4 R Kids ECI Newsletter
Volume 6 - April 2013

Greetings! 

The legislative session began January 14, 2013 and the 110th day should conclude May 3, 2013. It appears to be quieter than usual this session.  The legislature is focused on education reform and balancing the budget.  What you might find interesting is early childhood education was not included in education reform. 

  

Several advocates attended Early Childhood Iowa Day on the Hill on March 12 where we shared information with several legilsators regarding the impact the first 2000 days makes in a child life.  Rob Grunewald, Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, gave a press conference and then presented to the Senate Economic Growth Committee on the return on investments in early childhood education.  He remarked that "you don't even have to like children to make a high rate of return on investment". Grunewald also said, a cost-benefit analysis indicates that up to $16 is returned long-term for every $1 invested in a high-quality early childhood programs.

  

Debra Schrader

4 R Kids Excutive Director

 

 

 

       Condition of Education Report

The Iowa Department of Education released the 2012 edition of the Annual Condition of Education report.

 

The report provides a wide range of state-level data, including shifts in student populations and demographics, teacher salaries and characteristics, student achievement results and school financial information. Below are few of the highlighs fro the report

 

Students in Public Schools

  • 19.3%: Percentage of minority student enrollment, up from 14.9 percent in 2008-09 and 5.5 percent in 1990.
  • 40.1%: Percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, up from 27 percent a decade ago.
  • 88.3%: Four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2011.
  • 39.4%: Percentage of students in the Class of 2012 who enrolled in high-level mathematics courses, including calculus and trigonometry.
  • 65.9%: Percentage of students in the Class of 2012 who reported taking chemistry; 26.9 percent enrolled in physics.
  • 22.1: ACT composite score among 63 percent of students in Iowa's Class of 2012 who were tested. The national average was 21.1 out of a possible 36.
  • 34,513: The number of students enrolled concurrently in high school and community college courses, up from 21,587 in 2006-07.

Schools and Teachers

  • 351: The number of Iowa school districts in 2011-12; there were 359 the year before and 431 in 1990.
  • 33,938: The number of full-time public school teachers, up slightly from 33,610 in 2000-01.
  • $50,634: The average salary for public school teachers in 2010-11, up from $49,626 the previous school year. Iowa ranks 25th nationally in teacher pay and 6th among Midwestern states.
  • 96%: Percentage of Iowa school districts that offered preschool in 2011-12, up from 83.4 percent in 2008-09.
  • 41.8: Average age of Iowa's full-time public school teachers.

School Finance

  • 81%: Percentage of total general fund spending in public schools for salaries and benefits.
  • $9,484: Iowa's average per-student expenditure in 2010-11. The amount is about the same as the year before ($9,455).
  • 70.8%: Percentage of total general fund spending in Iowa public schools dedicated to student instruction in 2010-11; up from 68.6 percent in 1997-98.
Volunteerism 

 

For the second year in a row, Iowa has achieved the second-highest volunteer rate in the country with 37.9 percent of Iowans helping others in 2010. That surpasses the 2008 rank of fifth, according to the recent Volunteering in America report released by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Iowans devoted a total of 93.4 million hours to volunteering in 2010 and provided more than $2 billion in services to Iowa. Additionally, Iowa ranked first in volunteer retention rate. Since the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service was created in 1994, Iowa has made persistent efforts to build and support a local infrastructure to support volunteerism. Nearly 150,000 more Iowans volunteer today than they did in 1989 prior to the creation of the commission. (www.volunteeringinamerica.gov)

 Moments in America for Children

* Every second and a half during the school year a public school student receives an out-of school suspension.

* Every 8 seconds during the school year a public high school student drops out.

* Every 17 seconds a child is arrested.

* Every 19 seconds a baby is born to an unmarried mother.

* Every 29 seconds a child is born into poverty.

* Every 30 seconds during the school year a public school student is corporally punished.

* Every 47 seconds a child is abused or neglected.

* Every 67 seconds a baby is born without health insurance.

* Every 85 seconds a baby is born to a teen mother.

* Every 2 minutes a baby is born at low birth weight.

* Every 3 minutes a child is arrested for a drug offense.

* Every 6 minutes a child is arrested for a violent offense.

* Every 21 minutes a baby dies before his or her first birthday.

* Every hour and a half a child dies from an accident.

* Every 3 hours a child is killed by a firearm.

* Every 5-and-a-half hours a child is killed by abuse or neglect.

* Every 8 hours a child commits suicide.

* Every 10 hours a baby's mother dies due to complications from pregnancy

Did You Know?
Up to 45% of kids are not ready to learn?
 
A good home visiting program can make a difference, home visiting will:

 

*reduce language delays

*improve cognitive development and better behavior

*raise GPA's and math and reading scores

 

Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts

High School Graduation Rates
 
98.4% Adair
95.9% Dallas
96.3% Madison
93.0% Warren 
88.4% Iowa
76.3% U.S.

 Source: Iowa Department of Education 2011

 

Read and
 Grow
 Toddlerfest!
April 6th, 2013
9:00-11:30
Indianola Middle School Cafeteria
403 S. 15th Street
Indianola
A morning of FREE activities dedicated to children ages 2 to 5 years old and their parents. Each child will recieve a free book or attending!
  
*************************  
  
Toddlerfest
April 13th, 2013
10:00-12:00
Winterset Elementary School Gym
  404 S. S econd Street
Winterset
  
A FREE fun filled event for toddlers age 4 and under and their families. Each child will recieve a free book for attending!
Both events are sponsored by the 4 R Kids ECI Area Board and the public libraries

 

4 R Kids ECI Area Board Meeting Dates

April 18, 2013

Adel Library in Adel

 

May  16, 2013

Vintage Hills in Indianola

 

June 20, 2013

Location TBD in Greenfield

 

July 18, 2013

Farmers Merchant Bank in Winterset

 

September 12, 2013

Vintage Hills in Indianola

 

Board meetings are at 6:30 P.M.

Debra Schrader, 4 R Kids Executive Director

4 R Kids Early Childhood Iowa Area Board

1011 Pear Avenue

Prescott, Iowa 50859

641-344-2250

4rkids-eci.org

4rkidseci@gmail.com


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4 R Kids Early Childhood Iowa Area Board Vision
"Every child beginning at birth will be healthy and successful"