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Ohio schools are stepping up to meet the needs of a growing number of English learners. Nearly 40% of around 60,000 English learners in the state speak Spanish as their primary language, but others speak Arabic, Chinese, Somali, Swahili and more. Debbie Skarsten is an English teacher in Pickerington. ...
A new analysis of 2022 census data has uncovered a troubling trend: The uninsured rate for Pennsylvania children worsened during the final full year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2023 State of Children's Health in Pennsylvania report found more than 145,000 children are without health insurance. Becky Ludwick, vice president of public policy at Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, emphasized despite the Medicaid continuous coverage and other flexibilities in place during the public health emergency, Pennsylvania is among a few states observing a decline in the rate of children having acce...
New county-level data show Kentucky is facing a severe shortage of workers in sectors supporting children, including teachers, counselors, child care providers, child welfare workers and others. Sarah Vanover, policy and research director for Kentucky Youth Advocates, said the state's more than one million children are feeling the effects of fewer education professionals. According to the report, less than half of the state's kindergartners entered school ready to learn last school year, and schools are facing declining math and reading proficiency rates. ...
More American children had health insurance during the pandemic than ever before. But now, as states are required to re-enroll those eligible for Medicaid, the number of uninsured is skyrocketing. Nowhere is it more true than in Texas, where since what has called the "unwinding" started in April, already a half million children have lost coverage. ...
OPINION: Why Children Need the COVID-19 Vaccine By Valerie Borum Smith, MD, MPH, FAAP Valerie Borum Smith, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a pediatrician at St. Paul Children’s Services in Tyler, Texas, and is a member of the Texas Medical Association COVID-19 taskforce. Good news for parents—children who are 12 years and older can now get the COVID-19 vaccine, and it couldn’t come at a better time. While children are less likely to develop severe illness from COVID-19, they are still at risk. Families deserve the chance to get back to an active life without the constant worries. The vaccine is the b...