Today is the deadline for small farmers seeking financial assistance to apply for grants from a farm advocacy organization designed to help them get their start. Practical Farmers of Iowa s Savings Incentive Program also teaches them important financial knowledge. The SIP is a two-year program offering targeted learning and networking opportunities with guidance from experienced farmer-mentors. .
A top legislative priority for Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott did not get across the finish line last Friday, despite a fourth special session called this year to address it. A school voucher bill supported by the governor would have allowed some parents to use tax dollars to send their children to private and religious schools. .
During a public hearing on improving school funding, the Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding Commission heard from people who stressed the need to set fair and adequate funding targets for every school in the state. Aaron Chapin, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association and a 4th and 5th grade teacher at Stroudsburg Area Middle School, testified at the most recent hearing. He said it is important for the new plan to be transparent and sustainable, and fix the funding inequities across the state. .
New research found natural disasters and pollution linked to climate change are contributing factors to high rates of anxiety and depression among young people. Researchers from San Francisco-based Hopelab consulted experts and interviewed youth climate activists to determine how climate effects like wildfire, extreme heat, drought, flooding, and air pollution are affecting young people s mental health. Emma Bruehlman-Senecal, research lead for Hopelab, is the author of the group s Climate Generation blog. .
Washingtonians with kids and older parents in need of care are praising the peace of mind the state s new retirement savings program is providing them. Working, middle-aged people caring for kids and their parents are considered members of the sandwich generation. The WA Cares Fund will provide benefits so that people can pay for long term care. .