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Dropout rate could spell trouble for state
June 21, 2010
By Gary Scharrer
Express-News

AUSTIN - The demographer who warned a decade ago about Texas' unhappy mix of dismal education achievement and high poverty is more concerned than ever. Actually , he's frightened. Also getting restless are growing numbers of Texas business executives. Some don't see much leadership from politicians or the private sector in attacking the trend line that demographer Steve Murdock says will result in three of very 10 workers not having a high school education by 2040.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/dropout_rate_could_spell_trouble_for_state_economy_96773599.html

San Antonio is one of the worst cities for battling the bulge
May 25, 2010
San Antonio Business Journal

San Antonio remains one of the lest fit cities in America, according to the American College of Sports Medicine's American Fitness Index.

The report, "Health and Community Fitness Status of the 50 Largest Metropolitan Areas," lists San Antonio as the 43rd most fit city. The index looks at preventative health behaviors, levels of chronic disease conditions, health care access and community resources that support physical activity.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2010/05/24/daily15.html?ed=2010-05-26&ana=e_du_pub

St. Philip's child care center earns accreditation
May 24, 2010
San Antonio Business Journal

The St. Philip's College Child Development Center has been re-accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The association works to promote early childhood education.

The local center's re-accreditation term is five years, running from May 5, 2010 to June 1, 2015.

To earn the re-accreditation, the center had to meet each of the association's 10 standards.

Mark Ginsberg, executive director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, says the center's re-accreditation is a sign that the center is a leader in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education designed to help give all children a better start.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2010/05/24/daily5.html?ed=2010-05-24&ana=e_du_pub#ixzz0osvMfh32

Cuts to Child Care Subsidy Thwart More Job Seekers
May 23, 2010
by Peter S. Goodman

TUCSON  - Able-bodied, outgoing and accustomed to working, Alexandria Wallace wants to earn a paycheck. But that requires someone to look after her 3-year-old daughter, and Ms. Wallace, a 22-year-old single mother, cannot afford childcare.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/business/economy/24childcare.html?pagewanted=1&th&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1274702630-1FNCCsvuM0C25CgiutGHoA

Study says more students struggling with reading at end of pivotal third grade
May 18, 2010
by Michael Alison Chandler
Washington Post Staff Writer

Nearly two-thirds of students in Virginia and Maryland do not read proficiently by the time they finish third grade, a pivotal milestone when material becomes more complex and children are more likely to slip behind, according to a national report released Tuesday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/17/AR2010051703879.html

Study finds that effects of low-quality child care last into adolescence
May 14, 2010
by Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer

Low-quality care in the first few years of life can have a small but long-lasting impact on a child's learning and behavior, according to new results from the largest, most authoritative assessment of child rearing in the United States.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2010/05/14/ST2010051401954.html

Day care standards prompt tough questions
April 20, 2010
by Veronica Flores-Paniagua

When it comes to child care, the questions of cost and quality are never far from a parent's mind:  What's the best we can afford?

If you can't afford a full-time nanny, and most can't, the best usually means a day care center with low child-to-caregiver rations. The higher the cost, the lower the ratio. The converse has been true for those on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Day_care_standards_prompt_tough_questions.html

Baby Fat May Not Be So Cute After All
March 22, 2010
by Roni Caryn Rabin

Schools have banned cupcakes, issued obesity report cards and cleared space in cafeterias for salad bars. Just last month, Michelle Obama's campaign to end childhood obesity promised to get  young people moving more and revamp school lunch, and beverage makers said they had cut the sheer number of liquid calories shipped to schools by almost 90 percent in the past five years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/health/23obese.html?th&emc=th

 
CentroMed to receive shot in the arm in federal funding.
March 15, 2010
San Antonio Business Journal

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is furnishing $31 million to El Centro del Barrio to help fund its operations over the next five years.

El Centro del Barrio, also known as CentroMed, will receive $6.2 million each year through 2015. The federal funds will help support CentroMed's mission of providing affordable medical, dental, behavioral health, nutrition, parenting education, health education and support services to low-income individuals and families.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2010/03/15/daily7.html?ed=2010-03-16&ana=e_du_pub


Striking number of obesity risks hit minority kids
March 1, 2010
Associated Press - Chicago

The odds of obesity appear stacked against black and Hispanic children starting even before birth, provocative new research suggests.

The findings help explain disproportionately high obesity rates in minority children. Family income is often a factor, but so are cultural customs and beliefs, the study authors said.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/national/Striking_number_of_obesity_risks_hit_minority_kids.html


Castro: It's about school, kids
February 28, 2010
by Jenny LaCoste-Caputo
Express-News

Before City Hall, before Harvard Law School, before Stanford University, Major Julian Castro was just another Hispanic kid in the San Antonio Independent School District.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/Castro_Its_about_school_kids.html


Sharp rise cited in Texas child abuse fatalities
February 25, 2010
by Vincent T. Davis and Peter J. Holley
Express-News

A statewide increase in child abuse and neglect-related deaths resulted in 280 fatalities last fiscal year, a 31 percent increase compared to the previous fiscal year and the highest since the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services began keeping records in 1998.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Sharp_rise_cited_in_Texas_child_abuse_fatalities.html


In China, kindergarten costs more than college
February 23, 2010
by Peter Ford

Beijing

It costs more to send your child to kindergarten in Beijing today than it does to put him or her through college. As outsiders pour into the capital looking for work, and parents try to give their offspring an ever-earlier competitive advantage, scarce preschool places are commanding record fees.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0223/In-China-kindergarten-costs-more-than-college


Medicaid rate cuts will hurt poor children
February 18, 2010
by Veronica Flores-Paniagua

What is it we tell children? Don't make a promise you can't keep.

With a proposal to cut health care providers' Medicaid reimbursement rates by at least 1 percent, that appears to be exactly what Texas has done. The proposal threatens to flout a 2007 federal court-approved plan that requires enough doctors and dentists to serve the 3 million poor children who are enrolled in Medicaid.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/columnists/veronica_flores_paniagua/Medicaid_rate_cuts_will_hurt_poor_children.html


Bexar ranks low in urban health report
February 18, 2010
by Don Finley
Express-News

A new report comparing the health and well-being of Texas counties ranks Bexar 78th in the overall health of its residents–the lowest among major urban counties.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/health/Bexar_ranks_low_in_urban_health_report.html


Almost 25% of children in Bexar live in poverty
February 13, 2010
by Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje
Express-News

Almost a quarter of the children in Bexar County lived in poverty and lacked health insurance in 2008, according to a new study on poverty in Texas.

And while the numbers dropped slightly compared with a similar study the year before, this still means roughly one in four children struggled with the by products of poverty: poor school performance, health woes, hunger and circumscribed futures.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Almost_25_of_children_in_Bexar_live_in_poverty.html

Postpartum Depression: Signaled During Pregnancy?
February 11, 2010
by Adi Narayan

Six years ago Jamie Nesi, a case manager for special-ed children in Bellport, N.Y., was diagnosed with mild depression. Her doctor prescribed a low dose of Prozac, which eased her symptoms. In 2005, Nesi, then 33, got pregnant, and at her gynecologist's recommendation she discontinued the medication. For the first two trimesters, things went smoothly. "It was my first child, and everyone said I was having a perfect pregnancy," said Nesi in a phone interview.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1962031,00.html


Problem of obese kids is put in spotlight
February 10, 2010
by Don Finley
Express-News

When it comes to helping his overweight young patients lose weight, Dr. Jorge Gomez, a pediatrician, tries to bring in all the family members to work together on fixing the problem. Then he asks them what part of their lives they're ready to change.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/health/Problem_of_obese_kids_is_put_in_spotlight.html


Childhood Obesity Battle Is Taken Up by First Lady
February 9, 2010
by Sheryl Gay Stolberg

WASHINGTON – The White House, led by Michelle Obama, announced a sweeping initiative on Tuesday aimed at revamping the way American children eat and play – reshaping school lunches, playground and even medical checkups – with the goal of eliminating childhood obesity within a generation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/health/nutrition/10obesity.html?nl=us&emc=politicsemailema3


A Federal Effort to Push Junk Food Out of Schools
February 7, 2010
by Gardner Harris

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration will begin a drive this week to expel Pepsi, French fries and Snickers bars from the nation's schools in hopes of reducing the number of children who get fat during their school years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/health/nutrition/08junk.html?th&emc=th


W. Side clinic caring for uninsured workers
February 1, 2010
by Don Finley
Express-News

As the prospects for national health reform grow dimmer, a low-cost, nonprofit clinic aimed strictly at uninsured working people and their families has begun operations on the West Side – adding a few more strands to the local safety net.

The Faith Family Clinic at 700 S. Zarzamora St. held its grand opening ceremony Friday, but it has quietly seen patients since November. Operating on a shoestring budget with volunteer doctors, the clinic is the brainchild of a health care executive in Nashville, Tenn., who opened a similar clinic there a decade ago.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/W_Side_clinic_caring_for_uninsured_workers.html


A Determined Quest to Bring Adoptive Ties to Foster Teenagers
January 30, 2010
by Erik Eckholm

ST. LOUIS – After a day of knocking on doors chasing fleeting leads, Carlos Lopez and his partner finally heard welcome words: Yes, a resident confirmed, the man they were seeking lived in this house and would be home that evening.

Mr. Lopez, a former police detective, now does gumshoe work for what he calls a more fulfilling cause: tracking down long-lost relatives of teenagers languishing in foster care, in desperate need of family ties and in danger of becoming rootless adults. That recent day, h e was hoping to find the f ather of a boy who had lived in 16 different foster homes since 1995. The boy did not remember his mother, who had long since disappeared.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/us/31adopt.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th


After Long Decline, Teenage Pregnancy Rate Rises
January 27, 2010
by Tamar Lewin

After more than a decade of declining teenage pregnancy, the pregnancy rate among girls ages 15 to 19 increased 3 percent from2005 to 2006 – a turnaround likely to intensify the debate over federal financing for abstinence-only sex education
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/us/27teen.html?th&emc=th

Study: Youth now have more mental health issues
January 26, 2010
by Martha Irvine
Associated Press

CHICAGO – A new study has found that five times as many high school and college students are dealing with anxiety and other mental health issues as youth of the same age who were studied in the Great Depression era.

The findings, culled from responses to a popular psychological questionnaire used as far back as 1938, confirm what counselors on campuses nationwide have long suspected as more students struggle with the stresses of school and life in general.
http://www.helenair.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/article_98c11ee4-ff45-11de-86d3-001cc4c03286.html


Sons of teen dads more likely to become one too
January 20, 2010
by Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Sons born to teenage fathers may end up following in their father's footsteps, according to a new study.

Past research has shown that girls whose mothers gave birth as teens are more likely than their peers to become teenage mothers themselves. But comparatively little has been know about the factors that matter in teen fatherhood.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60J54720100120


Children Don't Have Strokes? Just Ask Jared
January 18, 2010
by Jonathan Dienst

My son Jared lay in a bed at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell hospital, limp and pale, his 7-year-old body tethered to a tangle of tubes and monitor wires.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/health/19stroke.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th


Syphilis seen rising among local infants
January 4, 2010
by Don Finley
Express-News

Reaching to a worrisome rise in syphilis infections in newborns, local health officials sent letters to Bexar County doctors recently recommending they test all pregnant women for the sexually transmitted disease during their third trimester.

The advice is in keeping with state and federal recommendations aimed at communities with high rates of congenital syphilis. And Bexar County's rate is high. Eleven babies were born infected here in 2008 – two of them stillborn.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Syphilis_seen_rising_among_local_infants.html


Legislators Work to Improve Lawson Runaways
January 3, 2010
by Ian Urbina

WASHINGTON – State and federal lawmakers from around the country are pressing a variety of new laws that would make sweeping changes in the way runaways and prostituted children are handled by police officers and social workers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/us/04runaways.html?th&emc=th


Which Poverty-Fighting Policies Work? J-PAL Has the Answer
December 1, 2009
by Ryan Blitstein

Every year, wealthy countries and donors ship billions upon billions of dollars in aid to the developing world. The money has not bought prosperity: Diarrhea still kills 1.5 million children annually. More than 210 million kids work when they should be in a classroom. Polio, which had once been eradicated in all but four countries, is spreading across African again. Some 2.6 billion people have no access to modern toilets. And more than 1 billion people don't have enough to eat in 2009, setting a new record.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/141/solve-for-why.html?page=0%2C0&partner=ethonomics_newsletter


For Forest Kindergartners, Class Is Back to Nature, Rain or Shine
November 29, 2009
by Liz Leyden

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Fat, cold droplets splashed from  the sky as the students struggled into their uniforms: rain pants, boots, mittens and hats. Once buttoned and bundled, they scattered toward favorite spaces: a crab apple tree made for climbing, a cluster of bushed forming a secret nook under a willow tree, a sandbox growing muddier by the minute.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/nyregion/30forest.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1259586381-DTaYa2OjWfJl4NnGa7zsUA


Companies seeing payback from addressing child-care issues
November 27, 2009
by Carol Schliesinger
San Antonio Business Journal

With more single parents in the workforce, and both partners in married-couple households working outside the home, child care has become a hot-button issue.

So, too, had the need for dependable and safe child care – an area not traditionally addressed by employers in their benefits packages.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2009/11/30/story5.html?b=1259557200^2502991&ana=e_vert


Study: Kids in home-based day care watch more TV
November 24, 2009
by Emma Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer

Children who attend home-based day-care programs are watching twice as much television per day as was previously thought, according to a study released online Monday and published in the December issue of Pediatrics.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/23/AR2009112302606.html

Best Economic Development: Investing in Kids?
October 28, 2009
Rapid City, SD - A top economist with the U.S. Federal Reserve comes to South Dakota on Thursday (October 29), with a unique perspective on the kinds of economic development the state should consider.

Art Rolnick, with the Federal Reserve's Minneapolis office, says most people think of such development as bricks-and-mortar factories and businesses, but South Dakota should not ignore the "returns" it can get from investing in early childhood education.
http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/11109-1


New Advisory Commission on Early Education Includes the Voice of the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition
Texas has invested over $100 million in early education
October 26, 2009
Austin, Texas - Governor Rick Perry recently named his appointees to the newly formed Texas State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care, a new council mandated by the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007. The council will direct spending on a pending 11.3 million dollar federal stimulus grant and work towards developing a comprehensive system of early childhood education and care that ensures coordination and collaboration among early childhood programs throughout Texas.
http://www.thecherokeean.com/news/2009-10-28/Schools/New_Advisory_Commission_on_Early_Education_Include.html


Recession Drives Surge in Youth Runaways
October 25, 2009
by Ian Urbina
MEDFORD, Ore. - Dressed in soaked green pajamas, Betty Snyder, 14, huddled under a cold drizzle at the city park as several older boys decided what to do with her.

Betty said she had run away from home a week earlier after a violent argument with her mother. Shivering and sullen-faced, she vowed that she was not going to sleep by herself again behind the hedges downtown, where older homeless men and methamphetamine addicts might find her.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/us/26runaway.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


As aid shrinks, more 'stuck' for day care
October 23, 2009
by Marisol Bello
USA Today
For a month, Stephanie Torres has been phoning and filing paperwork, trying to get state help to keep her daughter in a Glendale, Ariz., day care center.

The single working mom says she can't foot the $115 weekly day care bill on her $14-an-hour part-time office job.

Arizona has rejected her application, one of thousands of denials as the state reduces day care subsidies for low-income working parents.

"People like me, we're struggling," Torres says. "Take something else away, not child care. It's so crucial."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-10-20-day-care-low-income-struggle_N.htm

Reforms don't cut child deaths
October 22, 2009
by Terri Langford
Houston Chronicle
Nearly half of all Texas children killed by abuse belonged to families previously investigated by Texas Child Protective Services - a statistic that has shown no improvement since 2004 despite efforts to save more children, records show.

Each year, about 200 children die of abuse or neglect in Texas - at least 1,227 since 2004, according to records obtained by the Houston Chronicle.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/state/Reforms_dont_cut_child_deaths.html

Health care reform tackled at UTHSC lecture
October 20, 2009
by Elizabeth Allen
Express-News
Health care leaders wrestled with the question of reform Monday evening at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

Led by Dr. Kenneth Shine, executive vice chancellor for health affairs for the University of Texas System, panelists met for "Health care is broken: How do we fix it?," the Health Science Center's seventh annual Frank Bryant Jr., M.D., Memorial Lecture in Medical Ethics.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Health_care_reform_tackled_at_UT_Health_Science_Center_lecture.html

Bromley organizing $15 million ad campaign to urge Latinos to stay in school
October 16, 2009
by Carol Schliesinger
San Antonio Business Journal
Advertising guru Ernest Bromley is worried. The Hispanic market he worked in for decades, reports some concerning trends: Although geared to be the largest ethnic majority within the next 30 years, Latinos have the least education, and as the group grows, its education attainment levels remain stagnant.

