Children

Washington Post | For Children, a Better Beginning

In a wide-ranging look at how children have fared in their first decade of life, a study to be released today offers a promising picture of American childhood: Sixth-graders feel safer at school.* Reading and math scores are up for 9-year-olds. More preschoolers are vaccinated. Fewer are poisoned by lead.

The analysis, which created a composite index of more than 25 key national indicators, reports an almost 10 percent boost… more

Reuters | Obesity and Low Birthweight Mar Health of Kids

Rising obesity rates and a large percentage of children born with low birthweights are dragging down the overall health of American children in their first decade of life, according to a report tracking the health and well-being of young children in the United States.*

While U.S. children overall have seen improvements in their well-being in recent years, American children aged 6 to 11 are four times more likely… more

New York Times | Teaching Boys and Girls Separately

. . . More recently, in what Sara Mead, an education expert at the New America Foundation, calls a “man bites dog” sensation, public and parental concerns have shifted to boys. Boys are currently behind their sisters in high-school and college graduation rates. School, the boy-crisis argument goes, is shaped by females to match the abilities of girls (or, as Sax puts it, is taught “by soft-spoken women who bore”… more

Report: Black, Hispanic Children Making Gains (USA Today)

Black and Hispanic children have made significant gains in health, safety and income over the past two decades, narrowing gaps between them and white children, according to a pioneering report on child development to be released Tuesday.*

They still fare worse overall than whites, but they're catching up in several areas and are less likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, abuse drugs or commit suicide, according to the… more

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., floated the idea Friday of giving every child born in America a $5,000 "baby bond" from the government to help pay for future costs of college or buying a home...

"I'm pleased that Sen. Clinton keeps talking about 'baby bonds,' whether $500 or $5,000 at birth," said Ray Boshara, the vice president of the New America Foundation.

Boshara, who has worked with Clinton's policy staff on the concept, did not see the different dollar figure floated… more

America's financial aid system imposes too much debt on college graduates, provides too much taxpayer support to banks making college loans, and demands too little of students assuming them.  Last week, Higher Ed Watch staff proposed a new "College Access Contract" that responds to each of these challenges.Our College Access… more