Resources & Publications: Strengthening Children, Youth and Families

• Apr 18, 2013  |  CLASP's Youth Policy Team Keeping Connected Youth Newsletter - April 2013 This periodic update for the field is a part of CLASP's ongoing work to advance policy and practice that will dramatically improve the education, employment, and life outcomes for youth in communities of high youth distress. It highlights policy happenings in education, training and youth development that impact black male achievement. Download File
• Apr 08, 2013  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - April 2013 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. Read Online
• Apr 03, 2013  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Bryant Taking Aim at Gun Violence: Rebuilding Community Education and Employment Pathways In a single generation, our nation is faced with the prospect of losing over 132,000 black men and boys to gun violence. Moreover, for every black male who dies from gun violence, there are another 24 others who suffer non-fatal injuries - making the impacts of such violence even greater. In black communities, gun violence is about far more than reforming gun control laws and empowering law enforcement. Gun violence for young black males predominates in communities where residents live in concentrated disadvantage with high rates of unemployment, school dropout, and poverty. The absence of opportunities in these communities gives rise to criminal activity and the loss of too many young lives. Solving the crisis of gun violence in communities requires that America address the issue of concentrated poverty and geography. The rebuilding and strengthening of these communities through creating infrastructure to provide improved education and employment opportunities for black youth will significantly reduce issues of gun violence. Read Online   |   Download PDF   |   Additional PDF
• Mar 29, 2013  |  Lavanya Mohan CLASP Work Supports Newsletter - March 2013 The Work Supports Newsletter is a monthly update that summarizes CLASP's work on safety net programs that include cash assistance (TANF), nutrition supports (SNAP), refundable tax credits, health insurance, child support enforcement and child care subsidies. Read Online
• Mar 20, 2013  |  Child Care and Early Education U.S. Head Start by the Numbers 2011 This fact sheet presents Head Start PIR data for all Head Start programs in the country -- including preschool programs, Early Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start. Download PDF
• Mar 19, 2013  |  Chris Warland and Melissa Young, National Transitional Jobs Network and Elizabeth Lower-Basch, CLASP Innovative City and State Funding Approaches to Supporting Subsidized Employment and Transitional Jobs A new paper from the National Transitional Jobs Network and CLASP provides strategies and makes recommendations on leveraging and blending multiple sources of funding to support subsidized employment programs. In addition to highlighting the opportunities to use block grant funding, from both TANF and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), the paper identifies efforts to fund these jobs by averting future expenses associated with prisons and other corrections measures and by leveraging public contracting and bidding opportunities. The webinar is also available. Read Online   |   Download PDF   |   Additional PDF
• Mar 15, 2013  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch and Neil Ridley Navigating Federal Programs to Build Sustainable Career Pathways in the Health Professions: A Guide for HPOG Programs Healthcare is one of the fastest growing sectors in our economy, and there are many jobs in this sector that require fewer than 4 years of college education, have high demand, and offer good pay. However, low-income workers often face barriers to accessing the education and training they need to enter these jobs, including lack of information, poor basic skills, confusing and poorly aligned training programs, cost of training, and need for supportive services, such as child care and transportation. The Heath Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG), authorized by section 5507 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA; Public Law 111-148), address this issue by supporting models for providing education, training, and support services to enable recipients of cash assistance under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other low-income individuals to obtain well-paying jobs in high-demand healthcare occupations. The HPOG program is one of several provisions of ACA aimed at supporting training for the healthcare workforce of the future. Download PDF
• Mar 12, 2013  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - March 2013 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. Read Online
• Mar 04, 2013  |  Lavanya Mohan CLASP Work Supports Newsletter - February 2013 CLASP is inaugurating this Work Supports e-newsletter to highlight the efforts of CLASP and our colleague organizations to help ensure low-income families get the support they need to stay employed and provide for their families. Read Online
• Feb 28, 2013  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Testimony on TANF Work Requirements This is the testimony that Elizabeth Lower-Basch delivered before the Ways and Means Human Resource Subcommittee regarding TANF Work Requirements and Waivers. Download PDF
• Feb 24, 2013  |  Stephanie Schmit Comments on Developing Assessments for Kindergarten Entry CLASP comments on the appropriate development of Kindergarten Entry Assesments (KEA), which are the focus of recent Enhanced Assessment Grants. Download PDF
• Feb 22, 2013  |  CLASP's Youth Policy Team "Keeping Connected" eUpdate This periodic update for the field is a part of CLASP's ongoing work to advance policy and practice that will dramatically improve the education, employment, and life outcomes for youth in communities of high youth distress. It highlights policy happenings in education, training and youth development that impact black male achievement. Read Online
• Feb 21, 2013  |  CLASP's Youth Policy Team Keeping Connected Youth Newsletter - February 2013 This periodic update for the field is a part of CLASP's ongoing work to advance policy and practice that will dramatically improve the education, employment, and life outcomes for youth in communities of high youth distress. It highlights policy happenings in education, training and youth development that impact black male achievement. Download File
• Feb 19, 2013  |  Christine Johnson-Staub and Stephanie Schmit Putting it Together: Financing Comprehensive Services in Child Care and Early Education This presentation, given at the 2013 AMCHP conference, drew upon CLASP's recently published Putting it Together guide to financing comprehensive services, to discuss ways that states have used a variety of federal funding streams, including the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems funds and Medicaid funds, to finance services including child care health consultants, developmental screening, and preventive health outreach in child care settings. Download File
• Feb 19, 2013  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Bryant, Linda Harris, Kisha Bird Investing in Boys and Young Men of Color: The Promise and Opportunity Boys and young men of color in the United States face challenges in the areas of education, employment, and health. In the last several years, there has been greater focus on understanding these challenges and identifying potential solutions. While we know more about effective programmatic solutions, we still have much to learn about the systemic barriers that impede the success of males of color. Effecting policy changes in these areas will produce sustainable gains for boys and young men of color. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation commissioned CLASP to conduct a scan of these policy opportunities to inform the development of their Forward Promise Initiative. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Feb 08, 2013  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - February 2013 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. Read Online
• Feb 06, 2013  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Goals for TANF Reauthorization This updated Policy Brief argues that poverty alleviation and prevention of material hardship and creation of effective pathways to economic opportunity should be the goals of TANF reauthorization and recommends program changes that would more effectively promote these goals. Download PDF