What will San Antonio's future look like if the majority of its population does not speed up its quest to attain higher education standards?
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2009/10/19/focus3.html?b=1255924800^2280161&ana=e_vert

M.I.T. Economist Rebuts Insurance Industry Report
October 13, 2009
by David M. Herszenhorn and Sheryl Gay Stolberg
After an insurance industry report said that premiums would rise sharply with the passage of comprehensive health care legislation, Jon Gruber, a health care economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said he evaluated the report on Monday at the request of Senate Democrats and found it deeply flawed.
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/mit-economist-finds-flaws-in-insurance-industry-report/?nl=us&emc=politicsemailema3
 

Number of homeless students soaring
October 12, 2009
by Nancy Preyor-Johnson
Express-News
Public schools are used to dealing with children in poverty, but this school year, San Antonio school districts are seeing more children than ever from families that have gone from struggling to put food on the table to keeping a roof over their heads.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/Number_of_homeless_students_soaring.html
 

Governor Signs Simitian's Education Data Bill, Ensuring Access to Federal Funds
October 13, 2009
SACRAMENTO - Sunday Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law Senate Bill 19, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which ensures California's eligibility to compete for $4.5 billion in federal school funding. The bill puts to rest a controversy Simitian describes as "a tempest in a teapot" over California's eligibility for the federal "Race to the Top" funds.
http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/123682

Day care next frontier in fighting kids' obesity
October 12, 2009
by Lauran Neergaard
AP Medical Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Grilled chicken replaced the hot dogs. Strawberries instead of cookies at snack time. No more fruit juice - water or low-fat milk only. This is the new menu at a Delaware day care center, part of a fledgling movement to take the fight against obesity to pudgy preschoolers.
http://www.newschannel10.com/Global/story.asp?S=11298953
 

Note to Bloomberg: Why Not Use Charter Strategies for Pre-K?
October 7, 2009
by Sara Mead
New York City Mayor Bloomberg's plan to increase the number of charter schools in the Big Apple has generated a lot of buzz since Bloomberg announced it last week. Charter schools are independent public schools that are publicly funded, publicly accountable, and free of charge to students, but operated by independent nonprofit boards, rather than school districts. In late September, Harvard researchers released a study showing that predominantly disadvantaged students who attend New York City's public charter schools are making more progress towards closing the achievement gap with their suburban peers than a control group of NYC students who remained in NYC public schools.
http://www.newamerica.net/blog/early-ed-watch/2009/note-bloomberg-why-not-use-charter-strategies-pre-k-15168

South Side center big on amenities
September 28, 2009
by Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje
Express-News
The kids at the Daughters of Charity Services' De Paul Family Center may be playing on gravel today, But come the end of October, they will scamper and climb on a state-of-the-art playground featuring landscaped berms, a sand pit, grassy knolls and an authentic Astro Turf "fall zone."

That's not all that will be new by the end of the month. The children will move into an 18,000-square-foot stucco family center that cost $4.8 million to build and will double the number of children who can attend, from 100 to 200.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/South_Side_center_big_on_amenities.html

Law opens info on abuse deaths
September 28, 2009
by Terri Langford
Houston Chronicle
HOUSTON - A state law that requires Texas Child Protective Services to provide the public with more information about children who die of alleged abuse quietly went into effect this month.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Law_opens_info_on_abuse_deaths.html

Democrat Gilbert kicks off run for governor by calling for education improvements
September 22, 2009
by Gromer Jeffers, Jr.
The Dallas Morning News
Hank Gilbert - East Texas rancher, former schoolteacher and newly announced Democratic candidate for governor - said Monday that improving public education is critical to revitalizing the state's economy.

"It's the only guaranteed way of bringing long-term prosperity back to this state," Gilbert said while kicking off his campaign at a Dallas union hall.

Dallas was the first stop in a 13-city tour that Gilbert hopes will help him score the Democratic nomination next year. Several other candidates have already thrown their hats into the March primary.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-gilbert_22met.ART.State.Edition1.4bb7cc8.html

House calls for healthy babies
September 8, 2009
by Nancy Preyor-Johnson
Express-News
Fourteen-year-old Vanessa Regalado had a secret she couldn't keep any longer. The school nurse knew she was pregnant, and if Vanessa didn't tell her parents within two weeks, she would. On the day of the deadline, as her parents dropped her off at school, Vanessa came clean. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/House_calls_for_healthy_babies.html

Public zeroes in on city's tight budget
September 2, 2009
by Gilbert Garcia
Express-News
Even the tiniest budget cuts have human consequences. That was one of the themes that emerged Tuesday night from a City Council public hearing that drew 100 people to discuss the proposed fiscal year 2010 budget. Another theme was the intensification of the city's commitment to job training and early childhood education.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/politics/56676012.html


Study:  Dropouts costing Texas billions
Texas A&M researchers say one class of dropouts could have $10.7 billion price tag.
August 23, 2009
by Kate Alexander
American-Statesman Staff
No matter how high-school dropouts are counted, Texas has a lot of them, and together they pack quite an economic punch in the gut.

The students in the class of 2012 who will drop out of school are projected to cost the state and its economy $6 billion to $10.7 billion over their lifetimes, a new study from the Texas A&M Bush School of Government and Public Service found.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/2009/08/23/0823dropout.html


Your Baby Is Smarter Than You Think
August 15, 2009
by Alison Gopnik
Generations of psychologists and philosophers have believed that babies and young children were basically defective adults - irrational, egocentric and unable to think logically. The philosopher John Locke saw a baby's mind as a blank slate, and the psychologist William James thought they lived in a "blooming, buzzing confusion." Even today, a cursory look at babies and young children leads many to conclude that there is not much going on.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/opinion/16gopnik.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1

Workforce Solutions receives stimulus funds to pay for child care
August 19, 2009
San Antonio Business Journal
San Antonio-area parents in need of child care as they look for a job, go to school or seek job training will have help from the federal government.

Workforce Solutions Alamo received $17 million from the federal government as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to fund up to 22 months of child care to single or low-income parents as they either look for jobs or upgrade their skills to get better jobs. Parents will pay a portion of the cost of child care based on their income level and number of children at home.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2009/08/17/daily20.html?ed=2009-08-19&ana=e_du_pub


Perry signs Uresti's Blue Ribbon Task Force bill
August 27, 2009
Special to the Southside Reporter
With Stet Sen. Carlos Uresti looking on, Gov. Rick Perry signed the senator's statewide Blue Ribbon Task Force bill that will launch a new, sustained effort to combat child abuse and neglect in Texas.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/Perry_signs_Urestis_Blue_Ribbon_Task_Force_bill.html

Baby blues explained to moms
August 17, 2009
by Nancy Preyor-Johnson
San Antonio Express-News
As horrifying as the decapitation of 4-week-old  Baby Scotty was three weeks ago, Maria Zeitz knows it could have been prevented.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/53361682.html
 

"Murdock's Prophesy"
August 13, 2009
by Senator Eliot Shapleigh

www.shapleigh.org
When Dr. Steve Murdock, Texas' former state demographer, went to D.C. to head the Census Bureau, he left behind an honest – and startling – picture of Texas' future.

We can prevent tragedies from postpartum illness
August 12, 2009
by Betsy Schwartz

Houston Chronicle
Every new mother is expected to fee joyous at the birth of a new child. After all, the creation of life is supposed to be the height of a mother's life experience. but if you're a mother living with postpartum mental illness, that's not always the case.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6570606.html


Mentally Ill Offenders Strain Juvenile System
August 9, 2009
by Solomon Moore
FRANKLIN FURNACE, Ohio - The teenager in the padded smock sat in his solitary confinement cell here in this state's most secure juvenile prision and screamed obscenities.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/us/10juvenile.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th

Scholar: Early Education Makes All The Difference
August 5, 2009
Michele Martin, host
University of Chicago professor James Heckman is one of the nation's leading proponents of early childhood education. Heckman bases his advocacy on the belief that investing in children from birth through five years of age is essential and pays enormous dividends. The educator explains his theory and how he thinks schools can help children build a healthy foundation for life.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111572288
 

A Canadian doctor diagnoses U.S. healthcare
August 3, 2009
by Michael M. Rachlis
Universal health insurance is on the American policy agenda for the fifth time since World War II. In the 1960s, the U.S. chose public coverage for only the elderly and the very poor, while Canada opted for a universal program for hospitals and physicians' services. As a policy analyst, I know there are lessons to be learned from studying the effect of different approaches in similar jurisdictions. But, as a Canadian with lots of American friends and relatives, I am saddened that Americans seem incapable of learning them.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rachlis3-2009aug03,0,538126.story

Toddler Depression - Real or a Phase?
A Study of Toddlers With Depression Says Problems May Continue in Grade School

August 3, 2009
by Lauren Cox

ABC News Medical Unit
Quieting a child's streaming tears on the playground might seem far easier than dealing with a sobbing adult. But what about a child who also doesn't enjoy playing anymore, who suffers from chronic stomach aches, or even threatens to kill herself?
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/Story?id=8241213&page=1

Study: Depression Seen in Children as Young as 3
August 3, 2009
by The Associated Press
Chicago (AP) - Depression in children as young as 3 is real and not just a passing grumpy mood, according to provocative new research.

The study is billed as the first to show major depression can be chronic even in very young children, contrary to the stereotype of the happy-go-lucky preschooler.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/03/health/AP-US-MED-Preschoolers-Depression.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Gaps in the mental health system
August 2, 2009
by Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje - Express-News

The call came at 3 a.m., waking Anne Holliday from a deep sleep.

It was her son Micah, calling from his apartment, panicked. He was standing in the middle of his living room, naked because he thought his clothes were filthy. He had suffered from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder since he was 11, scrubbing his skin until it was raw.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Gaps_in_the_mental_health_system.html

Defying Slump, 13 States Insure More Children
July 28, 2009
by Kevin Sack

Despite budgets ravaged by the recession, at least 13 states have invested millions of dollars this year to cover 250,000 more children with subsidized government health insurance.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/us/19chip.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

The dawn of a new era: Investing in early childhood helps America recover and grow
July 14, 2009
by Joan Lombardi

The American Recovery and Reinvest-ment Plan provides an important opportunity to help the United States get back on its feet be creating new jobs and supporting programs which provide essential services to young children and their families, while contributing to the economy of the country.
http://www.childcareexchange.com/resources/view_article.php?article_id=5018808&keyword_id=&page=1
 

In Prisoners' Wake, a Tide of Troubled Kids
July 4, 2009
by Erik Eckholm

WASHINGTON - Herbert Rashad Scott, whose parents were in and out of prison throughout his childhood, vowed to break his family's cycle of self-destruction.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/us/05prison.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
 

Growing Older in the Great Outdoors
June 2009
by Tyler Tapps, Ph.D. and Kevin Fink, M.S.

Parks & Recreation

Participation in nature-based or outdoor recreation activities is often considered an important part of leisure to enhance one's quality of life. However, participation in outdoor recreation is limited or nonexistent for many people today. Common belief seems to be that children who are not exposed to the outdoors will have less interest in parks and green spaces when they reach adulthood. With the Baby Boomer generation beginning to retire, we must question the impacts of such a nature deficit in older adults.
http://nrpablog.typepad.com/prnow/june09/research.update.june09.pdf
 

John Young: Yee haw - Texas is last, and dropping
June 4, 2009
Upon Senate passage of the state biennial budget, the well-attired David Dewhurst was busting his buttons.
http://www.wacotrib.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2009/06/04/06042009wacyoung.html?imw=Y

 

Just What the Doctor - and the Economist - Ordered
May 2009

On January 30, 2009, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, at his first press conference as governor, vowed to do something about the gap between today's children and the natural world. (His predecessor, Gov. Rod Blagojevich, had closed seven parks in a budget-cutting move.) "I recently read a book, "Quinn said, "It talked about nature-deficit disorder where we should leave no child inside."
http://nrpablog.typepad.com/prnow/may09/into.the.woods.richard.louv.may09.pdf

 

Guess what stimulus money is funding?
May 21, 2009
by Peggy Fikac

Express-News

AUSTIN - guess the federal government isn't telling Texas what color to paint the Governor's Mansion.

Texas budget negotiators have set aside $11 million in federal stimulus dollars to help repair the fire-ravaged Governor's mansion - even as GOP Gov. Rick Perry rails against the federal government for attaching strings to $555 million in stimulus dollars for unemployment insurance.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/45806277.html

 

Gingrich, Sharpton Finally Teammates: Close Education Gap
May 17, 2009
by Brigid Schulte

Washington Post Staff Writer

Politics often produces strange bedfellows. But yesterday, on the 55th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision that integrated the nation's schools, when former Republican House speaker Newt Gingrich shared the stage at a boisterous rally in front of the White House with the  Rev. Al Sharpton, even Gingrich called the two the "Original Odd Couple."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/16/AR2009051602265.html

 

Arkansas Leads Country in Pre-K
April 8, 2009
Reported by Mallory Hardin

KARK 4 News

Arkansas has worked for years to make sure children are prepared for school and Wednesday, a new report shows the hard work is paying off. Four year olds at Chicot Early Education Center are singing, playing, growing, and learning, a curriculum that prepares them for elementary school.
http://arkansasmatters.com/content/fulltext/?cid=209761

 

Recession Stalls State-Financed Pre-Kindergarten, but Federal Money May Help
April 8, 2009
by Sam Dillon

One of the most drastic expansions of public education in recent American history unfolded quietly in this decade, as dozens of states added free pre-kindergarten classes to their traditional kindergarten to high school offerings.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/education/08school.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

 

Over half the House signs on the PreK bill
March 24, 2009
by Kate Alexander

A $300 million effort to move to full-day prekindergarten for eligible children has already won the support of more than  half the Texas House of Representatives.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/03/24/over_half_the_house_signs_on_t.html

 

San Antonio's Head Start program getting new administrators
March 20, 2009
by Tamarind Phinisee

San Antonio Business Journal

The city of San Antonio's Head Start program will begin this fall with four new education partners overseeing the program.

The San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD), local nonprofit Avance - San Antonio, Edgewood Independent School District and the Education Service Center Region 20 have been chosen by the city to serve as the new program administrators starting in August.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2009/03/23/story10.html?b=1237780800^1796859

 

Education chief says stimulus money coming soon
March 17, 2009
by Kelley Shannon

Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott said Tuesday a plan for spending billions of dollars in federal stimulus money on education would be ready late this week or early next week.

Scott also said about two-thirds of a $3.9 billion chunk of education stimulus money slated for Texas is set to arrive by late March, and the rest is expected in the fall. Of that pool of money, Gov. Rick Perry will get to determine how to spend about $700 million, and legislators and the education commissioner will weigh in on how to spend about $3.2 billion, which can go toward primary, secondary and higher education.

Legislators are trying to figure out how to work that money into the state budget.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6317372.html

 

Fix the 9th Grade Problem in PreK
March 15, 2009
The achievement gap is a deep-seated, long-lasting, hard-to-solve issue that isn't going away unless we use a strategic approach to solve it, Vanderbilt University Professor Joseph Murphy told ASCDers in  his session entitled "Leadership Lessons for Closing the Achievement Gap." His recent research points to some "big-picture conclusions," including that tackling the problem in high school is often too late.
http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/03/fix-the-9th-grade-problem-in-prek.html

 

Author moves to cut cost of full-day pre-K bill
March 12, 2009
by Ken Herman

The Senate sponsor of a measure providing state money for school districts that want to offer full-day pre-Kindergarten programs addressed by the bill's high cost - and increased its chances of passage - by delaying proposed implementation for a year.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/03/12/author_moves_to_cut_cost_of_fu.html

 

Failing Grades: States' Standards for Child Care Centers
March 12, 2009
by Lisa Guernsey

Who's watching who's watching the children? The federal government leaves this task to the states. But states are failing to ensure that childcare centers are safe, according to a report released today by the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies.

