining low-wage workers for better-paying jobs in the tech sector. (BullRun/Adobe Stock)

CA tech job-training program expands with $15 million grant

Help is available for people looking to break out of a low-wage, "go-nowhere" job because the nonprofit Merit America is expanding its training …

Children's advocates rallied in Hilo in March, calling for state investments in affordable childcare and early learning. (Hawaii Children's Action Network)

Report: Low scores, poor attendance plague HI schools

Low reading and math scores at schools in Hawaii point to a need to further invest in public education, according to the 2024 Kids Count Data Book …

Nationwide, the child poverty rate decreased from 17.2% in 2021 to 15.9% in 2022, returning to pre-pandemic levels, according to this year's Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Report: AZ's educational system failing its students

Arizona's overall child well-being ranks 42nd in the nation. The latest Annie E. Casey "Kids Count" Data Book looks at markers to see how well …

Fewer than 30% of New Hampshire eighth-graders were proficient in math between 2019 and 2022. Studies show the lag will reduce lifetime earnings by 1.6% for 48million pandemic-era students, for a total of $900 billion in lost income. (Adobe Stock)

NH leads in child well-being but chronic absence rates lower test scores

New Hampshire ranks first in the nation for overall child well-being but trauma and pandemic-related learning loss continue to impact students…

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are targeted to people with the greatest need: 92% go to households with incomes below the poverty line, and 54% to households at or below half of the poverty line, about $12,900 for a family of three in 2024, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Hunger Coalition pushes back on SNAP cuts in Farm Bill

One version of the Farm Bill being debated in Congress would cut billions of dollars in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from agricu…

Fewer than a third of fourth graders were at or above proficient in reading, two percentage points lower than right before the pandemic, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Nevada struggles to improve child well-being standards

Plummeting reading and math scores could prove to be a significant barrier for Nevada children, especially as they head into the workforce. This …

Child poverty increased by 5% from 2019 to 2022, with Alabama ranking 45th in the nation at 22%, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Alabama children need more educational, economic support

A new report sheds light on child well-being in Alabama, highlighting the need for greater academic and economic support. According to the latest …

Organizations like Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota recommend bolstering tutoring programs and other out-of-school learning opportunities for kids to help address lagging test scores. (Adobe Stock)

Patience urged as MN policies evolve to improve outcomes for kids

Despite a handful of concerning results for child well-being in Minnesota, one policy expert says the state is well positioned to make structural …

The latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation ranked Idaho high in the family and community category, at fourth best in the nation. (Vadim Sofin/Adobe Stock)

Report:ID ranks high in child well-being, education still concern

Idaho ranks 13th in a new report on child well-being. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids Count Data Book measures how well states are …

The number of Oklahoma high school students not graduating on time rose by 25% in the most recent Kids County Data Book survey from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Report: OK near bottom of rankings for quality of kids' healthcare, education

A report on the condition of America's children ranks Oklahoma near the bottom of the 50 states for the well-being of its kids, with particularly …

According to the 2024 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Indiana saw the fifth-highest decrease nationally in uninsured children between 2019 and 2022. (Adobe stock)

Report: Overall child well-being ranking slightly slips in IN

Indiana ranks 27th in child well-being, according to the 2024 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, slipping three spots from last …

As of March, Tennessee still had about 23% of its federal education funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program, which could be used to help boost achievement. The deadline to allocate the funding is Sept. 30. (Adobe Stock)

Kids Count Data Book shows some improvement for TN children

Tennessee ranks in the middle among states for the well-being of its children, at 36th overall in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

The initial phase of the Maryland Tutoring Corps Grant Program will reach 80,000 students in the state. (Adobe Stock/AntonioDiaz)

Report: Maryland ranks 22nd nationally in overall child well-being

The Annie E. Casey Foundation has published its annual Kids Count Data Book and the report showed the toll the pandemic took on educational progress…

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