• Jan 23, 2013 After the Fiscal Cliff, What's Next for Early Childhood? CLASP's Hannah Matthews, NWLC's Helen Blank, and NAEYC's Adele Robinson discuss the many uncertainties that early childhood programs face as we move toward the next round of fiscal negotiations. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Jan 11, 2013  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - January 2013 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP and ZERO TO THREE Expanding Access to EHS: Illinois Child Care Initiative The Illinois Child Care Collaboration Program promotes collaboration between child care and other early care and education providers, including Early Head Start (EHS), by creating policies to ease blending of funds to extend the day or year of existing services. While no funding is provided through the initiative, participating programs may take advantage of several child care rule exceptions that make it easier to access child care subsidy dollars to extend the day/year of EHS services. Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP and ZERO TO THREE Expanding Access to EHS: Illinois Prevention Initiative The Illinois Prevention Initiative provides grants to home-based and center-based programs to expand access to the Early Head Start (EHS) model as well as other birth to 3 models. The goal is to serve additional children birth to age 3 and help grantees increase program quality. The initiative to expand access to EHS and other models was established by the Illinois State Board of Education in 2007, as recommended by the Illinois Early Learning Council. Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP and ZERO TO THREE Expanding Access to EHS: Kansas Initiative Kansas Early Head Start (KEHS) provides comprehensive services following federal Head Start Program Performance Standards for pregnant women and eligible families with children from birth to age 4. KEHS was implemented in 1998 using Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) quality set-aside dollars augmented by a transfer of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. The initiative was designed to improve the availability and quality of child care for infants and toddlers in Kansas. Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP and ZERO TO THREE Expanding Access to EHS: Maine Initiative Maine has two initiatives that build on Early Head Start (EHS). The first initiative, Fund for a Healthy Maine, provides tobacco settlement money to existing Head Start and EHS programs to expand the number of children who receive full-day, full-year services. The second initiative, Supplemental, provides state general revenue funds to all Head Start programs to add additional slots, some of which may be used for EHS. Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP and ZERO TO THREE Expanding Access to EHS: Maryland Initiative Since 2000, Maryland has provided state supplemental funds to Head Start and Early Head Start (EHS) programs to improve access. Local EHS programs may use funds, through child care partnerships, to extend the EHS day or year. Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP and ZERO TO THREE Expanding Access to EHS: Minnesota Initiative Minnesota provides supplemental state funding to existing federal Head Start and Early Head Start (EHS) grantees to increase their capacity to serve additional infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. The initiative was started in 1997 when the state legislature earmarked $1 million of the general state Head Start supplemental funds for children birth to age 3. Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP and ZERO TO THREE Expanding Access to EHS: Missouri Initiative Missouri's Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership Project expands access to Early Head Start (EHS) services for children birth to age 3 by developing partnerships between federal Head Start, EHS contractors, and child care providers. Head Start and EHS contractors that participate in the initiative provide services through community child care providers to both increase the number of children receiving EHS services and improve the overall quality of care. Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP and ZERO TO THREE Expanding Access to EHS: Nebraska Initiative Since 1999, Nebraska's Early Head Start Infant/Toddler Quality Initiative has supported Early Head Start (EHS) and community child care partnerships to improve the quality and professionalism of infant and toddler care. EHS programs apply to receive funding to establish partnerships with center-based or home-based child care. Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP and ZERO TO THREE Expanding Access to EHS: Oklahoma Initiative The Oklahoma Early Childhood Program uses public and private funds to enhance and expand high quality early care and education opportunities for children birth through age 3. The George Kaiser Family Foundation initiated the pilot in 2006 by matching state general revenue with private donations. Since that time, other private funders and providers have begun to contribute matching funds. Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2012  |  CLASP's Youth Policy Team Keeping Connected Youth Newsletter - December 2012 This periodic update for the field is a part of CLASP's ongoing work to advance policy and practice that will dramatically improve the education, employment, and life outcomes for youth in communities of high youth distress. It highlights policy happenings in education, training and youth development that impact black male achievement. Download File
• Dec 05, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - December 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Nov 26, 2012 Possibilities and Pitfalls: The Role of Licensing in Supporting Relatives in Caring for Children in Foster Care Download PDF
• Nov 16, 2012  |  Hannah Matthews, Christine Johnson-Staub, and Leanne Barrett Reaching Children Through Comprehensive Services: Exploring Local Partnerships and Federal Funding This presentation, given at the 2012 National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia, looks at opportunities and strategies for using federal funding streams to support the availability of comprehensive services for young children in child care and early education settings. Download PDF
• Nov 14, 2012  |  Stephanie Schmit Early Head Start Participants, Programs, Families and Staff in 2011 This fact sheet reviews the 2011 Program Information Report (PIR) data for the Early Head Start program, which serves children under age 3 and pregnant women. In 2011, Early Head Start continued to provide vital services to a diverse group of low-income children and families. However, only about 4 percent of eligible children receive Early Head Start services. Download PDF
• Nov 14, 2012  |  Stephanie Schmit Head Start Participants, Programs, Families and Staff in 2011 This fact sheet reviews the 2011 Program Information Report (PIR) data for the Head Start preschool program, which serves children ages 3 and 4. In 2011, Head Start continued to provide vital services to a diverse group of low-income children and families. However, only 42 percent of eligible children receive Head Start preschool services. Download PDF
• Nov 13, 2012  |  Christine Johnson-Staub Planning Funding Partnerships: A Worksheet to Help States Get Started in Putting it Together The following worksheet comes from CLASP's "Putting It Together: A Guide to Financing Comprehensive Services in Child Care and Early Education." States and communities embarking on financing partnerships to expand access to comprehensive services can use this worksheet to begin mapping the need, available resources, and potential partnering strategies that will help them move forward. This document may be downloaded, edited, and saved. Download PDF
• Nov 09, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - November 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Nov 01, 2012  |  Hannah Matthews Comments on the Child Care and Development Fund Plan for States/Territories for FFY 2014-2015 CLASP comments on the revisions made to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Preprint in FFY 2012-2013 as well as makes suggestions on how to improve the FFY 2014-2015 Preprint. Download PDF
• Oct 31, 2012  |  Emily Firgens and Hannah Matthews State Child Care Policies for Limited English Proficient Families The most recent set of CCDBG state plans for FFY 2012-2013 offer insight into how states' activities and policies are targeted toward LEP and immigrant families, children, and providers. We provide in this paper summaries of state responses to questions about engaging with LEP families and providers and better serving them through state child care assistance programs. Download PDF
• Oct 16, 2012  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Bryant Commentary on Children, Families and Poverty: Definitions, Trends, Emerging Science and Implications for Policy The topic of poverty for children is quite timely. The country's recent financial troubles have increased the number of children and families in poverty, and that number could get bigger with the looming possibility of precipitous drops in funding for the social programs needed to aid these families. This issue needs to be raised and put at the forefront of our nation's budgetary planning. We need solutions that meet the needs of these families both immediately and in the longer term. Read Online
• Oct 09, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - October 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Oct 01, 2012  |  Elizabeth Kenefick and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Helping TANF Recipients Overcome Addiction This brief aims to provide updated information on the range of state policies and highlights some of the promising approaches that states are using to address substance abuse by TANF recipients. It is based primarily on a recent CLASP-commissioned survey conducted by students at George Washington's School of Public Policy, as well as interviews they conducted with state TANF program administrators. Download PDF
• Oct 01, 2012  |  Matt Lewis, Elizabeth Kenefick, and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Random Drug Testing of TANF Recipients is Costly, Ineffective and Hurts Families Updated October 2012. Legislators in a number of states have proposed to test all TANF recipients for drug use. This updated brief explains that random drug testing may be unconstitutional, and is a costly and ineffective way to identify individuals in need of substance abuse treatment. Screening, targeted testing programs, and enhanced treatment options are a better approach to helping TANF families affected by substance abuse. Download PDF