Parents assume that is a child care center has obtained a state license, it must meet some basic standards of child safety and personnel training. But in many places, the license means very little, said Linda K. Smith, NACCRA's executive director.
http://www.newamerica.net/blog/early-ed-watch/2009/failing-grades-states-their-standards-child-care-centers-10598
 

Texas worst in U.S. for homeless kids, report says
March 10, 2009
by Linda Stewart Ball

Associated Press Writer
DALLAS - Larry Canady took his family to a homeless shelter three weeks ago, no longer able to make ends meet after he and his wife were laid off from their jobs.

The family of five was already living from paycheck-to-paycheck. They went from renting a four-bedroom brick home in a south Dallas suburb to sharing one room in a dormitory-like shelter.
http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1248366.html

Nurse Home Visits: A Boost for Low-Income Parents
March 2, 2009
by Maia Szalavitz
Nurse home visitor Tammy Ballard has had some memorable experiences in close to a decade of helping new mothers raising their children in poverty in Dayton, Ohio. Once, she arrived at a new client's home to find a TV news crew waiting outside; apparently, someone fleeing gunfire had sought shelter there. Another time, she knocked on a door only to hear shrieking in response, but no one would let her in. Later, she learned it was the family's parrots, which had been trained to squawk at visitors.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1881950,00.html?imw=Y

Stimulus Plan Would Provide Flood of Aid to Education
January 27, 2009
by Sam Dillon
WASHINGTON - The economic stimulus plan that congress has scheduled for a vote on Wednesday would shower the nation's school districts, child care centers and university campuses with $150 billion in new federal spending, a vast two-year investment that would more than double the Department of Education's current budget.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/education/28educ.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


Rise in infant suffocation tied to bed-sharing
Rates have quadrupled in the past 20 years, government researchers find
January 26, 2009
WASHINGTON - Rates of sudden infant death from suffocation or strangulation have quadrupled in the past 20 years in the United States, most apparently from parents sleeping with their babies, government researchers reported on Monday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28857953/from/ET/

More Parents Face a Child Care Crisis
Families Turn to Relatives to Pick Up the Slack
January 23, 2009
by Annie Pleshette Murphy and Laura Lacy
The banking industry, the auto industry, the housing industry—it's no secret that these businesses have been hit hard by the current economic crisis.

Now the child care industry is suffering as well.

Parents facing layoffs and reduced hours often can't afford child care costs, and child care centers are closing because of the lack of business. That can leave families and their children facing a heartbreaking dilemma—how to cobble together adequate child care when personal finances are increasingly tight.
 

Lawyer: Texas is violating Medicaid access order
State officials say Texas is complying with order.
January 13, 2009
by Corrie MacLaggan
American-Statesman Staff
The lead lawyer representing Texas children in a lawsuit about health care access under Medicaid said the state is violating the terms of a 2007 court order.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/01/13/0113frew.html
 

Nonprofit: 490,000 uninsured Texas kids could gain health coverage under bill
January 15, 2009
by Corrie MacLaggan
In four and a half years, 490,000 uninsured Texas children could gain health coverage through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program under the CHIP reauthorization bill that the U.S. House approved Wednesday, according to a report released today by Families USA, a national nonprofit.

There are about 1.4 million uninsured Texas children—more than any other state.

"The expansion of children's health coverage is a major victory for America's families," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, which advocates for quality, affordable health care for all Americans. "The legislation will help to ensure that children get the health care they need when they need it, and it will enable children to learn and become productive citizens. The bill also represents a confidence-building down payment toward meaningful health care reform.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/01/15/nonprofit_490000_uninsured_tex.html
 

Sunset agency recommends merging TYC, probation agency
Panel's vote on Youth Commission now goes to Legislature.
January 15, 2009
by Mark Ward
American-Statesman Staff
After almost two years of scandal and reforms at the Texas Youth Commission, a state advisory panel recommended late Wednesday that the youth agency be merged with the smooth-running Juvenile Probation Commission.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/01/15/0115tyc.html
 

Duncan: Smart Is Cooler Than Ever
January 13, 2009
by Sam Dillon
Arne Duncan, the Chicago schools chief, told the Senate on Tuesday that he would work for "real and meaningful change" in the nation's schools if confirmed as education secretary, and he said he hoped president-elect Barack Obama's own example as a model student could inspire millions of American children.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/duncan-smart-is-cooler-than-ever/
 

Congress Takes Up Children's Health Program — Again
January 12, 2009
by Carl Hulse
The House will observe the last week of President Bush's presidency by passing an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP — a measure Mr. Bush vetoed.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/congress-takes-up-childrens-health-program-again/?nl=pol&emc=pola2
 

Advocates press legislators to help children
January 7, 2009
by Nancy Martinez
Express-News
If an Austin-based child advocacy organization gets its way, next week's legislative session will ooze improvements for the state's struggling children.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/state/Advocates_press_legislators_to_help_children.html
 

How Does Early Education and Care in the U.S. Stack up to Other Developed Countries?
January 6, 2009
by Sara Mead
New America
For obvious reasons, this blog focuses primarily on early education policy issues in the United States, But sometimes taking a step back and looking at early education in other developed countries can offer a  useful perspective on our own early education challenges.
http://www.newamerica.net/blog/early-ed-watch/2008/how-does-early-education-and-care-u-s-stack-other-developed-countries-9118
 

Major school funding repairs unlikely this session
Legislative leaders say 2011 is when they plan to tackle system.
January 2, 2009
by Kate Alexander
American- Statesman
How Texas divvies up money for public schools has created confusion among taxpayers and frustration for school officials who say the system is unfair and inflexible.

But lawmakers are unlikely to change the school finance system substantially
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/01/02/0102schoolfinance.html
 

Texas lagging in early education
December 31, 2008
by Kara Johnson
Express-News
During the 2008 presidential campaign, voters heard a good deal of promises, but one that struck a chord with early education advocates was Barack Obama's promise that federal funding for state-based early education programs would be coming should he be elected.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/36902789.html
 

Children's Medicaid enrollment projected to drop by 72,000
December 18, 2008
by Corrie MacLaggan
In January, 72,000 fewer children could be enrolled in Medicaid than in December, according to preliminary numbers from the Health and Human Services Commission.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2008/12/18/childrens_medicaid_enrollment.html
 

Obama's $10 Billion Promise Stirs Hope in Early Education
December 16, 2008
by Sam Dillon
New York Times
CHICAGO — It was the morning after the presidential election, and Matthew Melmed, Executive director of Zero to Three, a national organization devoted to early childhood education, could barely contain his exultation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/us/politics/17early.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th
 

Schools Chief From Chicago Is Cabinet Pick
December 15, 2008
by Sam Dillon
New York Times
Arne Duncan, the Chicago schools superintendent know for taking tough steps to improve schools while maintaining respectful relations with teachers and their unions, is President-elect Barack Obama's choice as secretary of education, Democratic officials said Monday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/us/politics/16educ.html
 

Funding Pre-K programs may help workforce
December 5, 2008
by Jim Gallegos
Austin Business Journal
American economist and Nobel Laureate James Heckman noted that early childhood education programs do a better job of fostering human capital than job training programs, tax incentives and other programs that focus on adults.
http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2008/12/08/editorial2.html
 

Texas should in invest surplus in our future
December 3, 2008
by Jason Sabo
Special to the Express-News
President-elect Barack Obama is not the only elected official confronted with a daunting and growing list of pressing concerns. Texas legislators — both the Austin veterans and their newly-elected colleagues — will be coming to the Texas Capitol in January prepared for their own set of headaches. However, unlike the federal government and most states, Texas is sitting the in economic catbird seat — at least for the moment.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/35410614.html
 

Texas drops in health rankings
December 3, 2008
San Antonio Business Journal
The Lone Star State ranks 46th in the country in terms of overall health of the population, according to the 2008 report from the Minnetonka, Minn.-based United Health Foundation. That's down nine places from the 2007 report.

Among the issues hampering Texas are increases in childhood poverty (up 14 percent in the last year), prevalence of smoking (up 8 percent) and a high rate of uninsured residents (roughly 25 percent of the population).
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/12/01/daily26.html?f=et77&ana=e_du
 

No More Bandaids: Let's fix health care with prevention
November 28, 2008
by George M. Rapier, M.D.

In the United States, health care is very expensive and becoming more expensive. Coordination of care, quality of care, and prevention in general are not emphasized or reimbursed adequately. In fact, less than 5 percent of health care spending is for prevention. Instead, the focus is to spend money fixing problems and complications that - in many instances - could be prevented or significantly delayed. Data on cost and quality are not readily available, and patients are not in a position to or encouraged to make prudent medical or cost decisions. Delivery of quality care is not possible in a paper-based medical record model and without clinical decision support tools (only 20 percent of physicians currently use an electronic medical record).
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/12/01/focus3.html?b=1228107600^1739885&ana=e_vert
 

Innovative Leaders Discuss Sustainability, Children and Family Issues at Congress of Cities
November 23, 2008
by Cherie Duvall
Nation Cities Weekly
Introducing new programs at a time when budgets are tight and focusing on issues even when they aren't on the top of their cities' agendas, four innovative mayors discussed how they lead the way in their communities during a panel discussion earlier this month on the Congress of Cities Exposition in Orlando, Fla.
http://www.nlc.org/articles/articleItems/NCW112408/MayorsPanelCoC.aspx
 

Tulsa billionaire believes early childhood education stops poverty
November 21, 2008
by Robert Barron
Staff Writer
George Kaiser is a believer in early childhood education as a way to stop poverty in America.

The Tulsa billionaire shared his thoughts Thursday at a luncheon sponsored by Smart Start Northwest Oklahoma, an initiative of Community Dev-elopment Support Association, and Enid Public Schools.
http://www.enidnews.com/localnews/local_story_326003339.html?keyword=topstory
 

The Need for Socioeconomic Balance in PreK Classrooms
November 19, 2008
By Rep. Beth Bye (D-CT)
Barack Obama spoke of his support for investing in early childhood education during the last presidential debate, at a campaign moment when he was being very cautious: a clear sigh that public opinion bout early childhood education's value is solidified. But the actual investment plan and implementation is less established, as evidenced by David Wilson's article, "When Worlds Collide: Universal preK brings new challenges for public elementary schools: (HEL, November/December 20080. while policymakers are willing to invest in universal preK, they struggle with optimal implementation.
http://www.hepg.org/blog/5
 

No Fooling: Experts Bemoan Loss of Kids' Play Time
Serious Business: Childhood Experts Step Up Campaign For More Free-wheeling Play Time
November 18, 2008
New York
(AP) In one classroom, a group of preschool teachers squatted on the floor, pretending to be cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers. Next Door, another group ended a raucous musical game by placing their tambourines and drums atop their heads.

Silly business, to be sure, but part of an agenda of utmost seriousness: To spread the word that America's children need more time for freewheeling play at home and in their schools
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/18/ap/national/main4614833.shtml
 

Proposal for pre-K funding draws fire
Tier system would cut jobs, close centers, educators say
November 12, 2008
by Gary Scharrerm
Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau
Austin - Proposed funding changes for pre-kindergarten programs would reward failure and potentially cripple successful classes for 4-year-old children, educators told state officials Thursday.

The Texas Education Agency wants to create a three-tier funding system with most of the available funding going to areas that did not get state funding in the past and whose third-grade students' test scores fall below the state average.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6111651.html
 

Child Obesity Seen as Warning of Heart Disease
November 11, 2008
by Pam Belluck
New Orleans - A new study finds striking evidence that children who are obese or have high cholesterol show early warning signs of heart disease.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/health/12heart.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
 

Obama Gets to Work on Transition
Sweeping Triumph May Lift Democrat's Agenda
November 7, 2008
by David J. Hoff
President-elect Barack Obama and his team started work this week on a transition that includes searching for the people who will bring to life his agenda of expanding preschool, improving the quality of teachers, and fixing the major federal law in K-13 education.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/11/07/12prez_ep.h28.html?tmp=2103913909
 

Paying for child care not hopeless
November 5, 2008
by Melissa Ludwig

Express-News
Finding good, affordable child care is a concern for any working mom, but it's even tougher when wages don't stretch far enough to pay the average bill of about $600 a month.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Paying_for_child_care_not_hopeless.html
 

Portland's voters give kids five more years of services
the children's levy will pay for early education, mentoring and child abuse prevention
November 5, 2008
by James Mayer

The Oregonian Staff

Portland voters overwhelmingly renewed a five-year property tax levy that pays for grants to nonprofit organizations that provide early-childhood education, after-school care and mentoring programs. The levy also will pay for services for foster children for the firs time.
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1225866323214760.xml&coll=7
 

Most uninsured Texas children have working parents
State still tops the nation in uninsured children.

October 30, 2008
by Corrie MacLaggan

American-Statesman Staff
Texas still has more uninsured children than any other state, and a new analysis shows that those children aren't who people may think.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/30/1030insurance.html
 

Learning About Learning
Brain Research May Produce Results in the Classroom
October 28, 2008
by Nelson Hernandez
Washington Post Staff Writer
On her back in a dark tube, Blair Smith held still as a scanner combed her brain with magnetic waves. Words flashed by her eyes: tack, vase, hope, glow, vague, cade. The 11-year-old had been told to press the button in her right hand if the word was real, the button in her left if it was nonsense. The answer itself was less important than the map the scanner would make of which areas of Blair's brain lighted up when she struggled with a word.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/24/AR2008102402987.html
 

Federal Reserve Bank Official, California Legislative Leader Urge Los Angeles Area Business Leaders to Support Investment in Early Childhood Education
October 15, 2008
Citing the proven benefits of preschool education, an official from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and the California Assembly's Judiciary Committee Chairman urged Los Angeles area business leaders today to support efforts to expand access to Early Childhood Education throughout Los Angeles County.
http://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2008/10/15/businesswire20081015006615r1.html
 

TYC out of conservatorship
October 15, 2008
by Mike Ward
American Statesman Staff
Nineteen months after a sex abuse scandal at the Texas Youth Commission triggered an official takeover, Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday removed the agency from conservatorship and proclaimed that the problems mostly have been fixed.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/15/1015tyc.html
 

Innovative child welfare program short on resources
October 13, 2008
by Janet Elliott
Houston Chronicle
AUSTIN - They come to school dirty and stay at home alone.
In 2007 there were 58,000 of them in Texas - neglected children whose cases don't often make headlines. But they account for 60 percent of confirmed allegations of abuse and neglect in the child welfare system. And poverty is a key factor in many cases.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/state/Innovative_child_welfare_program_short_on_resources.html
 

Investing in the young
July, 7, 2008
by Rebecca Rimel and Robert Dugger
Washington Times
Joanna Selena was born five days after the building that would have been her first home burned to the ground.
Her Parents lost almost everything they owned in the five-alarm fire that ravaged Mount Pleasant in late March. So business, community and city leaders joined forces to make sure Joanna's basic needs were met during her vulnerable first weeks. The neighborhood organized a baby shower, catered by local restaurants and hosted by the owner's of Pfeiffer's Hardware.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/07/investing-in-the-young/
 

Texans: Start making yourselves heard
July 2, 2008
by Jason Sabo
Special to the Express-News
All across Texas, families and communities are preparing to celebrate the most American of holidays - Independence Day. The Fourth of July this year has a special meaning as the presidential election has created unprecedented enthusiasm across the political spectrum
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/stories/MYSA.070308.OPED.sabocomment.1894d5db.html
 

Special-education students more likely to face disciplinary action
One mother had years of meetings, problems involving her daughter
June 22, 2008
by Terry Webster
Star-Telegram
Behavior problems for Germecia Thomas began in first grade
She knocked pictures off a classroom wall, broke a clock, locked herself in a bathroom and ran away from her teachers as Souder Elementary School in Everman.
http://www.star-telegram.com
 

Report card on kids' healthcare gives Texas an F
May 28, 2008
by Maria M. Perotin
Star-Telegram staff writer
With a fifth of Texas children going without health insurance, the state's child health system ranks among the nation's worst.
http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/667353.html
 

Lead exposure in children linked to violent crime
May 28, 2008
byThomas H. Maugh II and Marla Cone
Los Angeles Times staff writers
A study finds that even low levels can permanently damage the brain. The research also shows that exposure is a continuing problem despite efforts to minimize it.
The first study to follow lead-exposed children from before birth into adulthood has shown that even relatively low levels of lead permanently damage the brain and are linked to higher numbers of arrests, particularly for violent crime.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-lead28-2008may28,0,6207472.story
 

