| Education
New Issue Brief Released on Effective Public Education Policies |
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Rhode Island KIDS COUNT released its latest Issue Brief, Effective Public Education Policies: Lessons from Massachusetts and New Jersey, at a policy roundtable with national experts on education reform: Paul Reville, Massachusetts Secretary of Education, and Kathleen Dunn Priestley, Consultant to the National Institute for Early Education Research and Association for Children of New Jersey. Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Deborah A. Gist, on her first day as Commissioner, responded to the report and outlined the agenda she has planned for her first 100 days. View pictures from the event. |
| State Legislative Highlights
2009 General Assembly Session |
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Despite a difficult budget, there was some progress for children and families in the 2009 legislative session, including:
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Economic Well-Being
- Of the approximately 3,000 families scheduled to lose cash assistance starting July 1, about half will remain eligible through June 30, 2010.
- State funding to administer the School Breakfast Program was maintained.
- The budget includes $2.5 million for affordable housing through the Neighborhood Opportunities Program.
Education
- $800,000 in state funding for Head Start was preserved.
- A Pre-K demonstration program was funded.
- Funding for charter schools was expanded.
- $100,000 was approved for an Expanded Learning Time initiative.
Health
Watch for the full review of the legislative session in Rhode Island KIDS COUNT's 2009 Legislative Wrap-up to be released in late July.
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| Youth Development
End Youth Violence |
The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence was recently featured on the Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Cable Television Show. Teny Gross and Sal Monteiro, Jr., discuss the Institute's approach to youth violence prevention, which includes streetworker outreach, nonviolence training for youth, job readiness skills, summer jobs, victim support for families and college prep. For more information on the Institute, go to www.nonviolenceinstitute.org.
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT dedicates this KIDS COUNT television show to the memory and life's work of David Cartagena, Senior Streetworker at the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence.
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