• Sep 25, 2012 Audio Conference: Federal Budget Roadmap - Where We're Going and What We Need to Do CLASP's Hannah Matthews alongside representatives from National Women's Law Center (NWLC) and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) discuss the latest on federal developments that will impact child care and early education programs and funding. Read Online   |   Download PDF   |   Additional PDF
• Sep 14, 2012  |  Stephanie Schmit and Jamie Colvard Webinar: State Initiatives to Expand Early Head Start This webinar discusses the content of the new CLASP and ZERO TO THREE report, "Expanding Access to Early Head Start: State Initiatives for Infants and Toddlers at Risk." The webinar highlights how states are using innovative funding, policies, and partnerships, to expand the EHS program and better meet the needs of more low-income children and pregnant women living in their state. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Sep 13, 2012  |  Christine Johnson-Staub and Sessy Nyman Casting a Wide Net to Support Caregivers: A Strategy to Reach the Highest Need Infants and Toddlers This presentation was given at the NARA Licensing Seminar in San Franciso, CA on September 10, 2012. "Casting a Wide Net to Support Caregivers: A Strategy to Reach the Highest Need Infants and Toddlers" discusses the relationship betwee family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) care and existing child care quality initiatives, as well as how home visiting can be used as an FFN quality strategy. Download PDF
• Sep 13, 2012  |  Stephanie Schmit and Jamie Colvard Expanding Access to Early Head Start: State Initiatives for Infants and Toddlers at Risk All babies need good health, strong families, and positive early learning experiences to foster their healthy intellectual, social, and emotional development. Unfortunately, far too few young children receive the supports they need to build a strong foundation for future growth. The federal Early Head Start (EHS) program was created in 1994 to address the comprehensive needs of children under age 3 in low-income families and vulnerable low-income pregnant women. Research shows that EHS positively impacts children's cognitive, language, and social-emotional development; family self-sufficiency; and parental support of child development. This report highlights how states are using innovative funding, policies, and partnerships, to expand the critically important EHS program and better meet the needs of more low-income children and pregnant women living in their state. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Sep 10, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - September 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Sep 07, 2012  |  Hannah Matthews At Risk: Early Care and Education Funding and Sequestration Sequestration was created in August 2011 as part of the Budget Control Act of 2011, which ended that year's showdown over raising the federal debt ceiling. Because Congress failed to come up with a deficit reduction plan, the Budget Control Act calls for $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts over the next decade, divided equally between defense and "non-defense discretionary" programs. This fact sheet explains how these cuts will impact federal early care and education funding and what can be done to prevent them. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Aug 30, 2012  |  Ivory Toldson & Candice Crowell CLASP Middle School/High School Boys of Color Policy Scan and Information Gathering This report is a summary of the findings from over 500 online and telephone surveys with local practitioners and national experts in the area of boys and young men of color. They shared perspectives on which issues were most pressing in the areas of education, employment, and health as well as solutions for moving the work forward more effectively in communities. Download PDF
• Aug 30, 2012  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Bryant Education and Employment Pathways for High School Males of Color Summary of roundtable discussion with national experts on strengthening education and employment pathways for males of color in high school. Download PDF
• Aug 30, 2012  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Bryant Education and Employment Pathways for Out-of-School Males of Color Summary of roundtable discussion with national experts on creating education and employment pathways for out-of-school males of color. Download PDF
• Aug 30, 2012  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Bryant Education and Pathways to Employment for Middle School Boys of Color Summary of roundtable discussion with national experts on improving education outcomes and pathways to employment for boys of color in middle school. Download PDF
• Aug 30, 2012  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Bryant Health for Boys and Young Men of Color Summary of roundtable discussion with national experts on issues of health for boys and young men of color. Download PDF
• Aug 14, 2012  |  Christine Johnson-Staub Putting it Together: A Guide to Financing Comprehensive Services in Child Care and Early Education This guide provides state policymakers and advocates with strategies to maximize resources and make policy changes that drive funds, resources, and community partners to child care and early education programs to benefit young children and families. Separate from blending and braiding funding streams at the local or program level, the strategies described in this guide focus on state policy decisions that can facilitate the innovative use of funds, encourage partnerships at the state and local level, and replicate promising models from other states. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Aug 09, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - August 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Aug 01, 2012  |  Hannah Matthews Testimony for the Record on CCDBG Reauthorization: Helping to Meet the Child Care Needs of American Families CLASP submitted testimony for the record after the July 26th hearing on CCDBG reauthorization held by the subcommittee on Children and Families of the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Download PDF
• Jul 31, 2012  |  Linda Harris and Kisha Bird CLASP Comments to U.S. Department of Education Request for Information on Strategies for Improving Outcomes for Disconnected Youth Our comments here draw upon CLASP's decade of policy work at the national, state, and local levels related to disconnected youth. We believe our comments in response to the U.S. Department of Education Request for Information on Strategies for Improving Outcomes for Disconnected Youth will serve to inform the development of the Performance Partnership Pilots as well as federal cross-agency policy development and funding decisions that can address our current challenges, develop the human capital needed to fuel our economy, and unleash the untapped potential and talent of the millions of young people who have fallen through the cracks. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Jul 31, 2012  |  Campaign for Youth Comments to U.S. Department of Education Request for Information on Strategies for Improving Outcomes for Disconnected Youth On behalf of the Campaign for Youth, a coalition of national youth policy and advocacy organizations focusing on low-income youth who are out of school and/or out of work, we applaud the Obama Administration and the U.S. Department of Education for its leadership in bringing attention to the unique challenges facing youth and for its thoughtfulness in gathering input from a broad range of stakeholders to inform its work around disconnected youth. Download PDF
• Jul 25, 2012 How State and Local Advocates Stopped Cutbacks and Achieved Successes CLASP's Hannah Matthews and NWLC's Helen Blank talk with state advocates from California, Illinois, Iowa, New Jersey, and New York about how they stopped child care cuts in their states and achieved successes in this challenging fiscal climate. Read Online   |   Download Audio
• Jul 09, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - July 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jun 11, 2012  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Comments to HHS on TANF Assistance and Electronic Benefit Transactions A new law requires states to restrict access to TANF assistance from ATMs and POS devices in certain locations. This document responds to HHS' request for comments on how to implement this provision. Download PDF
• Jun 06, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - June 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jun 04, 2012  |  Christine Johnson-Staub and Stephanie Schmit Home Away From Home: A Toolkit for Planning Home Visitng Partnerships with Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers Home visiting and family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) partnerships hold great opportunity to reach more children with family support services during the critical early years. This toolkit provides states with an overview of FFN and home visiting partnerships, a tool to help states explore and establish this type of partnership, and case studies of existing home visiting and FFN partnerships. Download PDF
• May 24, 2012  |  Rhonda Bryant Webinar on Connecting to Jobs: Local Strategies and Policy Approaches to Employ Black Men Although the national unemployment rate is dropping, unemployment in the black community remains significantly higher than the rate for whites or the general population. In particular, black male youth and young adults are up against a major struggle to launch themselves into self sufficiency, as unemployment in these age brackets is at an all-time high. Federal investment in employment initiatives has been insufficient, and few communities are engaged in targeted approaches to address the employment plight of black men. Read Online
