Annie E. Casey Foundation
@annieecaseyfdn.bsky.social
Building a brighter future for children, families and communities.
https://www.aecf.org/
https://www.aecf.org/
“No matter what color the kid is, if [kids’ learning disabilities] are unidentified, misidentified or late identified, you start to see all those behavioral manifestations. …There’s always that phenomenon where a kid would rather be perceived as bad than to be perceived as dumb.”
For Decades, Students of Color Denied Dyslexia Diagnosis and Intervention
Undiagnosed dyslexia can manifest as behavior issues, which can disproportionately harm Black and brown kids in school and their mental health.
www.the74million.org
December 5, 2025 at 4:55 PM
“No matter what color the kid is, if [kids’ learning disabilities] are unidentified, misidentified or late identified, you start to see all those behavioral manifestations. …There’s always that phenomenon where a kid would rather be perceived as bad than to be perceived as dumb.”
Michigan’s free preschool program enrolled a record number of young children this year! However, there are still numerous open seats at child care programs across the state, leaving state officials worried that many Michigan families aren't aware the program is available.
Michigan reports record enrollment in the state’s free preschool program
Despite record enrollments in the state’s free Great Start Readiness Program, there are plenty of openings across Michigan for more children to be signed up.
www.chalkbeat.org
December 4, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Michigan’s free preschool program enrolled a record number of young children this year! However, there are still numerous open seats at child care programs across the state, leaving state officials worried that many Michigan families aren't aware the program is available.
Students in foster care attending New York City Public schools were issued long-term suspensions six times more often than students not in foster care during the 2024–25 school year.
NYC Foster Students Still Suspended at High Rates
Data released by the New York City Public Schools showed an uptick in suspensions among foster and homeless youth.
imprintnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Students in foster care attending New York City Public schools were issued long-term suspensions six times more often than students not in foster care during the 2024–25 school year.
About half of all K–12 students in the U.S. rely on a school bus to get to school, yet many school districts across states are still struggling to hire enough school bus drivers to address the national shortage.
National School Bus Driver Shortage Persists, Despite Recent Gains
A dearth of drivers has a particularly pronounced effect on students with disabilities.
www.the74million.org
December 3, 2025 at 8:43 PM
About half of all K–12 students in the U.S. rely on a school bus to get to school, yet many school districts across states are still struggling to hire enough school bus drivers to address the national shortage.
“Young people 18 and older — especially those who are responsible for supporting themselves or their families — are expected to be self-sufficient. Yet in today’s world, many still need financial and other assistance to meet their basic needs and plan for their futures.”
Helping Young Adults Access the Benefits They Need to Succeed
The Casey Foundation is seeking to help young adults access public benefits in pursuit of building economic stability. Read about this strategy.
www.aecf.org
December 3, 2025 at 4:15 PM
“Young people 18 and older — especially those who are responsible for supporting themselves or their families — are expected to be self-sufficient. Yet in today’s world, many still need financial and other assistance to meet their basic needs and plan for their futures.”
Nearly 60% of U.S. parents with children under the age of 18 are extremely or very confident that childhood vaccines are highly effective at preventing serious illness, found a recent @pewresearch.org analysis.
Parents’ confidence in childhood vaccine effectiveness, safety testing and schedule
Democratic parents are more likely than Republican parents to have high confidence in childhood vaccines’ effectiveness, safety testing and schedule.
www.pewresearch.org
December 2, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Nearly 60% of U.S. parents with children under the age of 18 are extremely or very confident that childhood vaccines are highly effective at preventing serious illness, found a recent @pewresearch.org analysis.
Texas's newly streamlined kinship caregiver licensing process makes it easier for relatives taking in their young family members to get formally licensed as foster parents — which allows them to access financial support, mental health services and other resources from the state.
Texas Eases Licensing Barriers for Relative Caregivers
Texas has made it easier for relatives to become licensed foster parents by creating a new process, Gov. Greg Abbott announced.
imprintnews.org
December 2, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Texas's newly streamlined kinship caregiver licensing process makes it easier for relatives taking in their young family members to get formally licensed as foster parents — which allows them to access financial support, mental health services and other resources from the state.
Around 15% of special education teachers leave their jobs each year, many of them choosing to stay educators but switch to a different speciality because of the general lack of mentoring, resources and professional development opportunities for new special education teachers.
Schools Have the Special Educators—But Keep Losing Them to General Ed.
A study across seven states finds educators for students with disabilities need more targeted support.
www.edweek.org
December 1, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Around 15% of special education teachers leave their jobs each year, many of them choosing to stay educators but switch to a different speciality because of the general lack of mentoring, resources and professional development opportunities for new special education teachers.