Patient Voices: A.D.H.D.
May 21, 2008
by Karen Barrow
The New York Times
The challenges faced by those with A.D.H.D. -- weighing the decision to take stimulant medication, facing those who doubt your disorder and adapting to your symptoms -- are daunting and deeply personal. Here, in their own words, are the stories of adults and children coping with A.D.H.D.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/05/21/health/healthguide/TE_ADHD_CLIPS.html?th&emc=th
 

Food stamp recipients pinched by high food prices
May 19, 2008
by Don Babwin
Associated Press Writer
Chicago -- Danielle Brown stands outside a South Side market at midnight, braving the spring chill for her first chance to buy groceries since her food stamps ran out nearly two weeks ago.
For days, Brown said, she has been turning cans of "whatever we go in the cabinet" into breakfast, lunch and dinner for her children, ages 1 and 3.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/National/Scrambling_for_Food.html
 

Project aims to give low-income Dallas toddlers an educational boost
May 19, 2008
by Staci Hupp
The Dallas Morning News
Preschool is moving to the potty-training set.
Toddlers are shaping up to be the next generation of preschoolers, a pattern fueled by fears that poor children aren't ready to learn when their first school bell rings.
http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/DN-learningtotschart_19met.ART.State.Edition1.462c547.html
 

City, state take aim at Bexar's high teen pregnancy rate
May 8, 2008
by Michelle De La Rosa
Express Newsr
City and state officials on Wednesday -- National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy -- announced their intentions to come up with a comprehensive plan to combat Bexar County's persistently high teen birth rate
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA050808.Teenpregnancy.EN.3c9bd77.html
 

Survey of youths in custody finds half have mental health problems
May 8, 2008
by Sarah Viren
Houston Chronicle
Nearly 3,500 juveniles at the county detention center were tested.
Nearly half of the youths locked up in the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center suffer from mental health problems -- far more than the estimated 20 percent with mental disorders in the general youth population -- figures released Thursday show.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5766286.html
 

Forget Teacher Education Level, Pre-K Students Benefit Most When Teachers are Supportive
May 15, 2008
Science Daily
States are investing considerable amounts of money in pre-kindergarten programs for 4-year-olds. A new study finds that the quality of interactions between teachers and children plays a key role in accounting for gains in children's development when compared to typical quality indicators such as teachers' educatiohn, class size, and child-to-teacher ratio.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515073026.htm
 

Private firms cleared to help Texans applying for food stamps
Provision was a response to Texas struggles with contractors.
May 6, 2008
by Jason Embry
American Statesman Staff
Washington -- A move in congress to limit the role of private firms in doling out food stamps is dead for now, allowing Texas to move forward with its privatization plans.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/05/06/0506foodstamps.html
 

Study: Restaurant tobacco bans influence teen smoking
May 6, 2008
by Steve LeBlanc
Associated Press
Boston -- A Massachusetts study suggests that restaurant smoking bans might play a big role in persuading teens not to become smokers.
Youths who lived in towns with strict bans were 40 percent less likely to become regular smokers than those in communities with no bans or weak ones, the researchers reported in the May issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/05/06/0506smokingstudy.html
 

Texas health, environmental groups will unveil asthma-fighting plan
May 5, 2008
San Antonio Business Journal
Texans spent more than $1.3 billion diagnosing children and adults with asthma from 2000 to 2005, according to figures released Monday by the Asthma Coalition of Texas.
The dollar figure represents total charges for inpatient hospital admissions for asthma-related visits. This figure does not include losses due to missed days of school and work in Texas.
Nationwide, some 11.8 million school days are missed each year because of asthma.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/05/05/daily6.html?f=et77&ana=e_du
 

Twenty-Five Years Later, A Nation Still at Risk

April 26, 2008
by Chester E. Finn, Jr.
Wall Street Journal"
Today marks the 25th anniversary of "A Nation at Risk," the influential Reagan-era report by a blue-ribbon panel that alerted Americans to the weak performance of our education system. The report warned of a "rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a nation and a people.": That dire forecast set off a quarter century of education reform that's yielded worthy changes -- yet still not the achievement gains we need to turn back the tide of mediocrity."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120916804732546311.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
 

Science, politics and preschool
Experts agree: Kids need early education programs. But how early?
April 27, 2008
by Jeremy Manier

Chicago Tribune
A tide of recent research on early childhood development is inspiring prominent scientists and politician to argue for an unprecedented investment in schooling that begins virtually at birth.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-earlybrain_bd27apr27,0,5759147.story
 

'Everything's gonna be new'
April 27, 2008
by Eric Dexheimer
American Statesman
Billy's World: Part 1
After serving 15 months at the Youth Commission's Crockett State School, Austin teen has high hopes and big plans."
"Byers!" the guard shouted on day in June. "Your ride is here."
Billy Byers strolls around the low-ceilinged cinder block room, muttering goodbyes, pulling friends in guy-clinches and clapping backs.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/04/27/0427billysworld.html
 

Struggling on Parole
April 27, 2008
By Eric Dexheimer
American Statesman
Billy's World Part 2
Adjusting to life at home and as an adult, Billy tries to fulfill the items on an ambitious to-do list.
The entire family accompanies Billy on  his first visit to the Texas Youth Commission's parole office on East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It's in a low, tan, unmarked building across the street from a convenience store. The Nos. 23 and 18 busses run there.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/04/28/0428billysworld.html
 

A Constant Struggle
April 27, 2008
by Eric Dexheimer

American Statesman
Bily's World: Part 3
Billy tries to deal with disability, financial and mental health issues.
Billy left Crockett State School in June with a General Educational Development certificate and high hopes, but by late July, he seems stalled. Concerned that he is drifting back to his old habits, his parole officer Virginia Martinez visits him at home.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/04/29/0429billysworld.html
 

In Trouble Again
April 27, 2008
by Eric Dexheimer
American Statesman
Billy's World: Part 4
Billy attempts to spend time with his daughter but soon faces his first criminal charges as an adult.
"Oh, my God," Charlie, the mother of Billy's daughter , said one day in the fall. "In three months, I'll be 20, But I don't fee 20. I feel. . .13."
Aaliyah, now about 18 months old, grabs at a bowl of bright orange macaroni and cheese, Charlie pulls it away absently and jams a cookie into her daughter's hand.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/04/30/0430billysworld.html
 

A Man With a Record
April 27, 2008
by Eric Dexheimer
American Statesman Staff
Billy's World: Part 5
Billy pleads no contest to a theft charge and is released after a month in prison.
In a 6-by4-foot cinder block room in the courthouse basement divided by a glass security window -- jail on one side, free world on the other -- Billy weighs his options.
As is the case with many of his decisions, a teen-age near-sightedness distorts his view of the horizon. He must select between an immediate reward and a future payoff that's hard to see -- particularly for a young man who has spent the past month in jail and his entire 17th year in a juvenile lockup.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/05/01/0501billysworld.html
 

The Cost of Dropping Out
April 27,  200
by Eric Dexheimer
American Statesman
Billy's World: Part 6
Despite his struggles in school, Billy wants his brother to stick with it; however, it may be too late.
Billy started skipping classes in middle school, He recalls sharing a joint with friends as he strolled around Fulmore Middle School. By seventh grade, he'd miss school for weeks at a time. When he missed enough school, he'd get suspended. By the time he returned, he'd fallen further behind, making him feel lost, leading to more absences.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/05/02/0502billysworld.html
 

'Not a bad kid'
April 27, 2008
By Eric Dexheimer
American Statesman
Billy's World: Part 7
Billy turns 19, with another baby on the way and another arrest on his record.
On the day before Christmas, the waiting room of the Del Valle jail is crowded with half-families. Most are wives and girlfriends hauling
children in for a holiday visit with their fathers.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/05/03/0503billysworld.html
 

'You're not a bid kid'
April 27, 2008
by Eric Dexheimer
American Statesman
Billy's World
With the exception of the time he spent locked up in various juvenile detention programs, Billy has spent his entire life in government subsidized housing.
Both Oak Creek Village Apartments on Wilson Street in South Austin and the Height on Congress near St. Edward's University are owned by companies
 that receive direct payments from the federal Housing and Urban Development Department in exchange for agreeing to keep rents low.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/05/03/0503billysworldside.html
 

Counting Dropouts
April, 27, 2008
by Eric Dexheimer
American Statesman
Billy's World
For kids like Billy, who left Travis High School in ninth grade, dropping out represents more than a missed opportunity to learn geography and many.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/05/02/0502billysworldside.html
 

S.A. Team Finds Mercury, Autism Link
April 24, 2008
by Anton Caputo

San Antonio Express News
A team of San Antonio Scientists has found a correlation between autism rates in Texas school districts and their proximity to power plants or other large industrial sources of mercury.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA042408.03B.autism.30df04a.html
 

Autism Help Expanding
April 23, 2008

by Don Finley
San Antonio Express News

In the wake of a new study that finds services for autistic children in San Antonio sorely lacking, the city could eventually have two new campuses providing badly needed help for families.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA042308.01B.autism.386d066.html
 

County Task Force to Look at TYC Fallout
April 22, 2008
Bexar County Commissioners, anticipating a possible legislative decision to abolish the Texas Youth Commission, voted Tuesday to create a task force to study the potential cost to taxpayers.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA042308.02B.newsroundutyc.8e3d889f.html
 

Public Forum to Address Safety Issues on Vaccines
April 11, 2008
By Gardiner Harris
The New York Times
WASHINGTON--In the midst of yet another controversy about whether vaccines cause autism, the federal government will hold its first ever public meeting on Friday to discuss a government wide research agenda to explore the safety of vaccines.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/11/health/policy/11vaccine.html?th&emc=th
 

Health care plan for low-income adults won't start this year after all
Hawkins:  Draft plan didn't give patients enough choice
April 8, 2008
By Corrie MacLaggan
Austin American-Statesman
Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner is backing off a plan to provide health care to thousands of low-income, uninsured Texas adults by the fall.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/04/08/0408hop.html
 

Study:  Infants who sleep less have greater risk for obesity at age 3
TV viewing heightens the effect, researchers say.
April 8, 2008
By Carla K. Johnson
Associated Press
CHICAGO--When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.  And when babies sleep less, they might gain too much weight.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/04/08/0408infantsleep.html
 

Philly School Effort Cuts Weight Gain
April 7, 2008
By Stephanie Nano
Associated Press Writer
New York (AP)--Five Philadelphia elementary schools replaced sodas with fruit juice.  They scaled back snacks and banished candy.  They handed out raffle tickets for wise food choices.  They spent hours teaching kids, their parents and teachers about good nutrition.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DIET_SCHOOL_FOODS?SITE=ALMON&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
 

Immobile leadership likely stalls solutions
April 7, 2008
By Michelle De La Rosa and Nancy Martinez
San Antonio Express-News
Mayor Phil Hardberger pushed through the redevelopment of Main Plaza, and he's a strong backer of May bond issues that would spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the River Walk, performing arts, the AT&T center and sports complexes.

He set things in motion for Haven for Hope, a new $70 million homeless campus.

But such determined attention by the city on large projects falls short when it comes to dealing with teen pregnancy, which many say is at the heart of San Antonio's social ills.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA040708.01A.TeenMomSolution.38f0759.html
 

Foster children get electronic health "passport"
Part of new managed health care plan through Medicaid
April 6, 2008
By Corrie MacLaggan
Austin American-Statesman
Many Texans don't have neat records of their medical history, but for foster children, that can make getting proper health care especially difficult.

Because they tend to move around often--shifting among foster homes after being taken from their parents because of abuse or neglect--their medical history is often a mystery.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/04/06/0406foster.html

 

Texas ranks low in child well-being, report says
Report by nonprofit evaluates states on 10 indicators
April 3, 2008
By Suzannah Gonzales
Austin American-Statesman
Texas ranks 46th among the states in terms of child well-being, according to a report released Wednesday by a nonprofit group that promotes adopting national policies for children, youth and families.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/04/03/0403texaschild.html
 

Disadvantage cited in teacher bonuses
April 1, 2008
By Gary Scharrer
San Antonio Express-News Austin Bureau
AUSTIN--Forcing property poor school districts to help pay for a state bonus program for superior teachers "is illegal and inequitable," a state senator contends in a letter to Education Commissioner Robert Scott.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA040208.01B.teacherbonuspay.385e068.html
 

U.S. to Require States to Use a Single School Dropout Formula
April 1, 2008
By Sam Dillon
The New York Times
Moving to sweep away the tangle of inaccurate state data that has obscured the severity of the nation's high school dropout crisis, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings will require all states to use one federal formula to calculate graduation and dropout rates, Bush administration officials said on Monday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/education/01child.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
 

Sex ed in Bexar varies by district
March 31, 2008
By Michelle De La Rosa
San Antonio Express-News
Nationally, health-care professionals, educators and advocacy groups are debating what school sex education programs should include.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA033108.11A.TeenMomDay2sidebar.2b2748e.html
 

Mom has family's support
March 31, 2008
By Michelle De La Rosa
San Antonio Express-News
Second of two parts
Nicolette Perez plops down on the floor of her closet shortly after 5:30 a.m. to begin the part of her day she most enjoys.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA033108.01A.TEENMOMPART2.382320a.html
 

Teen mom has to grow up fast
March 30, 2008
By Nancy Martinez
San Antonio Express-News
First of two parts
Felicia Perez lay in a hospital bed, writhing in pain.
Dr. Mohsin Kapasi checked to see how her labor had progressed.
"How much longer?" Felicia begged.
"She's making good progress," Kapasi said to nurses and others in the room.  "She should have this baby by happy hour."
"What time is happy hour?" Felicia asked.
She started to moan again, and began to cry softly.
The fetal heartbeat played on the monitor like background music--whoosh thump-thump, whoosh thump-thump.
"Oh, I want to push," she said.  "Oh my God, I want to push."
"Just blow, don't push," said her doula Suzanne de Leon, whose nonprofit, San Antonio Birth Doulas, helps teen mothers through labor.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA033008.01A.TEENMOM.38a7b89.html  
 

Activists fear state's new low-income health plan
March 28, 2008
By Peggy Fikac
San Antonio Express-News
AUSTIN--As state officials work on a proposal they say will give more low-income Texans health-care coverage, community organizers want more assurances that public hospitals already serving the poor won't lose funds. 
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA032908.04B.healthcare.367ae7b.html
 

Editorial:  Expanded and better preschool necessary
March 20, 2008
San Antonio Express-News
The latest study out of Rutgers University confirms what we have suspected for some time:  4-year-olds in Texas are not getting the quality education they deserve.

As Express-News education writer Lindsay Kastner reported this week, Texas' public preschool programs have a long way to go in terms of quality.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/stories/MYSA032108.01O.preschool1ed.2925e00.html
 

ABCs of pre-K could soon include XYZ
March 20, 2008
By Lindsay Kastner
San Antonio Express-News
Texas 4-year-olds have been skating by on just 10 alphabet letters for almost a decade now, but that could change soon.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA032108.05B.PREK.3823c58.html
 

Report:  Texas public preschool program has quantity, not quality
March 18, 2008
By Lindsay Kastner
San Antonio Express-News
Texas' public preschool program serves more 4-year-olds than any state-funded program in the nation, but it has a long way to go when it comes to quality.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/stories/MYSA031908.01B.PREK.37a0328.html
 

Methodist begins development of South Side Wesley Health and Wellness Center
March 17, 2008
San Antonio Business Journal
Methodist Healthcare Ministries is set to begin construction next week on a new $12 million health and wellness center on San Antonio's South Side.

The new Wesley Health and Wellness Center will be located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood.  The new center will replace the current Wesley Community Center at Columbia Heights and Wesley Primary Care Clinic.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/03/17/daily7.html?f=et77&ana=e_du

Jagged Little Pills.  The Debate about Sex Ed in Schools Continues
Latina Magazine, March 2008
By Shirley Velasquez
Article in the March issue of Latina Magazine about teens and contraception does a good job about highlighting the high rate of teen pregnancy among Latinas and some important approaches to reducing this rate.
http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/media/pdf/Latina_3_08.pdf
 

Perry adviser appointed TYC chief of staff
Alfonso Royal, four others named to top Youth Commission spots.
March 5, 2008
Austin-American Statesman
A policy adviser in Gov. Rick Perry's office who was criticized during a scandal at the Texas Youth Commission last year has been named chief of staff of the  troubled agency.