• May 17, 2012  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Testimony for the Record on State Spending and Work Participation CLASP submitted Testimony for the Record for the House Ways and Means Committee's hearing on State TANF Spending and its Impact on Work Requirements. Download PDF
• May 11, 2012  |  Christine Johnson-Staub Being an Effective Policy Advocate for Children and Families The presentation given to the Southeastern Massachusetts Inter-CHNA (Community Health Network Area) Conference in Plymouth, MA (May 2012) offers keys to effective public advocacy for low-income and at-risk families: identifying clear policy goals, targeting and timing advocacy efforts, and using data and personal stories to make your case. It includes strategies for identifying advocacy priorities, and how to use available data and stories to craft an effective message that will move policy priorities to the top of the list for legislators and other policy makers. Finally, the presentation provides tips for communication, relationship building, and strategy to help participants' advocacy goals succeed. Download PDF
• May 04, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - May 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• May 02, 2012  |  Hannah Matthews and Stephanie Schmit Finding and Using Data to Advocate Effectively for Children and Families This presentation, given at the 2012 National Smart Start Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina, provides a range of data to use to make the case for investing in young children and their families. Download PDF
• May 02, 2012  |  Christine Johnson-Staub and Stephanie Schmit Leveraging Home Visiting to Reach Children in Child Care Settings This presentation, given at the 2012 National Smart Start Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina, provides background information on home visiting, how it links to family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) care, and recommendations for states implementing home visiting programs. Download PDF
• May 02, 2012  |  Christine Johnson-Staub and Hannah Matthews Reaching Children Where They Are: Using Federal Funding to Support Comprehensive Services in Child Care This presentation, given at the 2012 National Smart Start Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina, looks at opportunities and strategies for using federal funding streams to support the availability of comprehensive services for young children in child care and early education settings. Download PDF
• Apr 30, 2012  |  Linda Harris and Kisha Bird Workforce Investment Act Reauthorization May Move Youth Development Field Back a Decade On March 29, 2012, Rep. Virginia Foxx, Rep. Joseph J. Heck and Rep. Howard P. McKeon introduced a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) reauthorization bill (H.R. 4297). This analysis looks at the bill's youth provisions. Download PDF
• Apr 26, 2012 Quality Rating and Improvement Systems: A Conversation with Center Directors CLASP's Hannah Matthews and NWLC's Karen Schulman discuss how Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) work and how they could work as effectively as possible from the perspective of three child care center directors participating in QRIS. Read Online   |   Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Apr 17, 2012  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Misguided Bill Would Eliminate Critical Child Welfare Funding Tomorrow, the House Ways and Means Committee will consider a bill to eliminate the Social Service Block Grant (SSBG). This $1.7 billion flexible funding stream helps states provide a range of critical services to some of our nation’s most vulnerable individuals, and is often used by states to fill gaps left by federal programs. Read Online
• Apr 16, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education U.S. Child Care Assistance Profile 2010 This fact sheet presents state reported information on child care spending through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds used for child care. Download PDF
• Apr 16, 2012  |  Evelyn Ganzglass and Neil Ridley Reauthorizing WIA: The House Workforce Block Grant Heads in the Wrong Direction On March 29, 2012, Rep. Virginia Foxx, Rep. Joseph J. Heck and Rep. Howard P. McKeon introduced a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) reauthorization bill (H.R. 4297). To help advocates and stakeholders, CLASP has developed a set of criteria for evaluating this bill and other proposals that consolidate programs offering workforce services to low-income families and individuals. In applying these criteria to H.R. 4297, CLASP finds that the bill fails on most counts. Download PDF
• Apr 05, 2012  |  Hannah Matthews and Emily Firgens Child Care and Development Block Grant Participation in 2010 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2010. CCDBG served a monthly average of 1.7 million children. While 27 states increased the number of children served, 22 states served fewer children in 2010 than in the previous year. This fact sheet reviews data, including the ages of children receiving assistance, the types of child care settings used, and the reasons families receive assistance. Download PDF
• Apr 05, 2012  |  Hannah Matthews and Emily Firgens Infants and Toddlers in CCDBG: 2010 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation of infants and toddlers in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2010. Less than a third of children served in CCDBG are under the age of 3, but the share of children receiving CCDBG who are infants and toddlers varies from state to state. This fact sheet includes state-by-state information on the ages of children served in CCDBG and other information on the participation of infants and toddlers in the program. Download PDF
• Apr 05, 2012  |  Hannah Matthews and Emily Firgens School-Age Children in CCDBG: 2010 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation of school-age children in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2010. About a third of children served in CCDBG are between ages 6 and 13. This fact sheet includes state-by-state information on the ages of children served in CCDBG and other information on the participation of school-age children in the program. Download PDF
• Apr 03, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - April 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Mar 28, 2012  |  Stephanie Schmit and Danielle Ewen Supporting Our Youngest Children: Early Head Start Programs in 2010 This policy brief examines the latest data from the Program Information Reports (PIR) that all Early Head Start (EHS)programs must submit to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2010, Early Head Start saw its largest increase in enrollment in its history. EHS families continued to access services at a high rate and children continued to be connected to medical and dental services. Challenges continue to exist as teachers' salaries remain stagnant and a smaller percentage of teachers have an associate's degree or higher in 2010 compared to 2009 and 2006. Download PDF
• Mar 23, 2012  |  Kisha Bird Against All Odds: Community & Policy Solutions to Address the American Youth Crisis This article was written for the Journal of Law & Social Change for the 31st Annual annual Edward V. Sparer Symposium "Coming of Age Against the Odds: Advocating for At-Risk Youth". The paper lays out the magnitude of employment and education challenges facing youth outside the mainstream; discusses the influence of youth perception on program and policy implementation; highlights effective community practice; and includes recommendations for moving a national workforce agenda with local implications. Download PDF
• Mar 02, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - March 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Mar 02, 2012  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Why Drug Testing Public Benefit Recipients Is a Distraction Twenty-three states around the country are considering requiring drug tests for recipients of programs like welfare (TANF) and food stamps. Elizabeth Lower-Basch discusses which states are proposing these tests and why she believes that they are unnecessary. Read Online
• Feb 23, 2012  |  Karen Schulman, Hannah Matthews, Helen Blank and Danielle Ewen A Count for Quality: Child Care Center Directors on Rating and Improvement Systems Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) are designed to give providers incentives and supports to improve quality and parents information about child care quality. With the growth in QRIS, CLASP, together with the National Women's Law Center, interviewed child care providers participating in QRIS in several states. This report provides findings on the key components of QRIS, cross-cutting lessons on QRIS strategies, and recommendations for policymakers from the perspective of child care center directors. Download PDF
• Feb 23, 2012 Post-Budget Update: What to Expect for Early Childhood in 2012 Audio Conference CLASP's Hannah Matthews along with experts from National Women's Law Center (NWLC) and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) discuss the President's FY 2013 budget proposal and the appropriations process for early childhood programs in 2012. Read Online   |   Download Audio   |   Download Additional
• Feb 15, 2012  |  Kisha Bird President's Proposal Demonstrates Commitment to Disconnected Youth, but Doesn't Go Far Enough In his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2013, the president continues to draw attention to persistently high unemployment among the nation's youth and young adults and the grave situation facing disconnected youth. Read Online