“A lot of times, when I see patients who are second and third trimester, I always ask, ‘What kept you from getting [care earlier]? What was your barrier?’ They often tell me, ‘I had trouble getting my Medicaid,’ or ‘I was moving around a lot,’ or ‘I had housing insecurity or food insecurity.’”
About a quarter of pregnant women in the US don’t get prenatal care in their first trimester, report says | CNN
A report released Monday by the infant and maternal health nonprofit March of Dimes says that only about 75% of babies last year were born to mothers who started prenatal care in the first trimester o...
www.cnn.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:12 PM
“A lot of times, when I see patients who are second and third trimester, I always ask, ‘What kept you from getting [care earlier]? What was your barrier?’ They often tell me, ‘I had trouble getting my Medicaid,’ or ‘I was moving around a lot,’ or ‘I had housing insecurity or food insecurity.’”
Despite common misconceptions that foster care and adoption are the same, foster care is actually a temporary arrangement during which efforts are made to reunite children with their families of origin, while adoption is a permanent legal process where a child joins their adoptive family.
Frequently Asked Questions About Foster Care
Find answers to common foster care questions, including requirements, payment, timelines and tips for navigating the challenges of fostering.
www.aecf.org
November 25, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Despite common misconceptions that foster care and adoption are the same, foster care is actually a temporary arrangement during which efforts are made to reunite children with their families of origin, while adoption is a permanent legal process where a child joins their adoptive family.
“YouTube is kids’ favorite playground right now. We have to ask whether it’s being maintained in the right ways, if the equipment is safe and giving kids freedom to explore and have positive experiences? Or are they being steered towards experiences that... don’t support their developmental growth?”
Report: More Parents Say Their Kids Under 2 Watch YouTube Than in 2020
YouTube use has risen for babies and toddlers, a recent Pew report found.
www.the74million.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:14 PM
“YouTube is kids’ favorite playground right now. We have to ask whether it’s being maintained in the right ways, if the equipment is safe and giving kids freedom to explore and have positive experiences? Or are they being steered towards experiences that... don’t support their developmental growth?”
Leslie Boissiere, our vice president for external affairs, recently joined @econofact.bsky.social to discuss the Foundation’s new report examining child poverty in the U.S. over the past decade. Listen to the full podcast:
Can Government Support Reduce Child Poverty? | Econofact Chats
A discussion with Leslie Boissiere on the long-run economic and social costs of childhood poverty, and the role of public policy in addressing this problem.
econofact.org
November 21, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Leslie Boissiere, our vice president for external affairs, recently joined @econofact.bsky.social to discuss the Foundation’s new report examining child poverty in the U.S. over the past decade. Listen to the full podcast:
“The chronic absenteeism numbers in high school suggest that kids are really voting with their feet. And so one way to get them back would be to invite them in to be part of the solution, to say, ‘What is it that is not meeting your needs? How can we include your voice in the process...?’”
They Examined 3.3 Million Texts on Chronic Absenteeism. Here Are 4 Big Findings
New report says ‘accessible, timely and specific’ messages to parents, students can trim absences.
www.the74million.org
November 21, 2025 at 3:52 PM
“The chronic absenteeism numbers in high school suggest that kids are really voting with their feet. And so one way to get them back would be to invite them in to be part of the solution, to say, ‘What is it that is not meeting your needs? How can we include your voice in the process...?’”
Juvenile justice systems across the country are trying out non-traditional alternatives to probation and incarceration that emphasize how support, rather than punishment, can help youth get their lives back on track.
What Works Better Than Incarceration to Get Kids Back on Track
The research is clear: When youth get guidance and opportunity instead of punishment, they grow — and communities become safer.
www.aecf.org
November 20, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Juvenile justice systems across the country are trying out non-traditional alternatives to probation and incarceration that emphasize how support, rather than punishment, can help youth get their lives back on track.
“The cost of child care is not only a low-income family problem.”
What free child care in New Mexico will mean to one family
Even middle-class families can be severely cost-burdened by child care.
www.marketplace.org
November 20, 2025 at 3:43 PM
“The cost of child care is not only a low-income family problem.”
The percentage of Minnesota foster children being taken in by their relatives has doubled in the past decade — and Keeping Families Connected Minnesota, a new non-profit providing free or low-cost legal consults to kinship caregivers, aims to help ease that transition for children and caregivers.
Minnesota Legal Nonprofit Opens to Support Kinship Caregivers | The Imprint
The nonprofit Keeping Families Connected Minnesota, launched in early October, provides free or low-cost legal resources to kinship caregivers in the state.
imprintnews.org
November 19, 2025 at 8:26 PM
The percentage of Minnesota foster children being taken in by their relatives has doubled in the past decade — and Keeping Families Connected Minnesota, a new non-profit providing free or low-cost legal consults to kinship caregivers, aims to help ease that transition for children and caregivers.
