Lawmakers in Congress are facing mounting pressure from corporate lobbyists to pass business tax breaks before the end of the year but new analysis suggests cuts would be far more costly than promised. Joe Hughes, federal policy analyst at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, said reinstating the expanded Child Tax Credit would be a better investment. He pointed out it is unclear whether corporate tax breaks would achieve their stated policy goals, but they would make a lot of very rich people even richer. .
Education experts say children in New Hampshire are at risk of falling behind their peers in other states with well-funded preschool programs. Nearly half of 3- and 4-year-olds in New Hampshire are not receiving early education, which is known to provide foundational knowledge and skills used in school and later in life. Steven Barnett, senior co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, said research shows children who attend preschool are more likely to attend college, find professional success and are less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system. .
Ohio schools are stepping up to meet the needs of a growing number of English learners. Nearly 40% of around 60,000 English learners in the state speak Spanish as their primary language, but others speak Arabic, Chinese, Somali, Swahili and more. Debbie Skarsten is an English teacher in Pickerington. .
A new analysis of 2022 census data has uncovered a troubling trend: The uninsured rate for Pennsylvania children worsened during the final full year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2023 State of Children s Health in Pennsylvania report found more than 145,000 children are without health insurance. Becky Ludwick, vice president of public policy at Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, emphasized despite the Medicaid continuous coverage and other flexibilities in place during the public health emergency, Pennsylvania is among a few states observing a decline in the rate of children having access to health insurance. .
New county-level data show Kentucky is facing a severe shortage of workers in sectors supporting children, including teachers, counselors, child care providers, child welfare workers and others. Sarah Vanover, policy and research director for Kentucky Youth Advocates, said the state s more than one million children are feeling the effects of fewer education professionals. According to the report, less than half of the state s kindergartners entered school ready to learn last school year, and schools are facing declining math and reading proficiency rates. .