In the wake of Judge Janis Jack’s December 2015 ruling, here are some significant changes and key recommendations to consider to improve the safety and success of children in the Texas foster care system.
New Report Finds that Texas Schools Continue to Rely on Police Officers, Courts, and Juvenile Probation to Address Minor School Misbehavior
Top Texas Kids' Issues for 2017 & Our Policy Recommendations
Report Shows Thousands of Texas Babies & Toddlers with Disabilities Left Out of Services During Years of State Cuts to ECI Funding
New Report Shows Solid Start to Pre-k Grant Program but More Work To Do
Nutrition in Early Childhood: A Foundation for Lifelong Health
When children are healthy during the first years of life, they are more likely to maintain a healthy weight throughout their childhood, be successful in school, and achieve lifelong health. Unfortunately, Texas children as young as two are already on track to grow up at an unhealthy weight. With the majority of young Texas children spending significant portions of the day in child care settings, Texas parents need child care providers to be a strong partner in providing healthy food and drinks and plenty of active play time. Fortunately, there are steps state leaders can take to help parents identify healthier child care providers and ensure child care providers partner with parents in supporting healthy kids.
The Research is Clear: High Quality Pre-k Pays Off
Research shows effective pre-k programs improve school readiness and academic achievement, reducing the need to provide special education services and helping more students advance to the next grade level on time. To harness the power of pre-k, Texas should build on the state’s new High Quality Pre-k Grant Program to improve the quality of and access to pre-k.
Legislature Should Bolster Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) to Support School Readiness
Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) is one of the state's main programs for influencing children's trajectory during the developmentally critical years of early childhood and ensuring that more students start kindergarten ready to succeed. The proposed Medicaid rate cuts for children's therapies would adversely affect the community organizations that provide ECI services, which are distinct from the home health agencies at the center of the rate controversy. After past budget cuts to ECI, legislators should ensure full funding and support is provided to the program and the children with disabilities and delays who rely on it.