Children in foster care are frequently moved between placements, increasing the chances that they’re chronically absent from school and making it more likely they have to repeat a grade or drop out of school.
What back-to-school season reveals about youth in foster care — and the attendance crisis | Youth Today
Foster youth miss school, repeat grades and drop out more compared to their peers.
youthtoday.org
November 19, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Children in foster care are frequently moved between placements, increasing the chances that they’re chronically absent from school and making it more likely they have to repeat a grade or drop out of school.
An increasing percentage of college students are choosing to double major in hopes that having knowledge across multiple areas will make it easier to find secure and well-paid jobs after graduation.
College students hedge their bets in a chaotic labor market by double-majoring
The practice of double-majoring is rising at many colleges and universities as students fret about getting jobs in an economy seemingly shifting faster than single majors can keep up.
hechingerreport.org
November 18, 2025 at 7:38 PM
An increasing percentage of college students are choosing to double major in hopes that having knowledge across multiple areas will make it easier to find secure and well-paid jobs after graduation.
Children experiencing food insecurity are more likely to have anxiety or depression and to develop behavioral issues than their peers.
Food Insecurity Harms Child Development
Sixteen million US children may lose food benefits this week. Research demonstrates that food insecurity has short-term and long-term effects on children's mental and physical health.
www.psychologytoday.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Children experiencing food insecurity are more likely to have anxiety or depression and to develop behavioral issues than their peers.
At the Del Norte High School in New Mexico, students can sign up for internships with organizations addressing homelessness — an opportunity that allows them to achieve academic and career goals while also contributing to their community.
How a Work-Based Learning Model Is Helping Students Stay in School
By connecting learning to community impact, youth are gaining skills — and a stronger sense of belonging and purpose. Learn more.
www.aecf.org
November 17, 2025 at 7:37 PM
At the Del Norte High School in New Mexico, students can sign up for internships with organizations addressing homelessness — an opportunity that allows them to achieve academic and career goals while also contributing to their community.
“It’s not enough to know your content and be a good teacher, but you also need to be a student of your students… so that you’re crafting instructional and community experiences for students that adequately meet their needs.”
The Middle School Transition Is Tough. How Educators Can Help
A new partnership aims to ease the transition from elementary school to middle school.
www.edweek.org
November 17, 2025 at 5:49 PM
“It’s not enough to know your content and be a good teacher, but you also need to be a student of your students… so that you’re crafting instructional and community experiences for students that adequately meet their needs.”
As of November 1st, New Mexico has become the first U.S. state to offer free child care to all residents. The state hopes that the new system will help boost its economy and improve K–12 education performance.
www.reuters.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:11 PM
As of November 1st, New Mexico has become the first U.S. state to offer free child care to all residents. The state hopes that the new system will help boost its economy and improve K–12 education performance.
1 in 3 adults in the U.S. under the age of 25 have experienced a mental, behavioral or emotional health issue in the past year.
CDC reports 40% of teens struggle with mental health as Ohio expands response services
National data shows that 40% of teens struggle with mental health issues. Against that backdrop, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced access to crisis response teams is now available statewide for young pe...
www.cleveland.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:52 PM
1 in 3 adults in the U.S. under the age of 25 have experienced a mental, behavioral or emotional health issue in the past year.
Over three-quarters of children who enter foster care find permanence by returning to their parents, being adopted by a family member or foster parent or having someone they know become their legal guardian.
What Is Permanence?
Every child needs and deserves to grow up in a safe, loving and nurturing family – a family whose support is unconditional and will last a lifetime.
www.aecf.org
November 13, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Over three-quarters of children who enter foster care find permanence by returning to their parents, being adopted by a family member or foster parent or having someone they know become their legal guardian.
Reposted by Annie E. Casey Foundation
Leslie Boissiere (@annieecaseyfdn.bsky.social) joined EconoFact Chats to discuss the effectiveness of public policy in reducing child poverty.
econofact.org/podcast/can-...
econofact.org/podcast/can-...
Can Government Support Reduce Child Poverty? | Econofact Chats
A discussion with Leslie Boissiere on the long-run economic and social costs of childhood poverty, and the role of public policy in addressing this problem.
econofact.org
November 13, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Leslie Boissiere (@annieecaseyfdn.bsky.social) joined EconoFact Chats to discuss the effectiveness of public policy in reducing child poverty.
econofact.org/podcast/can-...
econofact.org/podcast/can-...