The aide, Alfonso Royal, is among five new top management appointments announced by Youth Commission Conservator Richard Nedelkoff on Tuesday.  The chief of staff serves as a top aide to the conservator and will be based at the Youth Commission office in Austin.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/03/05/0305tyc.html

 

Record-High Ratio of Americans in Prison
February 29, 2008
By David Crary
AP National Writer
New York (AP)--For the first time in U.S. history, more than one of every 100 adults is in jail or prison, according to a new report documenting America's rank as the world's No. 1 incarcerator.  It urges states to curtail corrections spending by placing fewer low-risk offenders behind bars.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PRISON_POPULATION?SITE=ALOPE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
 

Clinton offers plan to cut child poverty in half in a dozen years
February 29, 2008
By Mike Glover
Associated Press
Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton offered a plan to improve childhood nutrition and set a goal to reduce by half the 12 million youngsters living in poverty over the next dozen years.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8V3N7OG1.html
 

Colleges and Latinos have much work left
February 29, 2008
By Jeorge Zarazua
Express-News
The number of Latinos dropping out of high school has been cut in half during the past 25 years, but great disparity remains when it comes to their college graduation rates, according to a study from the Pew Hispanic Center.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA022908.01B.EducationStudy.1a276e5.html
 

TYC to close Sheffield Boot Camp
Closure of remote West Texas facility is first for troubled agency.
February 28, 2008
By Mike Ward
Austin American-Statesman Staff
Texas Youth Commission officials plan to close the Sheffield Boot Camp in remote West Texas, a facility that has been plagued for months by staff shortages and a dwindling count of incarcerated youths.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/29/0229tyc.html
 

Creative Play Makes for Kids in Control
February 28, 2008
By Alix Spiegel
It's playtime at the Geraldyn O. Foster Early Childhood Center in Bridgeton, N.J., and in one corner of a busy classroom, 4-year-olds Zee Logan and Emmy Hernandez want to play bookstore.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=76838288&sc=emaf&sc=emaf
 

Children in Poverty:  There Is No Excuse
February 22, 2008
To the Editor:
"Poverty is Poison, by Paul Krugman (column, Feb. 18), echoes what members of Congress heard at a national summit meeting about child development that Democrats convened last year.  Children who grow up in poverty have a much lower chance of success in school and in life, but investments in early childhood development help to even the odds, offering hope and opportunity where little existed before.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/opinion/lweb22krugman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
 

STEM program is grooming future math, science leaders
February 22, 2008
By Mike W. Thomas
San Antonio Business Journal
A new educational initiative geared toward encouraging students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers has taken root in San Antonio and promises big results in just a few years.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/02/25/story3.html?b=1203915600^1594697&page=1
 

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills
February 21, 2008
By Alix Spiegel
On October 3, 1955, the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on television.  As we all now know, the show quickly became a cultural icon, one of those phenomena that helped define an era.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514
 

Texas food stamps applications being delayed under new system
February 20, 2008
Associated Press
Texans seeking food stamps are waiting longer to have their applications processed through an updated computer system intended to modernize enrollment, state records show.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8UTV4J80.html
 

Higher Education Gap May Slow Economic Mobility
By Erick Eckholm
February 20, 2008
New York Times
Economic mobility, the chance that children of the poor or middle class will climb up the income ladder, has not changed significantly over the last three decades, a study being released on Wednesday says.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/us/20mobility.html?ex=1204174800&en=6f66cac2a0185c45&ei=5070
 

Saving kids with a surge
February 20, 2008
By Rick Casey
Houston Chronicle
With the capital murder indictment Tuesday of Travis Mullis for allegedly killing his crying baby by stomping on his head, Galveston prosecutors will decide between spending $1 million or so to jump through the legal hoops necessary to get the death penalty, or a similar amount for putting Mullis away for life.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/moms/5554280.html
 

Valero developing new child care center on corporate campus
San Antonio Business Journal
Valero Energy Corp. officially began construction Wednesday on a new child care center at the company's corporate headquarters in Northwest San Antonio. 
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/02/18/daily22.html?f=et77&ana=e_du
 

Failed Follow-Up:
More than words are needed to support Head Start.
February 20, 2008
Washington Post
Last year's reauthorization of Head Start was cause for celebration.  Congress gave overwhelming, bipartisan support to the successful preschool program, and the president agreed that it should be renewed, even strengthened.  Sadly, the celebration was short-lived.  It has since become clear that educating this country's poor children gets paid lip service--not the money that's needed to do the job.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/19/AR2008021902391.html
 

Higher Education Gap May Slow Economic Mobility
February 20, 2008
By Erik Eckholm
The New York Times
Economic mobility, the chance that children of the poor or middle class will climb up the income ladder, has not changed significantly over the last three decades, a study being released on Wednesday says.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/us/20mobility.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
 

Poverty is Poison
February 18, 2008
By Paul Krugman
New York Times
"Poverty in early childhood poisons the brain."  That was the opening of an article in Saturday's Financial Times, summarizing research presented last week at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/opinion/18krugman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
 

Curriculum pitch sparks controversy
February 13, 2008
By Gary Scharrer
Austin Bureau
AUSTIN--Conservatives on the State Board of Education are expected to make an 11th-hour move today to scrap two years of work on a language arts curriculum revision in favor of adopting an alternative curriculum rejected more than a decade ago.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA021308.03B.English_rewrite.371cf2f.html
 

Ken Rodriguez:  Impact of turnover within child protection agency is 'immense'
February 12, 2008
Express-News
When caseworkers began to flee Child Protective Services in staggering numbers, someone did an exit poll.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/columnists/krodriguez/stories/MYSA021308.01B.krod_0213.371c9d6.html
 

TYC acting executive director resigns under pressure
February 12, 2008
By Lisa Sandberg
Express-News Austin Bureau
Austin--The second in command at the scandal-ridden Texas Youth Commission resigned under pressure Monday, and the No. 1 man in charge came under fire for keeping the matter under wraps.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA021208.01B.tyc__dimitria.359f401.html

 

TYC reforming but still target of complaints
February 10, 2008
By Jim Vertuno
Associated Press
When a sex abuse scandal turned a red-hot spotlight on the Texas juvenile justice system in early 2007, state officials vowed to tear down and rebuild an agency rife with abuse, neglect and dangerous facilities.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8UN49LO0.html
 

Child Protective Services' issues 'worse now,' follow-up reveals
February 8, 2008
By Elizabeth Allen
Express-News
Amid a high number of child deaths, and an even higher turnover rate at the agency tasked with overseeing the state's abused and neglected children, the local Child Protective Services remains troubled, according to the findings of a judicial report released Friday.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA020908.03B.CPS.355688e.html
 

TYC conservator resigns from private sector job
Nedelkoff says he wants to avoid appearance of conflicts, focus full time on Texas job.
February 8, 2008
By Mike Ward
American-Statesman Staff
Under fire for possible conflicts of interest, Texas Youth Conservator Richard Nedelkoff resigned Thursday from his job as a top executive at a national youth corrections firm "to avoid any appearance of impropriety."
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/08/0208tyc.html
 

TYC head defends biz ties
February 7, 2008
By Lisa Sanberg
AUSTIN--In a clear sign that leadership woes continue to plague the Texas Youth Commission, the agency's newly appointed conservator, Richard Nedelkoff, was grilled by a panel of lawmakers Wednesday over his business ties to experts he has consulted with for his state job.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA020708.01B.tyc_money.371c160.html
 

Domestic Violence -- How can it affect Children?
February 6, 2008
By Efrain Gonzalez, M.A., L.P.C.
Domestic Violence seems to be growing in our community daily as seen by current news reports.  It is a big issue that is not affecting just adults.  When I talk with children at the hospital they don't tell me there is domestic violence at home, but instead they tell me horrific stories of nightmares, being woken up in the middle of the night by screams and yells and how they hit a sibling because mommy and daddy fight like that.
http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/smhc/2008/02/domestic_violence_how_can_it_a_1.html
 

Settlement demands safety at South Texas juvenile prison
February 5, 2008
Associated Press
To settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Texas Youth Commission has agreed to make changes to protect the safety of inmates at a South Texas juvenile prison.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8UK2F180.html
 

Ten city clinics join county system
February 4, 2008
By Wendy Rigby
KENS 5 Eyewitness News
It's one of the largest mergers of city-county business ever in San Antonio.  On Monday, 10 San Antonio Metropolitan Health District clinics became University Health System clinics.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA020408.medical.merger.KENS.8e44cbf5.html
 

Editorials:  Good plan helps kids in drug users' homes
February 4, 2008
San Antonio Express-News
Law enforcement and Child Protective Services officials last month signed an agreement to work proactively to help children whose parents are arrested in drug raids.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/stories/MYSA020508.01O.drugkids1ed.25e3417.html
 

Congress may throw wrench in Texas privatization plan
Proposal attempts to limit the role of private workers in food stamp program.
February 4, 2008
By Jason Embry and Corrie MacLaggan
American-Statesman Staff
WASHINGTON--In a direct response to problems in Texas, Congress is considering new limits on the role that private companies can play in states' public assistance programs.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/02/04/0204foodstamps.html
 

Bexar child death rate still high
February 3, 2008
By Nancy Martinez
Express-News
The rate at which Bexar County children died of abuse or neglect continued essentially unabated--and above the national average--for another year, according to state Child Protective Services officials.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA020408.01A.ABUSEDEATHS.371c263.html

State senator wants CPS to do more to keep kids connected
February 1, 2008
By Tamarind Phinisee
State Senator Leticia Van de Putte is pushing to change Child Protective Services' (CPS) operating guidelines that can sometimes prevent siblings who are placed in separate permanent placement environments from maintaining contact with each other.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/02/04/story10.html
 

Texas Watch report contends tort reform hurts health care
February 1, 2008
By W. Scott Bailey
San Antonio Business Journal
Tort reform, especially as it relates to health care, has been a polarizing issue for years.

Supporters claim tort reform has improved the overall state of health care in Texas, benefiting patients, physicians and providers.  Critics claim those reforms have had an opposite effect.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/02/04/story9.html?f=et166&b=1202101200^1585637&ana=e_vert
 

Dental students providing free care to children
February 1, 2008
By Wendy Rigby
KENS 5 Eyewitness News
Cavities are a huge problem for San Antonio children.  In fact, tooth decay is five times more common than childhood asthma.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA020108.dental.KENS.7ec01af2.html
 

125 public health jobs, nine clinics moved to UHS
January 31, 2008
By Don Finley

Express-News Medical Writer
Promising that the transition will be "budget-neutral" to taxpayers--at least in the city--the San Antonio City Council on Thursday voted to transfer 125 public health jobs and nine clinics to the tax-supported University Health System.

The move of services from the Metropolitan Health District, which has been under discussion for several years as part of city-county consolidation efforts, came with a recommendation that the city property tax rate be reduced by 0.7 cent per $100 valuation, while the UHS tax rate could rise by perhaps 1/2  cent to absorb the costs--although they might be absorbed in some other way, UHS officials said.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA020108.03B.health.35f729b.html
 

Haven for Hope to open one facility next month
January 30, 2008
By Wendy Rigby
KENS 5 Eyewitness News
San Antonio's new multimillion-dollar community for the homeless will open its first building next month.  The detox center is a first for Bexar County.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA013008.homeless.KENS.748dc3ad.html
 

Head Start Group Decries Renewal's 'Broken Promises'
January 30, 2008
Just last month, Head Start supporters were celebrating the passage of a five-year reauthorization bill they say will strengthen the 43-year-old preschool program for poor children.

Now, the same advocates are lamenting what they're calling "broken promises" from the Bush administration over funding for the program, and saying they've been "saddled" with loads of new requirements in the reauthorization.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/01/30/21fedfil.h27.html
 

Texas drafts bill of rights for foster children
Similar list of rights failed in 2007 legislative session.
By Corrie MacLaggan
American-Statesman Staff
January 26, 2008
A proposed bill of rights for Texas' 17,000 foster children died in the Texas House last year after a contentious debate that one opponent said would have children demanding designer jeans.  But the head of the state agency that oversees the foster care system has been quietly working to make that list of rights a reality.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/01/26/0126foster.html
 

Fewer children spending nights in CPS offices
January 25, 2008
AUSTIN--The number of abused or neglected children forced to spend the night in Texas Child Protective Services offices has decreased since reaching more than 100 in May, the agency said.

For each of the past three months, the number of children who slept in a CPS office because there was nowhere else to go was in the single digits.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/gen/ap/TX_Sleeping_in_Offices.html
 

Pay phones are coming to state's prison system
By Lisa Sandberg
Express-News
January 23, 2008
AUSTIN--An estimated 120,000 Texas inmates soon will be able to reach out to family and friends on a regular basis after the state agreed Wednesday to install pay phones in prisons.

The board that oversees the prison system, without discussion, unanimously approved policies that will allow most well-behaved prisoners, almost regardless of their original crime, to dial out for up to two hours a month either by calling collect or by using prepaid cards.  Some 4,000 phones could be installed as early as this year in the states' 105 prisons.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA012408.01A.inmate-phones.2bb9223.html
 

Kids endangered by drugs get 'new ally'
January 23, 2008

By Nancy Martinez

Express-News
It's a scene that has played out too often in San Antonio:  Children found in homes where drugs and chaos thrive.

To protect the youngest victims of drug abuse, law enforcement officials and child advocates announced Wednesday a new policy that could lead to more child-endangerment convictions.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA012408.03B.CPS.24aeb9f.html
 

AP IMPACT:  lead found in folk medicines
January 23, 2008
HOUSTON (AP) -- Maria didn't mean to poison her children.  Quite the opposite.

Worried about her daughters' lack of appetite, the young Houston mother was merely following her grandmother's advice when she gave the two girls and a niece a dose of "greta" - a Mexican folk medicine used to treat children's stomach ailments.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DANGEROUS_REMEDIES?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

S.A. panel to tackle education reform
January 22, 2008
By Lindsay Kastner and Jenny LaCoste-Caputo
Express-News
A new education initiative will "change the face of San Antonio," Mayor Phil Hardberger said Tuesday, although he conceded that the recommendations of a group involved will be nonbinding.

Hardberger unveiled the P16Plus Council of Greater Bexar County, which is designed to take a comprehensive look at local education, from birth to early adulthood.  Similar initiatives have taken root across Texas and around the country.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA012308.03B.HARDBERGER_ED_FORUM.28e9eb5.html

Child abuse cases taking a toll
January 19, 2008
By Nancy Martinez
Express-News
Stressed over the daily drumbeat of child death and abuse cases, 75 percent of Bexar County's Child Protective Services investigators quit last year--the highest turnover in the state.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA011908.01A.Turnover0119.2a77285.html
 

Study says schools still slight poor kids
January 17, 2008
By Jenny LaCoste-Caputo
Express-News
The Texas schoolchildren who need the most help to succeed in schools often get the least, according to a national study that tracked local and state per-student spending from 1999 to 2005.