• Feb 14, 2012  |  Christine Johnson-Staub and Stephanie Schmit MCH and Early Childhood Settings: Reaching Children Where They Are to Provide Comprehensive Services This presentation, given at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Program's 2012 Annual Conference in Washington, DC looks at opportunities and strategies for using federal funding streams, including Maternal and Child Health funding, to support the availability of comprehensive services for young children in child care and early education settings. Download PDF
• Feb 09, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - February 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Feb 06, 2012  |  Hannah Matthews Challenges and Opportunities: Child Care and Early Education in Difficult Times Child poverty is growing. Families continue to struggle in a difficult economy. Despite broad recognition of the importance of the earliest years, debates at the federal level focus on reducing spending rather than addressing the needs of children and families. These daunting challenges make the need for comprehensive birth to five services even more critical and must be a call to action for those who work on behalf of the most vulnerable children. This presentation was given at the Region IV Head Start Annual Conference. Download PDF
• Feb 03, 2012  |  Stephanie Schmit and Danielle Ewen Putting Children and Families First: Head Start Programs in 2010 This policy brief examines the latest data from the Program Information Reports (PIR) that all Head Start programs must submit to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2010, Head Start served more participants than the previous year. PIR data show that Head Start is continuing to provide critical services for poor children and their families. Families continued to seek Head Start services at a high rate and nearly all children had health insurance at the end of the program year. Challenges still exist as teachers' salaries remain stagnant and the percent of teachers with degrees decreased slightly from 2009 to 2010. Download PDF
• Jan 10, 2012  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - January 2012 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jan 03, 2012  |  Christine Johnson-Staub CLASP Encourages Reversal of Medicare Ruling on Developmental Screening These comments were submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services in response to a final rule that removes developmental screenings from the Medicare fee schedule. CLASP urges the ruling be reversed and that developmental screenings not be removed from the Medicare fee schedule. Many states align Medicare, Medicaid and private pay fee policies, and removal of developmental screening from the fee schedule may result in the same critical service not being covered under state Medicaid policies. Download PDF
• Dec 20, 2011 Early Childhood Updates: Funding and Reauthorization Prospects Audio Conference CLASP's Hannah Matthews alongside representatives from National Women's Law Center (NWLC), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the First Five Years Fund discuss funding for early childhood programs in 2012-2013 as well as reauthorization of CCDBG and ESEA. Read Online   |   Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Dec 09, 2011  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - December 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Dec 05, 2011  |  Stephanie Schmit Early Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2010 This fact sheet reviews the 2010 Program Information Reports (PIR) data for the Early Head Start program, which serves children under age 3 and pregnant women. In 2010, Early Head Start continued to provide vital services to a diverse group of low-income children and families. However, less than 4 percent of eligible children receive Early Head Start services. Download PDF
• Dec 05, 2011  |  Stephanie Schmit Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2010 This fact sheet reviews the 2010 Program Information Reports (PIR) data for the Head Start preschool program, which serves children ages 3 and 4. In 2010, Head Start continued to provide vital services to a diverse group of low-income children and families. However, less than half of eligible children receive Head Start preschool services. Download PDF
• Nov 17, 2011  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews Caring for Babies: How State Child Care Policies Can Support Continuity Quality, stable child care arrangements support the healthy development of infants and toddlers. This presentation from the 2011 NAEYC Annual Conference in Orlando, FL describes how state subsidy policies can support retention of child care subsidies and continuous care for infants and toddlers. Download PDF
• Nov 17, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews Integrating Systems: Improving Access to Better Serve Families Families seeking assistance often face multiple, complex needs and that require the services of more than one program. Integrated service systems help to provide a more family-centered, seamless service delivery system, a system that offers a broad continuum of services and tailors these services to the strengths and needs of individual families. This presentation given at the 2011 State and Territory Administrators and the Child Care Policy Research Consortium Joint Meeting in Bethesda, MD looks at how to create an integrated system and the challenges and opportunities of doing so. Download PDF
• Nov 08, 2011  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Big Ideas for Job Creation: Rethinking Work Opportunity - From Tax Credits to Subsidized Job Placements This paper is part of the Big Ideas for Job Creation in a Jobless Recovery project, which includes proposals from more than a dozen leading experts on practical, scalable proposals to create more jobs for the U.S. economy. CLASP Senior Policy Analyst Elizabeth Lower-Basch recommends that deeper, more targeted subsidies administered at the state level are an effective way to encourage employers to hire disadvantaged workers and create jobs. There are federal subsidies such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) currently in place to encourage hiring of disadvantaged workers, but in contrast, they often provide large windfalls to employers in low-wage, high-turnover industries without creating any net new jobs or changing who they hire. Download PDF
• Nov 07, 2011  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - November 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide techincal assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Oct 20, 2011  |  Danielle Ewen What's Missing in Child Care and Early Education in America Millions of families rely on some aspect of America's publicly funded programs for their children as they go to work. Most are looking for a high-quality setting in which their children can learn. Yet, current situations fail too many families. This event, hosted by the New America, examined policy solutions to improve child care and early education. CLASP's Danielle Ewen was a presenter at the event. Read Online
• Oct 06, 2011  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - October 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Oct 05, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews Meeting the Early Learning Challenge: Supporting English Language Learners CLASP's "Meeting the Early Learning Challenge" series provides information and policy options for states as they develop their applications for the Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge. Download PDF
• Oct 03, 2011  |  Christine Johnson-Staub Meeting the Early Learning Challenge: A Checklist for a High Quality QRIS CLASP's "Meeting the Early Learning Challenge" series provides information and policy options for states as they develop their applications for the Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Oct 03, 2011  |  Vickie Choitz and Julie Strawn CLASP Testimony for the Record on Nontraditional Students On Sept. 30, 2011, the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance held a hearing on higher education regulations and nontraditional students. CLASP submitted comments focusing on the primary barriers to access and persistence for nontraditional students and promising strategies and policies and the role of the federal government in helping nontraditional students in overcoming the barriers. Download PDF
• Sep 22, 2011  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Improving Work and Other Welfare Reform Goals On September 8, the Human Resources Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on TANF, in preparation for the pending reauthorization of the block grant. CLASP submitted this testimony for the record. Download PDF
• Sep 21, 2011  |  CLASP American Jobs Act: New Work and Learning Opportunities for Low-Income, Unemployed Adults and Youth This CLASP analysis of the American Jobs Act examines provisions specifically aimed at those workers most affected by the recession as well as those struggling even before the economy turned sour. In particular, it looks at the $5 billion Pathways Back to Work Fund, which includes three elements that would create work and learning opportunities for thousands of disadvantaged individuals across the country. Download PDF
