Voices for Utah Children

Today, Voices for Utah Children, called on Congress to take immediate action when they return after the 4^th of July recess in order to provide relief to the millions of children and families impacted as a result of the recession by extending provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Click on link to view Press Release in pdf format.

Voices for Utah Children Urges Immediate Action on Kid Fix Legislation (7-8-10)

A national poll released June 29, 2010 reveals strong bipartisan support for the DREAM Act, federal...  Read more

This month the Census Bureau released its population estimates for 2009, including the population below age 18. Exactly half of the states (plus Washington, D.C.) have fewer children now than they had in 2000. Nationally, the number of children grew by 2.2 million over the period, but most of this growth has been concentrated in a relatively few states. There are 10 states where the number of children increased by at least 100,000 since 2000, and Utah is among them.

Click on link to view article in pdf format.

Don't underfund our children's future (Deseret News 6-25-10)

Children who start behind, stay behind. Studies show that one of the most important predictors of third-grade test performance is school readiness at kindergarten entry. Indeed, research shows the achievement gap starts early, before children enter school. By the time they enter kindergarten, children from low income families are typically 12-14 months below national norms in language and pre-reading skills. 

School Readiness:  An Investment We Can't Pass Up (Salt Lake Tribune 6/20/10)

The U.S. Senate last week launched a series of hearings into child well-being in America. Experts testified that the recession has caused child poverty to increase significantly over the past two years. By 2012, child poverty will rise to a rate of 25 percent; for single-parent families, that number is likely to reach 45 percent. Subcommittee Chairman Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) announced his plans “to introduce legislation to create a national commission on children, in order to regularly and closely examine the needs of American families and identify solutions.”

Learn more http://www.voices.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/state-american-child-testimony.pdf

KIDS COUNT 2010 Special Report Focuses on Achieving Grade-Level Reading Proficiency for All Children

The Ability to read is central to a child's success in school, life-long earning potential, and the ability to contribute to the nation's economy and its security.  The Foundation released its KIDS COUNT Special Report, Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters to focus attention on the critical importance of achieving grade-level reading proficiency for all children by the end of third grade.  Download the full report or executive summary, and visit the Data Center to create your own maps, graphs, and charts of data related to early reading indicators at the national and state level.