David Gray

MICHELLE BASCH, CO-HOST: On the line now tonight with us is David Gray, Director of the Workforce and Family Program at the New America Foundation here in D.C. Now David let’s begin broadly and then get more specific. You’re looking at the well being of kids in the US, and that of kids in Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. In general terms, what have you learned about them?DAVID GRAY, NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: Well… more

We completely agree with the July 10 article, "America becomes a more 'adult-centered' nation." Not only are couples showing less interest in children but so are policymakers. The Urban Institute recently released a report detailing that from 1960 to 2006, federal spending on children's programs declined from 20.1 to 15.4 percent of domestic spending. Federal spending on children's programs is projected to decline from 2.6 to 2.1 percent of gross domestic product in the next 10 years. Family… more

The 2008 presidential primary season is shaping up as one unprecedented in American history. Fund-raising reports from the first two quarters of 2007 demonstrate the breakneck pace with which this latest presidential season has begun. Fund-raisers aren’t alone in setting a new pace, as state after state has moved up the date of its Presidential primary in a bid for increased influence.

What has not changed is the focus of the early primary politicking. In the past few weeks, would-be… more

[Mortimer B. Zuckerman] is right that our nation needs to "equip Americans with the skills to make them mobile and give them greater economic security." Helping Americans learn better job skills will increase salaries, mobility, and prosperity. Job training is the sleeper issue of the 2008 presidential campaign. While candidates from both parties are talking about middle-class anxiety and inequality, neither party is addressing job skills. The party that begins to focus on job training and provides real solutions will… more

Education wonk Sara Mead is joining the New America Foundation as a senior research fellow studying education, workforce, and family issues. Mead, 28, has received notice for contending that the "crisis" in boys' education is overblown and for her criticism, with Andrew Rotherham, of the ranking system used annually to determine Newsweek's "100 Best High Schools." "We have found that many schools in Newsweek's ranking have high dropout rates or glaring achievement gaps… more

The Foundation for Child Development Child Well-Being Index (CWI) provides a research-based look at the status of children in the United States over the last 30 years. Now, for the first time, the CWI examines the status of American children in relation to that of children in other countries. The CWI uses English-speaking democracies with strong market-based systems to provide a more meaningful “apples to apples” portrait of the relative well-being of American children. The study contrasts the well-being… more

The 21st century will be the century of the faith line -- a line that does not divide Christians and Muslims or Hindus and Jews, but religious pluralists and religious totalitarians. America faces an emerging conflict within its family and its foreign policy between those who seek common ground and those who seek to divide.

In his new book, Acts of Faith, Muslim-American writer Eboo Patel, the Executive Director of the Interfaith Youth Core, offers a compelling theory of… more

Why aren’t Republican presidential candidates talking more about job training?

Wherever they go on the campaign trail, candidates are asked about off-shoring, layoffs, and wages. Despite the strong U.S. economy and near full employment, middle class anxiety is real.

Hardly a day goes by that some Democratic candidate doesn’t speak about the struggles of the middle class family in the age of globalization.Democrats campaigned last November on responding to working family angst through a minimum wage increase. Republicans often respond… more

The value of a workplace diversity program may be best shown by the decisions made during economic downturns. Do the programs stay, continuing their goal of making the working environment reflective of society at large and promoting awareness of different cultures and lifestyles?Or do they get cut and possibly send a negative message to the employees – and the non-business world – that the company no longer considers diversity to be important.The larger a… more

Flextime makes better workers As a father and as someone who studies flextime policies, I believe workplace flexibility is a win-win for businesses and families -- not just mothers. USA TODAY's article "Poll finds resentment of flextime" fails to recognize that workplace flexibility is no longer the sole domain of working mothers (Money, Friday).

In my office, we retain our talented workforce by giving workers flexibility. If we did not have flextime, some of these folks would leave, and… more