The study, by the Washington D.C.-based advocacy organization The Education Trust, cited Texas as one of 16 states where the gap in funding between high-poverty and low-poverty school districts widened during those six years, despite the state's share-the-wealth funding system designed to guarantee equity.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA0118.01B.fundinggap.292558c.html

Children under 2 shouldn't get cold medicine, for fear of side effects, FDA says
Government ruling comes after drugs were pulled by companies, and after warnings from scientific advisers
Associated Press
January 17, 2008
WASHINGTON--Parents should not give babies and toddlers over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, the government plans to declare today.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/01/17/0117cold.html

Increased isolation of youths is assailed
January 15, 2008
By Lisa Sandberg
Express-News

AUSTIN--Contrary to its promises for reform, the Texas Youth Commission has stepped up its policy of isolating unruly inmates in solitary cells for days or weeks at a time, sometimes violating its own rules in doing so, the agency's independent watchdog said.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA011608.01B.tycsegregation.275f4f6.html

State senator from S. A. to answer Bush speech
January 15, 2008
By Gary Martin
Express-News
WASHINGTON--State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte was selected Tuesday to deliver the Democratic response in Spanish to President Bush's State of the Union speech later this month.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA011608.04A.VandePutte.29e44b0.html

When Hospitals Kept Children from Parents
By Howard Markel, M.D.
January 1, 2008
Early one morning, I visited my daughter's 5-year-old friend Eddie, who was laid up in the hospital the night after an emergency appendectomy.  Understandably , Eddie looked miserable.  Just as understandably, so did his parents, who were still in their pajamas in a fold-out cot next to his bed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/health/01visi.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Searching for Similar Diagnosis Through DNA
By Amy Harmon
December 28, 2007
The girls had never met, but they looked like sisters.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/health/research/28dna.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th&adxnnlx=1198854946-N1dgyT6gz2EikX/9rLzwNw
 

Study says foster care benefits brains
By Lauran Neergaard
AP Medical Writer

December 20, 2007
WASHINGTON -- Toddlers rescued from orphanages and placed in good foster homes score dramatically higher on IA tests years later than children who were left behind, concludes a one-of-a-kind project in Romania that has profound implications for child welfare around the globe.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071221/ap_on_he_me/orphanage_brain_development;_ylt=AtOWzMryOiSSvus_cYa9TfhI2ocA
 

Senate confirms Texas demographer as Census director
December 20, 2007
Associated Press
The Senate has confirmed a Texas demographer to head the Census Bureau as it steps up preparations for the 2010 national county.  The Senate, on a voice vote Wednesday, confirmed Steven Murdock, the state demographer of Texas, as the new census director.  Lawmakers praised Murdock as an accomplished academic.  They said they expect him to lead the government's primary collector of economic and demographic statistics without political interference from the White House.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8TL9KG00.html

Governor appoints juvenile justice veteran as youth agency conservator
Richard Nedelkoff says he wants to provide long-term direction for troubled Texas Youth Commission.
By Mark Lisheron
American-Statesman Staff
December 20, 2007
Richard Nedelkoff wants to be the conservator to deliver the Texas Youth Commission out of conservatorship.  To do that, he said, he will have to moderate and participate in a high-stakes political debate over whether the state's most serious youth offenders and delinquents can ever be properly dealt with in the current system of far-flung prisons.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/12/20/1220tyc.html

New Study Shows Decline in Teen Drug Use
By Deb Riechmann
Associated Press Writer
December 11, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Illicit drug use by teens continued to gradually decline overall this year, but the use of prescription painkillers remains popular among young people, according to a federally financed study released Tuesday at the White House.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/US_President_And_White_House_Advisers/Teen_Drug_Use.html

I Pay Childcare Launches First Childcare Financing Initiative for Families
Program helps families pay for quality childcare
December 11, 2007

Dallas, TX -- I Pay Childcare has launched the country's first childcare financing initiative for families with children enrolled in childcare and preschool programs.  I Pay Child Care and Citibank are working together in a pilot program for I Pay Childcare's Educate Early loan program, which is designed to help parents afford quality childcare and preschool programs for their children.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/12/prweb575757.htm

S.A. schools work to treat students
Web Posted:  12/10/2007 11:15 PM CST
By Jenny LaCoste-Caputo

Express-News
Diane Rhodes, a respiratory therapist who works for the North East Independent School District, saw the problem when she looked at the numbers.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA121107.01A.ASTHMA.2934bd4.html
 

School food healthier but junk's still there
Web Posted:  12/09/2007 11:41 PM CST

By Michelle De La Rosa
Express News
Audri Gavina loves Dr Pepper:  She gulps three or four 20-ounce bottles every day.  After her school district removed all sodas from student vending machines this year, the Southside High School senior started sneaking into the teachers' lounge to get her fill.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA121007.01A.School_Junk_Food.29344bf.html
 

National Head Start Association Seeks New Leadership
Reuters
December 7, 2007
WASHINGTON -- After waging a successful multi-year fight to reauthorize Head Start, the National Head Start Association (NHSA) announced today that it will bring in new leadership to deal with the "major challenges and opportunities" of the post-reauthorization period.  NHSA is the national voice of the parents, children and educators involved in Head Start, which is America's premier preschool program. 
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS193998+07-Dec-2007+PRN20071207

Texas' Medicaid reform would help poor buy health insurance
Plan has looser income limits than Medicaid, possibly leaner benefits
By Robert T. Garrett
AUSTIN -- The state submitted a plan to the federal government Wednesday that would increase health coverage for low-income adults, though with benefits perhaps less generous than what Medicaid offers.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1171203/texas_medicaid_reform_would_help_poor_buy_health_insurance_plan/index.html?source=r_health

First Rise in U.S. Teen Births Since '91
By Mike Stobbe

AP Medical Writer
December 5, 2007
ATLANTA -- In a troubling reversal, the nation's teen birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years, surprising government health officials who had no immediate explanation.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Health_Medical/Teen_Births.html

Mothers Scrimp as States Take Child Support
Erik Eckholm
December 1, 2007
MILWAUKEE -- The collection of child support from absent fathers is failing to help many of the poorest families, in part because the government uses fathers' payments largely to recoup welfare costs rather than passing on the money to mothers and children.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/us/01child.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Bill to Expand Head Start, Bolster Its Teacher Qualifications Is Approved

By Maria Glod

Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 15, 2007; Page A08

With two overwhelming votes, Congress approved a bill yesterday that would boost teacher qualifications in federally funded Head Start preschools, expand access to the program for children from low-income families and scrap a controversial system for testing 4-year-olds.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/14/AR2007111401478.html

Congress Passes 5-Year Head Start Bill

All Associated Press news

November 14, 2007 5:22 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress on Wednesday passed and sent to President Bush a five-year Head Start bill that opens up the popular preschool program to more children while taking steps to see that the program is well-run and that its teachers are better qualified.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=AP&date=20071114&id=7816216

EPISD considers offering pre-K to all
By Darren Meritz
El Paso Times

November 14, 2007
Pre-kindergarten may soon be offered to all El Paso Independent School District children--regardless of need--but it will come at a cost of at least $5 million.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_7455423

Over 35.5 million found hungry in 2006
By Hope Yen

Associated Press Writer

November 14, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP)--  More than 35.5 million people in this country went hungry in 2006 as they struggled to find jobs that can support them, a figure that was virtually unchanged from the previous year, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HUNGER?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-11-14-17-31-03

Income gap between families grows
By Stephen Ohlemacher
Associated Press Writer

November 13, 2007
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Decades after the civil rights movement, the income gap between black and white families has grown, says a new study that tracked the incomes of some 2,300 families for more than 30 years.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/INCOME_GAP?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-11-13-07-04-31

Bad Behavior Does Not Doom Pupils, Studies Say
By Benedict Carey

November 13, 2007

New York Times
Educators and psychologists have long feared that children entering school with behavior problems were doomed to fall behind in the upper grades.  But two new studies suggest that those fears are exaggerated.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/health/13kids.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=us&adxnnlx=1194982380-kjKv0uydFs2oXMH4MOOC1g

Cisneros stresses education's vitality

Web Posted: 11/12/2007 10:36 PM CST

Gary Scharrer
Express-News

AUSTIN — Even during the darkest day in American history when brother fought against brother in the Civil War, Congress passed legislation creating land-grant universities to help teach the illiterate masses, Henry Cisneros told the Hispanic Scholarship Consortium on Monday.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA111307.03B.cisnerosspeech.339dfa7.html

Invest early to get more kids in college, experts say

Funding early education is the key to increasing the number of college grads, a think tank says, and the investment promises large returns for the state.

By James Walsh
Star Tribune

Last update: November 12, 2007 – 9:47 PM

Fewer than 2 percent of Minnesota's 4-year-olds were in pre-K programs last year. That number will have to dramatically increase if the state hopes to boost the number of young people attaining a college degree by 2020, said researchers and analysts gathered at a forum Monday.
http://www.startribune.com/10242/story/1546195.html

Slower brain maturity seen in ADHD kids

By Randolph E. Schmid
AP Science Writer

Nov 12, 9:21 PM EST

 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Crucial parts of brains of children with attention deficit disorder develop more slowly than other youngsters' brains, a phenomenon that earlier brain-imaging research missed, a new study says.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ADHD_BRAIN?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-11-12-21-21-51

Families learn basics of camping, more fun from the world outside

Web Posted: 11/12/2007 11:53 AM CST

By Elaine Ayo
Express-News Staff Writer

Holding their yellow Global Positioning System receivers out in front of them, the Smith family zeroed in on their prize at Braunig Lake Park on Sunday afternoon.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA111207.03B.workshop.2e69853.html

Report: Let adoptees see birth info

By David Crary
AP National Writer

Nov 12, 8:38 AM EST

NEW YORK (AP) -- It's among the most divisive questions in the realm of adoption: Should adult adoptees have access to their birth records, and thus be able to learn the identity of their birth parents?

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ADOPTION_BIRTH_RECORDS?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Expert at conference urges early screening for autism

Web Posted: 11/10/2007 09:16 PM CST

By Jerry Needham
Express-News

Early screening of all children for autism should lead to the critical early therapy that can lessen the severity of the symptoms for those afflicted with the condition, an expert on the disease told attendees at a San Antonio symposium Saturday.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA111107.05B.AutismConference.2ecfa63.html

Births of preemies hit a startling high

Web Posted: 11/10/2007 12:13 AM CST

By Don Finley
Express-News

The percentage of Bexar County women receiving late or no prenatal care before giving birth soared to 28 percent last year, up from only 11 percent four years earlier — and despite the fact that half of all local births now are covered by Medicaid, according to a new report released Friday.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA111007.01A.healthreport.35cbd84.html

Bexar drug courts strongly invest in users' rehabilitation

Web Posted: 11/09/2007 10:31 PM CST

By Elizabeth Allen
Express-News

The drug court in Bexar County isn't so much a court as it is an extra set of parents watching your every move.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA111007.02B.DrugCourt.3337b93.html

Who Needs Preschool?
By Anna Kuchment
Nov 3, 2007 11:09 AM
Newsweek - Nov. 12, 2007 issue
Allegra and Eric Lowitt toured several preschools and child-care centers in 2006 before finding the right match for their daughter, Dana, now almost 3. The Lowitts, who live outside Boston, settled on Needham’s Chestnut Children’s Center (from $4,500 per year for part-time preschool to $22,000 for full-time, year-round care), where the teachers are certified in early-childhood education and toddlers follow themed curricula that introduce such skills as letter recognition through games, field trips and other activities. Each day, Dana’s teacher gives the Lowitts a printed summary of their daughter’s activities, from what she ate to whom she played with. “It’ll say, ‘Dana loved making pumpkin muffins, and she held hands with Anna on the playground’,” says Allegra. “It’s nice to get a feel for what her day is like.”
http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/tipsheet/archive/2007/11/03/who-needs-preschool.aspx

The Preschool Investment Really Pays Off Says Study
New America Media, Q&A,
Posted: Nov 08, 2007
By Mary Ambrose
Listen to David Kirp discuss preschools with Mary Ambrose
What is the effect of really only one year of preschool on society at large?
It’s really crucial in the development of children, and not just four-year-olds. We start with four-year-olds and preschool because that’s an important developmental place and a place where you can start talking about kids getting ready for school. But it’s also important to think about education earlier. It’s not as if the learning process begins magically with a half day of high quality instruction. Forty-five minutes after they’re born kids are tracking the movements of people.
http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=af13a05aca7ad006c16ebdebbd3dbf26

Lack of sleep may lead to fatter kids

Nov 5, 7:46 AM EST

By Carla K. Johnson
Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO (AP) -- Here's another reason to get the kids to bed early: More sleep may lower their risk of becoming obese. Researchers have found that every additional hour per night a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the child's chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 percent.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DIET_KIDS_SLEEP?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-11-05-07-46-02

Study: Educational TV for toddlers OK

Nov 5, 12:57 AM EST

By Lindsey Tanner
AP Medical Writer

CHICAGO (AP) -- "Arthur" and "Barney" are OK for toddler TV-watching. But not "Rugrats" and certainly not "Power Rangers," reports a new study of early TV-watching and future attention problems

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TV_CHILDREN?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-11-05-00-57-05

Youngest felons locked up longer
Web Posted:  10/31/2007 11:39 PM CDT
By Lisa Sandberg
Express-News
MART--At 12, a boy we'll call Jake is barely old enough for summer camp.  But convicted of burglary, he'll serve his nine-month sentence away from his family at a Texas Youth Commission facility.  There's no guarantee, though, he'll be released on time.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA110107.01A.youngestoffenders.3488bb4.html

High school dropouts cost Texas billions in lost wages
San Antonio Business Journal
October 30, 2007
The Texas economy could have benefited from an additional $32 billion in wages if students would not have dropped out of high school in 2007, according to a new report.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2007/10/29/daily12.html?f=et77&ana=e_du

Texas has 185 high schools labeled 'dropout factories'
Web Posted:  10/30/2007 10:55 PM CDT
By Gary Scharrer and Jenny LaCoste Caputo
Express-News
AUSTIN -- Texas has 185 high schools that are hemorrhaging students fast enough to be called "dropout factories" in a new national report.  San Antonio has 15 of them.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA103107.01A.schooldropouts.3405088.html

More young adults on cholesterol drugs
By Linda A. Johnson
AP Business Writer
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Use of cholesterol and blood pressure medicines by young adults appears to be rising rapidly - at a faster pace than among senior citizens, according to an industry report being released Tuesday. 
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/Y/YOUNG_HEARTS?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION-HEALTH&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

School reaches out to young readers
Web Posted: 10/29/2007 10:13 PM CDT
By Jenny LaCoste-Caputo
Express-News
It looked as if a mini-carnival had set up on the grounds of the Woodhill apartment complex Monday afternoon.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA103007.01B.lockehill.325c27b.html

Pediatricians Urge Autism Screening
By Lindsey Tanner
AP Medical Writer
October 29, 2007
CHICAGO - The country's leading pediatricians group is making its strongest push yet to have all children screened for autism twice by age 2, warning of symptoms such as babies who don't babble at 9 months and 1-year-olds who don't point to toys.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-autism-screening,0,750162.story

Fight over child health care persists
Oct 26, 2007 - 7:19 AM EDT
By David Espo
AP Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate is the next stop for legislation to expand children's health coverage, revised by Democrats but rejected by President Bush as little changed from their earlier offering.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHILDRENS_HEALTH?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=HEALTH&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Senate reverses Bush's cuts to education, health in passing spending bill
Veto battle looms for this and other appropriations measures.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday reversed President Bush's cuts to education, health research and grants for local communities as Democrats girded for Bush's first veto of a regular appropriations bill.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/10/24/1024budget.html

Bexar County accepts mental health award
Web Posted: 10/24/2007 12:12 AM CDT
KENS 5 Eyewitness News
Bexar County is working hard to keep the mentally ill out of the jail system, and get patients the treatment they need.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA102307.MENTALHEALTH.kens.19e58249e.html

Mental health care expanded for county workers, offenders
Officials see the initiatives as wise investments.
Web Posted: 10/23/2007 10:41 PM CDT
By Tracy Idell Hamilton
Express-News
Bexar County has ramped up its commitment to mental health with initiatives that will help both county employees and mentally ill offenders.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA102407.06B.CountyHealth.32efc8d.html

Advocacy groups claim Youth Commission isn't following court order on pepper spray use
Agency agreed in September to rescind order widening use of pepper spray against incarcerated youths
By Mike Ward
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Less than a month after agreeing to follow a court order regulating the use of pepper spray against incarcerated youths, officials at the Texas Youth Commission have failed to comply with it, two advocacy groups claimed in a court filing Monday.
Advocacy Inc. and Texas Appleseed, which sued the troubled youth corrections agency Sept. 13 over its increased use of pepper spray, are asking a Travis County state court to force the agency to comply with the Sept. 28 court order.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/23/1023tyc.html

Hutchison votes for children's health insurance bill
Move could help with gubernatorial run, analysts say.
By Suzanne Gamboa
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Monday, October 22, 2007
WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas consistently voted for a children's health insurance bill President Bush opposed. But only after voting for a bill GOP leaders favored.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/22/1022hutchison.html

Report: Conditions at North Texas youth lockup are dismal
Youth Commission head tells lawmakers she has not seen ombudsman's report but disagrees with findings.
By Mike Ward
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The September inspection report about a Texas Youth Commission lockup in North Texas paints a grim picture.
The buildings are "structurally suffering, dangerous and unclean," states the confidential assessment by Ombudsman Will Harrell, who ranked the Victory Field Correctional Academy in Vernon as "the least adequate" of any he'd visited since he took the job in May.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/18/1018tyc.html

Support, Data Seen Key to Pre-K Teacher Effectiveness
Early research results show value regardless of teachers’ educational levels.
Published Online: October 4, 2007 – Education Week
Published in Print: October 10, 2007
By Linda Jacobson
A yet-to-be published study of preschool sites in four states shows that giving prekindergarten teachers access to mentors and to immediate data on children’s pre-reading skills can have a positive effect on student performance, regardless of the teachers’ own education levels.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/10/10/07prek.h27.html?tmp=18653123