• Sep 19, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen Meeting the Early Learning Challenge: Better Child Care Subsidy Policies CLASP's "Meeting the Early Learning Challenge" series provides information and policy options for states as they develop their applications for the Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Sep 15, 2011  |  Christine Johnson-Staub The Relationship Between Licensing and QRIS: Challenges and Opportunities More than half of states currently have child care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) up and running, and more are under development. As states develop these promising systems, they are grappling with several questions around the relationship between child care licensing and the QRIS rating levels, including: defining program eligibility for QRIS participation, setting standards that align with licensing, deciding how licensing fits into QRIS levels, defining the role of licensing staff in rating and monitoring, and developing strategies for supporting programs through technical assistance. This presentation, given at the 2011 NARA Licensing Seminar in Pittsburg, Penn., draws from current state QRIS practices, as well as research conducted by CLASP and NWLC on child care providers' experiences with QRIS across the country. Download PDF
• Aug 25, 2011  |  Child Care and Early Education Children from Low-Income Families, by Age CLASP analysis of NCCP and ACS data regarding young children below 200 percent of the poverty level, by age and state. Download PDF
• Aug 25, 2011  |  Child Care and Early Education Head Start and Early Head Start Funded Enrollment Data, 2007-2010 This chart shows funded enrollment data from 2007-2010 gathered from the annual Head Start PIR. Download PDF
• Aug 25, 2011  |  Child Care and Early Education Head Start and Early Head Start Participation by Age, 2007-2010 A CLASP analysis of annual Head Start PIR data from years 2007-2010. The data outlines participation in Head Start and Early Head Start by age from 2007-2010. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Atlanta The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Atlanta to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Baltimore The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Baltimore to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Boston The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Boston to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Buffalo The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Buffalo to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Chicago The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Chicago to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Cleveland The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Cleveland to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Columbus The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Columbus to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Denver The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Denver to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Houston The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Houston to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Indianapolis The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Indianapolis to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Jackson The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Jackson to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Kansas City The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Kansas City to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Los Angeles The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Los Angeles to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Memphis The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Memphis to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Minneapolis The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Minneapolis to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Newark The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Newark to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Oakland The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Oakland to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Philadelphia The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to Philadelphia to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: San Diego The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to San Diego to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2011 Keeping Youth Connected: Washington, D.C. The purpose of the community profiles project is to highlight data that help community members, advocates, and policymakers understand the nature and extent of issues facing large numbers of youth in low-income urban and rural communities. This fact sheet presents data and research related to District of Columbia to help elevate the issue of youth development and high school dropout Download PDF
• Jul 27, 2011  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson and Tiffany Conway Perrin Testimony for the Record on Hearing on Child Deaths due to Maltreatment This testimony was submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Human Resources in response to the July 12, 2011 Hearing on Child Deaths due to Maltreatment. CLASP encourages steady work towards comprehensive child welfare financing reform in order to reduce child fatalities and all child maltreatment. Download PDF
• Jul 12, 2011  |  CLASP AND OTHER NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge Comments on Selection Criteria CLASP wrote and submitted comments with other national organizations to the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services on the draft Early Learning Challenge proposal. Download PDF
• Jul 11, 2011  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - July 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jul 06, 2011  |  EVENT RESOURCES The Promise and Challenge of Evidence-Based Policy and Practice On July 6, 2011, CLASP hosted the forum discussion, The Promise and Challenge of Evidence-Based Policy and Practice, featuring two leading research voices: Lisbeth Schorr and Gordon Berlin. This event was the final event in CLASP's 40th anniversary policy series, Policy and Promise for Low-Income People in America. Read Online
• Jul 06, 2011  |  Elizabeth Kenefick TANF Education and Training: Oklahoma's Special Projects One in a series of briefs profiling promising approaches to supporting education and training programs under TANF in spite of the limits imposed by the federal rules. Download PDF
• Jul 05, 2011 CLASP Comments on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on SNAP Eligibility, Certification, and Employment and Training Provisions These comments, submitted to the US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), were in response to a request for public comment on SNAP Eligibility, Certification, and Employment and Training Provisions. CLASP's recommendations are intended to help FNS implement provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act (FCEA) of 2008, Pub. L. 110-246. The recommendations focused on four main areas: the dependent care deduction, access to benefits, transitional benefits, and employment and training services. Download PDF
• Jun 27, 2011  |  CLASP Youth Policy Team Reconnecting The Disconnected: Leveraging Federal Policy & Local Practice To Expand Education & Labor Market Opportunity For Youth CLASP's youth policy work aims to advance policy and practice that will dramatically improve the education, employment, and life outcomes for youth in communities of high youth distress. Download PDF
• Jun 21, 2011 Congressional Briefing on the Youth Unemployment Crisis sponsored by the ADA Education Fund Download File
• Jun 08, 2011  |  Patrick Kelly and Julie Strawn Not Just Kid Stuff Anymore: The Economic Imperative for More Adults to Complete College Just as our economy is demanding that more workers have some postsecondary education or training, the number of recent high school graduates, our traditional source of such workers, is leveling off and even declining in many states. This brief provides relevant data on higher education on a national scale with some broken out by state. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Jun 06, 2011  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - June 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jun 03, 2011  |  CLASP and other national organizations Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Comments to Administration These comments were sent to the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services as recommendations for designing the Early Learning Challenge. Download PDF
• Jun 02, 2011  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann & Danielle Ewen What State Leaders Should Know About Early Head Start Early Head Start (EHS) is a federally-funded, community-based program that provides comprehensive child and family development services to low-income pregnant women and families with children under the age of 3. This paper reviews 11 key aspects of how the EHS program works and includes considerations for state leaders. The paper is meant to serve as an introduction to the program for state policymakers, not to provide official guidance or interpretation of the laws and regulations governing EHS. Download PDF
• Jun 01, 2011  |  Christine Johnson-Staub Leveraging Existing Fundings Sources to Support EHS-like Services This presentation, given at the April 2011 Zero To Three state action team meeting in Portland, Oregon, describes opportunities and considerations for states that are exploring using a variety of federal funding streams to finance comprehensive services for infants and toddlers. Download PDF
• Jun 01, 2011 There are no CLASP publications featuring Denver at this time. Please refer to Denver's profile on the CCRY website for more information.
