New Data: What really works to reduce the dropout rate?

Wednesday, July 30th, 2:30-3:30 PM Eastern

Communities In Schools has just released the first set of findings from a five-year longitudinal evaluation, the CIS National Evaluation. This study, which was conducted by ICF International, was designed to determine whether CIS has an impact on student-level and school-level outcomes. The initial results provide third-party, independent confirmation of the effectiveness of integrated student supports in reducing dropout rates and improving graduation rates. Susan Siegel, Vice President of Research, Evaluation and Learning Management at Communities In Schools will present a summary of these findings and discuss their implications for school reform strategies.

This webinar is free to all National Assembly members and their affiliates.

Registration is limited, so we’d recommend you sign up soon. To register, click here.

States Differ Widely in Child Care Use by Low-Income Families

Low-income children are less likely to participate in non-parental child care than children from higher income families, according to a new Child Trends research brief. This brief includes state-by-state data on the use of non-parental child care for children ages 0-4 among low-income families. The brief also describes differences in the types of child care used, and parents' experiences with child care problems that interfere with their work schedules across states. Findings include: Among children in any type of child care arrangement, low-income children were more likely to be in a home-based arrangement rather than a center-based arrangement; and lower rates of child care participation among low-income children (38 to 50 percent) occurred in states primarily located in the western and north central regions of the country. Click here

Official Poverty Measure Undercounts the Nation's Poor

In a few weeks, the U.S. Census Bureau will report on the 2007 poverty rate in America. Whatever the outcome, one thing is for sure: the official measure will represent a significant undercount of the nation's poor. A more accurate measure would reveal that millions more persons face material deprivation. The chart from the Economic Policy Institute shows the official measure alongside a more accurate, alternative poverty measure taken from recent research. Click here.

How Children Fare in the Federal Budget

A new report from the Urban Institute tracks federal spending on children from 1960 through 2018 based on actual budget outlays and projections of spending under current policies. The report charts the relative changes - and therefore, the shifting national emphases - between children’s spending and spending on other priorities. It also examines changes in spending among different types of children’s programs. Click here.

Facing Deficits, Many States are Imposing Cuts That Hurt Vulnerable Residents

As a new fiscal year begins in most states, budget difficulties are leading some 20 states to reduce services to their residents, including some of their most vulnerable families and individuals. Examples of enacted and proposed cuts to state services include: 13 states have implemented or proposed cuts that will affect eligibility for health insurance programs and/or access to health care services; six states have cut medical, rehabilitative, home care, or other services needed by low-income people who are elderly or have disabilities, or significantly increased the amounts that such people must pay for the services. To read more of this report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities click here.

State Indicators for Early Childhood Not Consistent Across the US

Virtually all State Early Childhood Comprehensive System Initiatives have adopted or identified indicators for monitoring program performance and child outcomes related to early childhood systems. However, although a functional set of indicators is needed to monitor progress of ECCS initiatives across the states, there is no one overarching set of indicators consistently being used. This report from the National Center for Children in Poverty reviews the characteristics of good indicators and proposes 36 indicators, based on a review of the literature, an analysis of key national indicator sets, and a comparative review of indicators set out in State ECCS reports and plans. Click here.

Partnering with the Private and Philanthropic Sectors

The National Governor’s Association released a report aimed at helping governors engage the private and philanthropic sectors in furthering early childhood programs and services in their states and promoting the healthy development and school readiness of children from birth to age five. Click here..

The Housing Crash and the Retirement Prospects of Late Baby Boomers

A new report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research shows that, due to the collapse of the housing bubble, the vast majority of near retirees have accumulated little or no wealth. This means that they will be almost completely reliant on Social Security and Medicare to support them in their retirement years. The projections also show that a large number of families in these age cohorts will have little or no equity in their homes in 2009. Finally, the projections show that the renters within the same wealth quintiles in 2004 will have more wealth in 2009 than homeowners in all three scenarios. Click here.

Supreme Court's Decision Strikes Down Handgun Ban Critical to Protecting Children & Teens

Laws such as the D.C. ban not only provide reasonable restrictions, but also are critical to protecting children and teens who are extremely vulnerable to gun violence as highlighted by Children's Defense Fund's recently released gun report, Protect Children, Not Guns. To read more about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike down D.C.'s handgun ban click here.

Click here to view a map of firearm deaths of children and teens in 2005

National Disability Status and Program Performance Indicators

The number of people with disabilities in the U.S. is large and growing: 49.7 million noninstitutionalized individuals have disabilities, and about 21.5 million of them are working age. This report from the National Council on Disability describes what we know about the status of these individuals. It also assesses the extent to which current data meaningfully measure their well-being. It includes a set of statistical social indicators to measure progress in important areas over time. Click here.

States Reduce Medicaid Costs with New Technology

The chokehold of Medicaid is tightening on state budgets. The joint federal/state program accounts for 22 percent of total state spending, according to the National Governors Association. Medicaid spending was projected to grow by more than 7 percent in 2007, the NGA said, driven largely by recent changes in prescription drug coverage. And health-care costs will continue rising at an average annual rate of about 8 percent over the next 10 years, according to Congressional Budget Office projections. Emerging state IT projects show how agencies can use technology to cut Medicaid costs, and quantifying the various cost drivers is often the first step. That measurement process is helping states identify and remedy the inappropriate service usage, late diagnoses and fraud partially responsible for surging Medicaid expenses. Click here.

Recommended Reading List

Listed below are books of relevance to the nonprofit human service sector that come highly recommended by colleagues. Those that you are interested in can be purchased through Amazon.com.

Hold your computer mouse over the book cover to learn more about that title.

Click on the image to be directed to Amazon.com where you can read more about the book, including price and reviews, as well as purchase the title.

Amazon.com Widgets