First Lady announces program to connect kids, nature
Bush in Austin for National Park Foundation summit; honors Lady Bird Johnson.
By Patrick George
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Following the legacy of beautification that made Lady Bird Johnson a noteworthy figure, first lady Laura Bush announced a new program that was designed to connect young people to national parks.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/16/1016bush.html

Failing Schools Strain to Meet U.S. Standard
By Diana Jean Schemo
Published: October 16, 2007
The New York Times
LOS ANGELES — As the director of high schools in the gang-infested neighborhoods of the East Side of Los Angeles, Guadalupe Paramo struggles every day with educational dysfunction.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/education/16child.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1192530626-aLCScgNsbuxlb31Yq0QTyg

Texas Youth Commission conservator backs agency's leadership but wants out
Owens says he hopes to be replaced by week's end
By Mike Ward
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
In his first report, Gov. Rick Perry's top overseer at the Texas Youth Commission defends the leadership at the troubled agency and says it needs to come out of conservatorship to complete its turnaround.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/10/16/1016tyc.html

Troubles Mount Within Texas Youth Detention Agency
By Solomon Moore
Published: October 16, 2007
The New York Times
AUSTIN, Tex. — Juvenile detainees as young as 13 years old slept on filthy mats in dormitories with broken, overflowing toilets and feces smeared on the walls. Denied outside recreation for weeks at a time, they ate bug-infested food, did school work that consisted of little more than crossword puzzles and defecated in bags.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/us/16juvenile.html?th&emc=th

Bush veto of child insurance bill likely to stick
With election year looming, issue has become political hot topic, but GOP not budging.
By David Espo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
WASHINGTON — Shrugging off a barrage of political attacks, House Republicans are on track to hand President Bush a victory this week by upholding his veto of legislation to expand children's health coverage.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/10/16/1016schip.html

Democrats: Children Will Get Insurance
By Hope Yen
Associated Press Writer
5:09 PM EDT, October 14, 2007
WASHINGTON - House Democratic leaders said Sunday they were working to gather votes to override a veto on a popular children's health program, but pledged to find a way to cover millions without insurance should their effort fail.
http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-childrens-health,0,2312672.story

Study: Teasing Adds to Weight Problems
By Amy Forliti
Associated Press Writer
2:37 PM EDT, October 14, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS - For parents concerned about their overweight teens, new research suggests the best tactic might be to just relax and cook a healthy Sunday dinner.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-diet-overweight-teens,0,4377680.story

San Antonio's Witte chosen for national science museum tour
San Antonio Business Journal
Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 3:26 PM CDT
The Universe Within Touring Co. LLC and American Exhibitions Inc. have selected the Witte Museum to bring their popular Our Body: The Universe Within exhibit to San Antonio.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2007/10/08/daily30.html?f=et77&ana=e_edu

Prosecutors to stop offering deferred adjudication
Web Posted: 10/12/2007 01:28 AM CDT
John Tedesco and Karisa King
Express-News
Starting today, Bexar County prosecutors will stop recommending a form of probation for defendants accused of harming or endangering children. The move could lead to more trials and fewer plea bargains.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA101207.01A.NZChildAbuseTrials.347bf72.html

Study: Kids Get Inadequate Health Care
By Linda A. Johnson
Associated Press Writer
5:04 PM EDT, October 10, 2007
As Washington debates children's health insurance, a startling study finds that kids who regularly see doctors get the right care less than half the time -- whether it's preschool shots or chlamydia tests for teen girls.
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ats-ap_health13oct10,0,3760933.story

Intervening in Preschool Years Can Prevent Juvenile Delinquency
Tuesday, October 9, 2007; 12:00 AM
MONDAY, Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Parental action can alter a preschoolers' biological response to stress, lowering the chance that even a high-risk child will become a juvenile delinquent, U.S. researchers report.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/08/AR2007100801027.html

Leavitt Seeks Deal on Children's Health
By Hope Yen
Associated Press Writer
Oct 8, 1:38 AM EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush's health secretary said Sunday he does not expect Congress to override a veto on children's insurance and warned that the popular program could be at risk unless Democrats restrain spending.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHILDRENS HEALTH?SITE=PAYOK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Bush considers compromise on child health program
After veto, president says he's willing to spend more
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
Sunday, October 07, 2007
WASHINGTON — President Bush indicated Saturday that he would be willing to accept a larger increase for a children's health insurance program than the one he has proposed but defended his veto of the expansion of coverage approved by Congress
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/10/07/1007schip.html

Garden offers youths a place to heal
Web Posted: 10/07/2007 10:40 PM CDT
By Vincent T. Davis
Express-News
At a lush garden west of Lackland AFB, healing blooms.
Many children, seeking calm and quiet, have walked the gravel path beyond a black steel gate.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA100807.01B.Healinggarden.318ecde.html

Schoolhouses or warehouses?
Friday, October 5, 2007
Austin Business Journal
By Jason Sabo Contributing writer
Thousands of Texas children have entered school for the very first time as pre-kindergarteners. It's an exciting time for these kids and their families. Families eligible for prekindergarten are those of soldiers and Marines, the working poor and -- thanks to a new law passed this year by the Legislature -- adoptive families caring for abused and neglected children

http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2007/10/08/editorial3.html

UTHSC secures $33.7 million contract for nationwide study
Web Posted: 10/05/2007 12:39 AM CDT
Don Finley
Express-News
One thousand San Antonio children would be followed from the womb — and in some cases, from conception — to their 21st birthday as part of the biggest and most ambitious study ever to look at children's health and well-being, federal health officials announced Thursday. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA100507.State.childrenshealth.34c306f.html

SWAT-like inspections of juvenile facilities ordered
Texas Youth Commission want on-site visits of 17 other contract-care programs
By Mike Ward
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, October 05, 2007
Burned by substandard conditions at a privately run West Texas youth prison, Texas Youth Commission officials on Thursday ordered a special inspection of 17 other contract-care programs — the second such SWAT-like sweep of agency sites to curb potential abuse in seven months.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/10/05/1005tyc.html

Preschool offers sign language classes
By Marcia Freidenreich | Special Correspondent
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
September 30, 2007
On a recent morning at the Phylis J. Green Early Childhood Center in Parkland, preschoolers learned to use American Sign Language for the words sit and stand.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flsignlanguage0930nwsep30,0,1329539,full.story

Municipalities meet in S.A. to swap ideas
Web Posted: 09/30/2007 10:33 PM CDT
Tracy Idell Hamilton
Express-News Staff Writer
Local elected officials and municipal staff from all over the country descended on San Antonio on Sunday to learn from each other how best to support families and their children who are vulnerable to poverty in their respective cities.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA100107.02B.city_convention.32132bf.html

San Antonio steps up efforts to fight obesity in children
San Antonio Business Journal
2:10 PM CDT, September 24, 2007
A new alliance will be unveiled Wednesday to combat San Antonio's rising childhood obesity rate.  Some of the members will include the American Heart Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas, the San Antonio Public Library and the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2007/09/24/daily5.html?f=et77&ana=e_du

Buy a Laptop for a Child, Get Another Laptop Free
September 24, 2007
By Steve Lohr
One Laptop Per Child, an ambitious project to bring computing to the developing world's children, has considerable momentum.  Years of work by engineers and scientists have paid off in a pioneering low-cost machine that is light, rugged and surprisingly versatile.  The early reviews have been glowing, and mass production is set to start next month.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/business/worldbusiness/24laptop.html?_r=1&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/L/Lohr,%20Steve&oref=slogin

300 attend meeting of child advocates
Web Posted:  09/21/2007 11:10 PM CDT
San Antonio Express News
More than 300 local child advocates attended the ninth annual Congress for Children Friday, a record for the conference.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA092207.02B.MEETING.f9538a4f.html

Local leaders join clamor for CHIP
Web Posted:  09/21/2007 11:14 PM CDT
By Nicole Foy
Express-News Medical Writer
Local health and political leaders joined forces Friday to urge President Bush and Congress to reauthorize and expand a public health care program for millions of children that is set to expire in just over a week.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA092207.04B.chip_reauthorization.33e8bee.html

State trying to entice Hispanics to visit and enjoy great outdoors
Web Posted:  09/18/2007 02:08 AM CDT
By Gary Scharrer
Express-News Austin Bureau
Austin  --  Too few Hispanic families are taking advantage of state parks, so an effort is under way to acquaint urban Hispanics with the natural world outside their cities. 
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA091807.08B.HispanicsParks.31bb9a7.html

Cancer society ads push health reform
September 16, 1:51 PM EDT
By Mike Stobbe
AP Medical Writer
ATLANTA (AP)  --  The American Cancer Society this week will take its biggest step ever into the politics of health care reform, spending $15 million in advertising on behalf of Americans with too little health insurance or none at all.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CANCER_SOCIETY_CAMPAIGN?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Juvenile justice advocates critical of new TYC leadership
09/16/2007
Associated Press
Reform advocates and some Texas lawmakers are concerned by what they say is a lack of juvenile justice expertise among the new leaders of the troubled Texas Youth Commission.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8RML93G3.html

Hard-to-place foster kids stuck with beds in offices
Web Posted:  09/14/2007 11:34 PM CDT
By Jane Elliott
Austin Bureau
AUSTIN --  Plans to open new shelters by December for difficult-to-place foster children are on hold after private providers declined to participate, meaning some abused and neglected children will continue to sleep in state offices.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA091507.05B.Foster_kids.3212e60.html

Experts Question Study on Youth Suicide Rates
September 14, 2007
By Alex Berenson and Benedict Carey
New York Times
Last week, leading psychiatric researchers linked a 2004 increase in the suicide rate for children and adolescents to a warning by the Food and Drug Administration about the use of antidepressants in minors.  The F.D.A. warning, the researchers suggested, might have resulted in severely depressed teenagers going without needed treatment.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/14/us/14suicide.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

TYC pepper spraying decried
Web Posted:  09/13/2007 11:18 PM CDT
By Lisa Sandberg
Express-News Austin Bureau
AUSTIN  --  A recently enacted directive by the Texas Youth Commission authorizing the broader use of pepper spray to subdue unruly offenders came under fire Thursday by three groups of child welfare advocates.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA091407.1B.tyc.suit.33bc23a.html

Child Mortality at Record Low
Further Drop Seen
September 13, 2007
By Donald G. NcNeil Jr.
New York Times
For the first time since record keeping began in 1960, the number of deaths of young children around the world has fallen below 10 million a year, according to figures from the United Nations Children's Fund being released today.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/13/world/13child.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Big flu shot cut looms
Web Posted:  09/12/2007 10:05 PM CDT
By Don Finley
Express-News Medical Writer
City-sponsored flu shot clinics, which have drawn thousands each year to malls and meeting halls, could be a thing of the past.  Faced with less money for vaccine and a Solomon-like decision, city health officials plan on giving far fewer influenza shots this fall, choosing instead to direct their efforts toward childhood immunizations.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA091307.01B.flu.2ff46b3.html

Parents who are grand
Web Posted:  09/12/2007 10:14 PM CDT
By Amanda Reimherr Buckert
Express-News
On purple construction paper, Bernardo Obregon slowly moved his pencil around a stencil of a cross.  He carefully made his last mark, and took a deep breath.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA091307.01B.grandfamilies.2ff4655.html

Texas falling behind in immunization
Web Posted:  09/11/2007 12:38 AM CDT
By Janet Elliott
Express-News Austin Bureau
AUSTIN -- Texas fell from 24th to 34th last year in a national childhood immunization survey, reversing an upward trend and concerning physicians.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA091107.3B.immunization.3204aaa.html

Not Autistic or Hyperactive.
Just Seeing Double at Times.
By Laura Novak
New York Times
September 11, 2007
As an infant, Raea Gragg was withdrawn and could not make eye contact.  By preschool she needed to smell and squeeze every object she saw.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/11/health/11visi.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Teacher group says schools should ease up on testing
Educators say they feel the pressure of ratings system.
By Jason Embry
American-Statesman Staff
September 11, 2007
The third week of school is underway.  In other words, it's time to start testing.  In the Austin school district, some teachers must start giving benchmark tests, which measures students' strengths and weaknesses heading into the new year.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/09/11/0911testing.html

Study finds lower immunization rate for Texas Children
Associated Press
September 11, 2007
The vaccination rate among young Texas children fell 2.1 percent last year, dropping the state from 24th to 34th nationally, according to a survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8RJ4V7O0.html

'There's clearly a desperate need for this.'
By Andrea Ball
American-Statesman Staff
September 9, 2007
Central Texas parents traumatized by premature birth have few places to turn when they need it the most:  after their babies come home.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/archive/0909preemieside.html

Twins' premature arrival tests couples' stamina
Resources scarce for parents of preemies
By Andrea Ball
American-Statesman Staff
September 9, 2007
Adrienne Nash leans over her squirming infant in a sleep-deprived fog, changing a diaper and glancing at the clock.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/archive/0909preemies.html

Homeless face challenges at school
Web Posted:  09/09/2007 11:11 PM CDT
By Nancy Martinez
Express-News
The smile on the monkey's face on Heather Edwards' white T-shirt was faded, but it matched her vivid grin.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA091007.1A.homeless.students.3529ecb.html

University Hospital's emergency room is in crisis
Web Posted:  09/09/2007 12:19 AM CDT
By Nicole Foy
Express-News Medical Writer
Greg Rufe scans University Hospital's emergency room.  The 74 seats in the waiting area are full, with seven or eight people stretched out sleeping on two chairs each.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA090907.01A.ercrisis.348910e.html

Really Leaving No Child Behind
Published:  September 7, 2007
New York Times
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 set ambitious new goals when it required the states to improve public schooling for all students--and to educate poor children up to the same standards as their affluent counterparts--in exchange for federal aid.  The country still has a long way to go to reach those goals.  And they will never be met if Congress, which must now reauthorize the law, backs away from provisions that hold schools accountable for how well and how much children learn.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/07/opinion/07fri1.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Uninsured problem is now at code red
Local leaders say new Census report is eye opener
San Antonio Business Jou;rnal
September 7, 2007
By W. Scott Bailey
San Antonio officials continue to work to position the Alamo City as an emerging destination for health care excellence and landmark biomedical research.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2007/09/10/story1.html?f=et162&b=1189396800^1517670&ana=e_vert

S.A. to host national youth obesity research
Web Posted:  09/06/2007 08:39 PM CDT
By Don Finley
Express-News Medical Writer
A national research effort to understand and perhaps intervene in the rising incidence of childhood obesity in Hispanics will be headquartered in San Antonio.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA090707.03B.big_kids.2bc7d5d.html

CDC:  Suicide Rate Among U.S. Girls Soars
By Greg Bluestein
Associated Press Writer
ATLANTA -- The suicide rate among preteen and young teen girls spiked 76 percent, a disturbing sign that federal health officials say they can't fully explain.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Health_Medical/Teen_Suicides.html

The School Cafeteria, on a Diet
By Andrew Martin
September 5, 2007
As students return to school this week, some are finding unusual entries on the list of class rules:  fewer fried foods, smaller servings and no cupcakes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/business/05junkfood.html?_r=1&th=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&emc=th&adxnnlx=1188993749-P+O+iiLA8wLgd/N2fH40JQ

States investing more in Pre-K education
By Julia Silverman
Associated Press Writer
September 5, 2007
HILLSBORO, Ore.  (AP) -- With school starting at Head Start centers in this fast-growing Portland suburb, so many 3-and-4-year-olds are trooping into classrooms that administrators are holding separate morning and afternoon sessions.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PRE_K_BOOM?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Unaccompanied immigrant minors face major consequences
Web Posted:  09/04/07 02:23 PM CDT
By Hernan Rozemberg
Express-News Immigration Writer
LOS FRESNOS -- Gustavo spent his last hours as a 17-year-old playing checkers with friends, followed by a hearty dinner:  chicken enchiladas, rice, refried beans, salad, apple juice and a blueberry muffin.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA090207.01A.Immigrant_kids.3a416eb.html

Bipolar Illness Soars as a Diagnosis for the Young
September 4, 2007
By Benedict Carey
The number of American children and adolescents treated for bipolar disorder increased 40-fold from 1994 to 2003, researchers report today in the most comprehensive study of the controversial diagnosis.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/health/04psych.html?_r=1&th=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&emc=th&adxnnlx=1188908107-ZK/SJQueoAPpTH78mG05tA