• May 23, 2011  |  Beth Davis-Pratt, Hannah Matthews, and Heath Prince CLASP Comments on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Family Educational Rights and Privacy These comments, submitted to the Department of Education, were in response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Family Educational Rights and Privacy. CLASP's comments commend the Department for proposing changes to FERPA regulations that appear to greatly facilitate the sharing of data across systems and clarifying earlier interpretations of FERPA that created barriers to using education data for evaluation and research purposes. CLASP asks for clarification on the definitions proposed to better understand what agencies will be allowed to access the data and for what purposes. CLASP also encourages the Department to consider making important changes to facilitate data sharing at the individual level between child welfare and education agencies to improve outcomes for children in foster care. Download PDF
• May 20, 2011  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson CLASP Comments on Federal Monitoring of Child and Family Service These comments, submitted to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), were submitted in response to a request for public comment on Federal monitoring of Child and Family Service Programs through the Child and Family Service Review (CFSR). CLASP's recommendations are intended to help ACF modify the CFSR process in ways that balance accountability and continuous quality improvement. Download PDF
• May 11, 2011  |  Danielle Ewen and Stephanie Schmit Extending Home Visiting Programs to Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers and Family Child Care Providers This presentation from the 2011 National Smart Start Conference provides information on two national CLASP research-based models and highlights current models for providing home visits with family child care providers and family, friend, and neighbor caregivers. Download PDF
• May 10, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews Young Children of Immigrants and The Changing Landscape for Early Education This presentation from the 2011 National Smart Start Conference describes how state child care and early education policies can better address the needs of children of immigrants and their families. Download PDF
• May 09, 2011  |  Beth Davis-Pratt and Rutledge Q. Hutson CLASP Comments on American Community Survey Kinship care means different things to different people and organizations. Most broadly, it can be used to define any care provided by grandparents or other relatives. More narrowly, in using this term to talk about grandparents and other relatives raising children in kinship care, it is often thought of as only those families in which the grandparent or other relative has taken over primary responsibility for most of the basic needs of the child (such as feeding, clothing, providing shelter, and meeting the child's health, educational, and emotional needs) on a daily basis without either of the child's parents present in the household. Not surprisingly, the needs of different types of kinship families vary greatly. In these comments to the Census Bureau, CLASP makes a number of recommendations to strengthen the data collected in the American Community Survey to provide a better estimate of the number and types of kinship families in the United States. Download PDF
• May 06, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews and Christine Johnson-Staub Caring for Babies: How State Subsidy Policies Can Support Continuity This presentation from the 2011 National Smart Start Conference describes how state subsidy policies can support retention of child care subsidies and continuous care for infants and toddlers. Download PDF
• May 03, 2011  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - May 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Apr 19, 2011  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Testimony for the Record on GAO Report on Duplication of Government Programs, Focus on Welfare and Related Programs In April 2011, the Subcommittee on Human Resources to the Committee on Ways and Means in the U.S. House of Representatives, held a hearing on Duplication of Government Programs with a focus on welfare and related programs. CLASP's testimony for the record focuses on how the programs should be coordinated into a system of benefits that is easy to access, unstigmatized, responsive to economic hardship, open to all, and fully funded. Education and training are drivers of economic mobility and opportunity, and low-wage workers and low-income individuals need access to them to enter and advance in the labor market. Download PDF
• Apr 07, 2011  |  Rutledge Hutson Federal Adoption and Guardianship Assistance Under Title IV-E, FY 2009 This factsheet provides state expenditures of federal adoption and guardianship funds under Title IV-E, FY 2009. Download PDF
• Apr 07, 2011  |  Rutledge Hutson Federal Foster Care Assistance Under Title IV-E, FY 2009 This factsheet provides state expenditures of federal foster care funds under Title IV-E for FY 2009. Download PDF
• Apr 05, 2011  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - April 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Mar 31, 2011 Audio Conference: Braiding Funding Streams to Support Integrated Service Delivery In order to use public funding to support an integrated approach and to account for the different needs and demographic characteristics of participants, organizations must braid sources together. CLASP has recently produced Federal Funding for Integrated Service Delivery, a Toolkit. The audio conference oriented listeners to the resource, and highlighted two organizations that braid public and private funding sources to support integrated service delivery approaches. Read Online   |   Download PDF   |   Download Audio
• Mar 30, 2011  |  Stephanie Schmit Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program: February 2011 SIR Analysis The latest Evidence-Based Home Visiting Supplemental Information Request (SIR) has recently been released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with collaboration from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). This information request provides states guidance in preparing their updated plans for their home visiting programs. The new information request strengthens the earlier guidance in important ways. Download PDF
• Mar 22, 2011 WEBCAST - We Dream a World: Re-Imagining the Landscape for Black Men and Boys Webcast of an event to advance the vision and policy solutions presented in the "We Dream A World" report, released December 2010. This event was jointly sponsored by CLASP and the 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys. It was the second in CLASP's 40th anniversary policy series, Policy and Promise for Low Income People in America. Read Online
• Mar 15, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews Financing a Birth to Five Program: The Appleton Area School District Model Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, also known as No Child Left Behind or NCLB) funds long have been used to provide preschool services for at-risk children. This paper focuses on the Appleton Area School District (AASD) in Appleton, Wisconsin and their efforts to use Title I funds to finance a comprehensive birth-five program. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Mar 14, 2011  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Testimony Before House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources CLASP senior policy analyst, Elizabeth Lower-Basch, testified during the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources Hearing on Use of Data Matching to Improve Customer Service, Program Integrity, and Taxpayer Savings. CLASP shares the concern with reducing error rates and fraud to save taxpayer funds, preserve funding for those who are truly eligible for programs, and protect public support for programs. Data matching can reduce administrative costs by sharing information collected by one program with another, and reducing the number of visits that customers must make to various offices. This also improves customer service, and reduces the time that applicants must take away from work or other responsibilities. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Mar 09, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews Child Care Assistance in 2009: Spending Update This analysis details state child care expenditures from the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant programs. We find that spending on child care assistance decreased slightly in 2009. Thirty-three states increased overall spending, while 18 states made cuts. Without ARRA funds, more states would have made greater cuts. The number of children receiving assistance, however, remains far lower than the number of children eligible for assistance. Download PDF
• Mar 09, 2011  |  Kisha Bird Budget Cuts Could Adversely Affect Youth This statement by Kisha Bird, project director of the Campaign for Youth and senior policy analyst at CLASP, at the Children's Leadership Council news conference March 9, 2011 addresses the importance of programs that help people access education and other opportunities. Many of these programs are facing cuts under the House-passed Continuing Resolution, HR 1. Download PDF
• Mar 01, 2011  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Guide to Use of TANF and MOE Funds This brief summaries the federal rules regarding use of federal TANF funds and state funds claimed towards the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement. Download PDF
• Feb 28, 2011  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - March 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Feb 23, 2011  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Childhood Funding: the President's FY2012 Budget and Wrapping Up FY2011 Appropriations This February 17th conference call provided information on early childhood funding for FY2011 and FY2012. Speakers include: Helen Blank, National Women's Law Center; Danielle Ewen, CLASP; Adele Robinson, NAEYC; and Harriet Dichter, First Five Years Fund. Download Audio