Babies learn sign language before they speak
Mother in Temple says it has reduced screaming, crying
September 4, 2007
By Michelle West
Temple Daily Telegram
Temple -- Eight-month-old Maggie might not be an adept interpreter for the speechless world, but at least her mother can understand her a little better.  And she screams less, said her mother, Leslie Searls.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/09/04/0904babysigning.html

Obesity in toddlers linked to iron deficiency, study shows
Hispanic youngsters are more affected than other groups, a new study finds.
By Carla K. Johnson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
September 4, 2007
CHICAGO -- Pudgy toddlers have an alarmingly high rate of iron deficiency, and Hispanic youngsters are more affected than other groups, a new study finds.  The study is the first to discover a link between obesity and low iron levels in preschoolers.  Iron deficiency can cause mental and behavior delays, so the findings underscore the importance of healthy eating habits in children ages 1 to 3. 
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/09/04/0904toddlers.html

Area's poor face housing woes
Web Posted:  09/02/2007 11:07 PM CDT
By Ron Wilson
San Antonio Express-News
Though San Antonio has experienced a housing boom in recent years, the growth has been lopsided to the disadvantage of poor and working families, according to a nationwide study of affordable housing.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA090307.01B.AffordableHousing.34312d4.html

Texas tops nation in percentage without health coverage
August 29, 2007 - 2:41 a.m. CDT
DALLAS — Texas led all states in the percentage of residents without health insurance, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report.
Texas had an uninsured rate of 24 percent for the years 2004-2006, the report said. The report attributed the high rate to the state's growing population of Hispanics. The Census Bureau deemed Texas a majority-minority state two years ago.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/gen/ap/TX_Texas_Uninsured.html

Poverty pinches South Texas
Web Posted: 08/29/2007 12:03 AM CDT
By Nancy Martinez
San Antonio Express-News
While the nation's poverty rate declined for the first time in 10 years, new census figures released Tuesday reinforced what many here have known for years:  Residents in Texas, especially South Texas, are among the country's poorest.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA082907.01A.poverty.3489337.html

Learning to become students:  Kindergartners adapt to school
Web Posted: 08/28/2007 11:17 PM CDT
By Sarah Chacko
Staff Writer
"I'm an alien," Braedon Stanley announced to his kindergarten teacher at Ginnings Elementary School on Tuesday.
http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_Firstday_8-29.7dc37582.html

Waco ISD unveils new transportation system for pre-k students
Updated: Aug 28, 2007 6:33pm
Tens of thousands of students from numerous school districts in Central Texas headed back for the first day of school.  The Waco School District also began a new busing system for some of its youngest students.
http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=13872

Medicare cuts could affect local clinics, patients
Web Posted: 08/28/2007 08:08 PM CDT
By Wendy Rigby
KENS 5 Eyewitness News
Congress is trying to balance the Medicare budget, and some painful cuts they're having to make affect patients in San Antonio.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA082807.medicare.cuts.KENS.7d153274.html

Domestic violence policy is praised
Web Posted: 08/28/2007 01:31 AM CDT
By Lomi Kriel
San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio police are arresting domestic violence suspects faster than in the past because of a policy that now allows officers to secure immediate arrest warrants for alleged abusers, Police Chief William McManus said Monday.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA082807.1B.domestic.violence.3a165fa.html

Couples learn give-and-take skills to strengthen families
Web Posted: 08/27/2007 9:25 PM CDT
By Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje
Express-News Staff Writer
The couples in the classroom at the Neighborhood Place, a sprawling former school on the West Side where Family Service Association of San Antonio operates a host of programs, load their plates with carne guisada and beans.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/family/stories/MYSA082807.01P.marriage.220d92d.html

Texas ranks 12th in adult obesity
Ten of America's 15 fattest state populations are in the South.
Washington Bureau
August 28, 2007
WASHINGTON -- Hold the chicken-fried steak and the cream gravy, ya'll.  Ten of America's 15 fattest state populations are in Dixie, including Texas, which ranks 12th in the adult rate of obesity and sixth for youths ages 10 through 17, according to a health report released today.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/08/28/828obesity.html

Comment:  Time for an investment in the future
Web Posted: 08/27/2007 12:09 AM CDT
By Ernesto Nieto and Michael Soto
San Antonio Express-News
For most San Antonio 5-year-olds, this week marks the beginning of kindergarten and the start of an academic career in the Texas public school system.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/opinion/stoires/MYSA082707.02O.sotocomment.245773a.html

New test for special education students is making schools nervous
Teachers still don't know what will be on tests or how they'll affect accountability ratings
August 27, 2007
By Melissa Mixon
American-Statesman Staff
As students return to class today, schools across the state are bracing for a change that will force some in special education to take a tougher test than they've been required to in years past.  
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/08/27/0827taksm.html

Medicaid rate increase may boost kids' dental care
Reimbursements will go up Sept. 1
August 25, 2007
By Corrie MacLaggan
American-Statesman Staff
It may get easier for low-income Texas children to see a dentist.  Less than half of Texas children in Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for the poor, got a dental checkup last year.  In Central Texas, less than a third did.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/08/25/0825dentists.html

Editorial:  New school finance law is not working
Web Posted: 08/25/2007 12:01 PM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
The school finance legislation approved by state lawmakers last summer seemed like a workable solution for everyone.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/stories/MYSA082607.02H.schooltax1ed.25329b1.html

State creates ratings for early childhood centers
Texas first in nation to assess how well pre-kindergarten programs teach kids
Web Posted: 08/24/2007 5:36 AM CDT
By Staci Hupp
The Dallas Morning News
Texas has become the first state to rate preschools, day-care centers and Head Start programs on how well they prepare children for kindergarten.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/082407dnmetprekratings.37af961.html

Study:  Many kids have high blood pressure
The Associated Press
August 23, 2007
More than 1 million U.S. youngsters have undiagnosed high blood pressure, leaving them at risk for developing organ damage down the road, a study suggests.
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsblood0823,0,4720810.story

The Preschool Question:  Who gets to Go?
Va. Expansion Efforts Highlight Debate
By Maria Glod
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The children in Carrie Hamilton's preschool class yesterday drew wobbly hearts with wobbly letters underneath.  They tapped the buttons on a toy cash register and raced cars over roads built of wooden tracks.  Hidden in the games and giggles were lessons on the building blocks of reading and math.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/21/AR2007082102112.html?sub=AR

New Rules May Limit Health Care Program Aiding Children
August 21, 2007
By Robert Pear
The Bush administration, continuing its fight to stop states from expanding the popular Children's Health Insurance Program, has adopted new standards that would make it much more difficult for New York, California and others to extend coverage to children in middle-income families.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/washington/21health.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Benefits of Early-Childhood Program Flow Into Adulthood, study finds
Education Week
Young children who took part in an intervention program run by the Chicago public schools continue to benefit from the services well into adulthood, a study released today shows.  At age 24, the adults had acquired more education and were less likely to commit crimes than those who did not receive the same level of service.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/08/06/45child_web.h26.html?print=1

Texas CHIP changes coming Sept. 1
Children will be able to stay longer in the health insurance program
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
By Corrie MacLaggan
American-Statesman Staff
Starting Sept. 1, Texas families will be able to stay in the Children's Health Insurance Program for a full year rather than having to reapply every six months, and, in most cases, they won't have to wait 90 days to enroll.  These changes, which are expected to expand enrollment, come as debate in Washington continues on federal funding of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.  In Texas, families will be able to deduct child care expenses when determining eligibility, and they can have more valuable cars and other assets and still qualify.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/08/07/0807newchip.html

Preschoolers prefer anything in McDonald's wrapper, researchers find
Restaurant packaging sways taste test; marketing tricks tots' taste buds.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
By Lindsey Tanner
Associated Press
CHICAGO -- Anything made by McDonald's tastes better, preschoolers said in a study that powerfully demonstrates how advertising can trick the taste buds of young children.  Even carrots, milk and apple juice tasted better to the kids when they were wrapped in the familiar packaging of the Golden Arches.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/08/07/0807mcdonalds.html

Obesity increases risk of birth defects
Web Posted: 08/06/2007 11:07 PM CDT
By Don Finley
Express-News Medical Writer
Being obese puts women at somewhat higher risk of having babies with birth defects, from faulty hearts to missing limbs, suggests a new study of births in Texas and seven other states.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA080707.01A.birth_defects.346bc34.html

Health illiteracy posing a problem
Web Posted: 08/04/2007 12:45 AM CDT
By Nicole Foy
Express-News
From her busy perch at the University Health System downtown clinic, pharmacist Oralia Bazaldua noticed a worrisome trend.  Patients left with properly labeled medications, yet they'd often return, having misunderstood the directions.  Bazaldua began asking questions and realized many of the lapses weren't intentional.  They were because patients had little or no ability to read. 
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA080407.01B.low_health_literacy.3172305.html

How Baby Babbles Become Talking Tsunami
By Lauran Neergaard
AP Medical Writer
August 2, 2007 2:06 PM EDT
WASHINGTON -- It's called the "word spurt," that magical time when a toddler's vocabulary explodes, seemingly overnight.  New research offers a decidedly un-magical explanation:  Babies start really jabbering after they've mastered enough easy words to tackle more of the harder ones.  It's essentially a snowball effect.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TODDLER_TALK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

House passes expansion of state-run health program aimed at poor children
By Bob Dart
Washington Bureau
August 2, 2007
WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to extend and expand federal funding for a state-run program that provides health insurance for more than 300,000 poor children in Texas.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/08/02/0802schip.html

Mixed results in S.A. school ratings
Web posted:  08/01/2007 10:44 PM CDT
Michelle De La Rosa
Express-News
The state's annual report card on public schools, released Wednesday, held good and bad news:  More schools than ever earned the top rating of "exemplary," even as hundreds of schools slipped to the lowest rating, "academically unacceptable."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA080207.1B.school.ratings.31ac8fb.html

Study:  Obesity spreads socially
Washington Post
Jul. 25, 2007 11:53 AM
WASHINGTON -- Obesity can spread from one person to another like the flu or a fad, researchers reported today in a first-of-its-kind study that helps explain - and could help fight - one of the nation's biggest public health problems.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0725obesity-social0725-ON.html

Fewer Texas kids dropping out
But new report shows state teen birth rate, infant mortality remain high
By Jason Embry
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
July 25, 2007
Texas teenagers are increasingly staying in school or working, but teen girls here are still more likely than those in other states to have children, according to a national report being released today.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/07/25/0725kids.html

District seeks 4-day school week
Lancaster schools trying to save money
ASSOCIATED PRESS
July 25, 2007
DALLAS -- The Lancaster school district has asked the Texas Education Agency for clearance to implement a four-day schedule for upcoming school year.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/07/25/0725shortweek.html

Jaime Castillo:  A generation grows up and brings with it a surge in crime
Web Posted:  07/25/07 01:43 AM CDT
Express-News
The recent spate of apparent gang-related shootings brought back memories of 1996.  In that year, a youngish reporter for this newspaper wrote a story about how San Antonio was "poised to experience on of its least-bloody years in 20 years."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/columnists/jcastillo/stories/MYSA072507.1B.Castillo.387bca7.html

House Democrats offer child health plan
By KEVIN FREKING
Associated Press Writer
July 24, 2007, 7:51 PM
WASHINGTON -- House Democrats would rely less on tobacco taxes than the Senate would and more on cuts to Medicare Insurers to pay for a proposed $50 billion expansion of a children's health insurance program.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4996097.html

Study:  New Rules Led to Medicaid Decline
By KEVIN FREKING
Associated Press Writer
July 24, 2007, 15:03 PDT
WASHINGTON -- Medicaid rolls declined in many states after Congress imposed new documentation requirements, but most of the drop-off appears to be among people eligible for coverage -- not illegal immigrants.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/07/24/national/w111213D99.DTL&hw=medicaid&sn=001&sc=1000

UT study:  Obese girls less likely to attend college
Researcher says schools should reach out to obese girls at risk of dropping out.
By Huong Le
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
July 24, 2007
A study being released today by a University of Texas researcher shows that obese girls are half as likely to attend college as peers with healthier weights.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/07/24/0724obesity.html

What you don't understand could kill you
By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer
July 23, 2007 Web Posted:  6:18 PM EDT
CHICAGO (AP) -- Plenty of evidence suggests that having trouble understanding medical information is bad for your health.  Now new research says it could even be deadly.  A study of patients 65 and older found that those who couldn't understand basic written medical instructions were much more likely to die within six years than those who had no problems grasping the information.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DEADLY_ILLITERACY?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-07-23-18-18-15

EDITORIAL:  Vetoing Children's Health
Published:  July 22, 2007
President Bush is threatening to veto any substantial increase in spending for a highly successful children's health program on the bizarre theory that expanding it would be the "beginning salvo" in establishing a government-run health care system.  His shortsighted ideological opposition would leave millions of children without health insurance at a time when medical costs are soaring.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/opinion/22sun1.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Sex Ed for Kindergartners?
Romney-Obama Debate Heats Up
By TEDDY DAVIS and LINDSEY ELLERSON
July 20, 2007
When Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama reaffirmed to Planned Parenthood this week that he believes elements of sex education should begin in kindergarten, Republican Mitt Romney saw an opening -- and he pounced.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=3395856&page=1

Education, Health Cited for Budget Boost
Friday July 20, 2007 12:46 AM
By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - A bill filled with money for job training, health and education faces a veto from President Bush, who complains that Democratic add-ons have made it too expensive.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6792305,00.html

Throwing fits just may be good for tots
Web posted:  07/20/2007 12:00 AM CDT
Nicole Foy
Express-News Medical Writer
When Anastasia Bernal's triplet boys were about 2, the tantrums began -- firestorms of angry defiance over everything from what they would and would not eat to what toys they liked and when they wanted to go to bed.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/family/stories/MYSA072007.01B.kids_defiance.3372cce.html

Bush Threatens to Veto Insurance Measure
By Deb Riechmann
Associated Press Writer
July 18, 2007
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- President Bush on Wednesday reiterated his threat to veto Senate legislation that would substantially increase funds for children's health insurance by levying a 61-cent-a-pack increase in the federal excise tax on cigarettes.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/07/18/national/w154523D70.DTL&type=politics

Health merger plan corrals more support
Web Posted:  07/18/2007 01:46 AM CDT
Nicole Foy
Express-News Medical Writer
The board of Bexar County's tax-supported hospital district on Tuesday formally endorsed a move toward a more "high-performing health system" through a partial merger with San Antonio's health department.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA071807.3B.uhc.2d52f5b.html

Limiting Ads of Junk Food to Children
By Brooks Barnes
Published:  July 18, 2007
Trix are no longer for kids--at least not on children's television shows.  But Cocoa Puffs are another matter.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/business/18food.html?th&emc=th

Abstinence Education Faces an Uncertain Future
By Laura Beil
Published:  July 18, 2007
HALLSVILLE, Tex. -- When Jami Waite graduated from high school this year in this northeastern Texas town, her parents sat damp-eyed in the metal bleachers of Bobcat Stadium, proud in every way possible.  Their youngest daughter was leaving childhood an honor graduate, a band member, a true friend, a head cheerleader -- and a steadfast virgin.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/education/18abstain.html?_r=1&th=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&emc=th&adxnnlx=1184761783-lFBjXl2lg8sCmylyYB9YPQ

Much of Learning Gap Blamed on Summer
Rich-poor reading divide in Baltimore linked to what happens over break.
Published Online:  July 16, 2007
Published in Print:  July 18, 2007
Update:  July 17, 2007
By Scott J. Cech
It's been a truism for decades that students' learning slips during the summer, and that low-income children fall farther behind than their classmates, but no one had connected the longitudinal data dots to show just what the cumulative consequences of the summer slide might be.  Until now.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/07/18/43summer.h26.html?tmp=2041766527

Editorial:  Take long view on healthcare for kids
Web Posted:  07/17/2007 06:36 PM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
The 10-year-old federal Children's Health Insurance Program is set to expire on Sept. 30.  The program provides states with funding to help subsidize healthcare for needy children who do not qualify for Medicaid.  It has provided $40 billion over the last decade for that purpose. 
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/stories/MYSA071807.01O.CHIP1ed.1e545c1.html

Editorial: Agencies join forces to protect children
Web Posted:  07/16/2007 06:10 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
These were no ordinary obituaries.  These were items about two children, tiny, innocent creatures--works in progress with futures that should have been longer, much longer, than their pasts.