• Feb 17, 2011  |  CLASP Two Years Later: Impacts of Select ARRA Programs for Low-Income Workers & Families This document looks at select provisions in the Recovery Act that affected low-income people and their families. In areas where there is available data, it notes the impact of the program on the number of people who benefited from ARRA provisions. While the effect of the Recovery Act will be debated and analyzed by policy experts and researchers for years to come, some of the early evidence makes it clear that the Recovery Act benefited the nation by easing some immediate effects of the recession and preventing deeper hardship. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Feb 16, 2011  |  LaDonna Pavetti (CBPP), Liz Schott (CBPP) and Elizabeth Lower-Basch (CLASP) Creating Subsidized Employment Opportunities for Low-Income Parents: The Legacy of the TANF Emergency Fund During 2009 and 2010, 39 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and eight Tribal TANF programs received approval to use $1.3 billion from the TANF Emergency Fund to create new subsidized employment programs or expand existing ones. This paper examines how states used the flexibility they were given to design and implement subsidized employment programs and what challenges they faced in getting them up and running, and draws lessons for future such programs. Download PDF
• Feb 03, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews and Teresa Lim Child Care and Development Block Grant Participation in 2009 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2009. CCDBG served a monthly average of 1.63 million children. While 24 states increased the number of children served, 23 states served fewer children in 2009 than in the previous year. This fact sheet reviews data, including the ages of children receiving assistance, the types of child care settings used, and the reasons families receive assistance. Download PDF
• Feb 03, 2011  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - February 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Feb 03, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews and Teresa Lim Infants and Toddlers in CCDBG: 2009 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation of infants and toddlers in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2009. Fewer than a third of children served in CCDBG are under the age of 3, but the share of children receiving CCDBG who are infants and toddlers varies from state to state. This fact sheet includes state-by-state information on the ages of children served in CCDBG and other information on the participation of infants and toddlers in the program. Download PDF
• Feb 03, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews and Teresa Lim School-Age Children in CCDBG: 2009 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation of school-age children in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2009. About a third of children served in CCDBG are between ages 6 and 13. This fact sheet includes state-by-state information on the ages of children served in CCDBG and other information on the participation of school-age children in the program. Download PDF
• Feb 01, 2011 Re-imagining the landscape for Youth of Color: The Role the Youth System Can Play in Closing the Gaps - The Corps Network 2011 Annual Forum Download File
• Jan 25, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews Federal and State Budgets: Implications for Funding Early Childhood Programs This presentation was presented at the National Head Start Association (NHSA) Leadership Institute. It provides an overview of the federal budget process for FY 2011 and 2012 and the political and economic context that may impact funding for early childhood programs. Download PDF
• Jan 24, 2011  |  Kisha Bird (Campaign for Youth) Input for a Strategic Plan for Federal Youth Policy: Comments to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services The Campaign for Youth believe's a Strategic Plan for Federal Youth Policy must effectively support the outcomes of youth living in communities of high youth distress, youth of color, and those disconnected from the mainstream. Our comments and recommendations relate specifically to ensuring the needs of disconnected and high needs youth are adequately addressed. Download PDF
• Jan 21, 2011  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Cash Assistance since Welfare Reform This Policy Brief summarizes trends in cash assistance since welfare reform -- declining caseloads, progress in employment and poverty reduction in the early years, with setbacks since 2001, and an intense focus on meeting work participation rate requirements. Download PDF
• Jan 21, 2011  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant This Policy Brief explores the wide range of programs for low-income families supported by the TANF block grant and the declining share of the grant dedicated to cash assistance. It also highlights the degree to which the grant has been eroded by inflation and population grown. Download PDF
• Jan 20, 2011  |  Child Care and Early Education Building Comprehensive State Systems for Vulnerable Babies CLASP has developed this resource to help state leaders strategize how to create or improve early childhood systems to meet the needs of vulnerable babies and toddlers, their families, and pregnant women. Every state has the pieces of a comprehensive early childhood system in place. This tool will help state leaders locate and build them into a system that meets the needs of children and families. Download PDF
• Jan 20, 2011  |  Child Care and Early Education Making the Case for Child Care and Head Start Investments State-specific information on child care and Head Start funding, children served in these programs, child poverty rates, and more to make the case for investments in the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start Read Online
• Jan 13, 2011  |  Danielle Ewen What is Next for Early Childhood in the 112th Congress On this national conference call, CLASP director for Child Care and Early Education, Danielle Ewen, discusses with other leading advocates early education initiatives in the 111th Congress, and upcoming items and strategies for the 112th Congress. Read Online   |   Download Audio
• Jan 07, 2011  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - January 2011 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jan 06, 2011  |  Hannah Matthews U.S. Child Care Assistance Profile 2009 This fact sheet presents state reported information on child care spending through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds used for child care. Download PDF
• Dec 20, 2010  |  Danielle Ewen Comments on Notice of Proposed Rule Making on Head Start Designation Renewal System CLASP submitted comments on the proposed regulations to implement the statutory provisions of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 published September 22, 2010, at 75 Fed. Reg. 57704. Download PDF
• Dec 09, 2010  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - December 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Dec 09, 2010  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt We Dream A World: The 2025 Vision for Black Men and Boys This compelling new report presents a broad social and political strategy to drastically change outcomes for young black boys who will come of age in the year 2025. It is the product of five years of research and brainstorming by a diverse set of scholars, researchers and other thought leaders in the African American community. Download PDF
• Dec 09, 2010  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch 2011 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Extension In late November, the House and Senate extended the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant for the duration of federal fiscal year 2011, as part of H.R. 4783, the Claims Resolution Act of 2010. President Obama recently signed it into law (P.L. 111-291). This fact sheet summarizes the changes made by it. Download PDF
• Nov 30, 2010  |  Linda Harris Building Pathways to Postsecondary Success for Low Income Young Men of Color: A Community Intervention Strategy Building postsecondary pathways to good jobs for low-income young men of color will require stretching the paradigms of our secondary, postsecondary, workforce, and adult education systems, as well as greater collaboration among these systems. Aligning systems and programming across funding streams, building partnerships, and creating new pathways are complex endeavors. But there are many innovative approaches that have shown promise and can be implemented and taken to scale. Download PDF
• Nov 30, 2010  |  Linda Harris & Amy Ellen Duke-Benfiled Building Pathways to Postsecondary Success for Low-Income Young Men of Color Linda Harris, director of youth policy, and Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield, senior policy analyst, co-authored a chapter in the recently published book Changing Places: How Communities Will Improve the Health of Boys of Color. The book "draws attention to the urgent need--both economic and moral--to better understand the policy and community-based factors that serve as opportunities or barriers for young men and boys of color as they make critical life decisions." Ms. Harris and Ms. Duke-Benfield's chapter examines why it is essential to invest access to postsecondary education opportunities for young men of color. Download PDF
• Nov 30, 2010  |  Elizabeth Kenefick States using the TANF Emergency Fund for Subsidized Employment The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 created a new TANF Emergency Fund to assist states in expanding services during the recession. The funds could be used for basic assistance, short-term non-recurrent benefits, or subsidized employment. 39 states (plus DC, VI, and PR) funded subsidized employment programs that employed nearly 250,000 youth and adults before the fund expired on Sept. 30, 2010. This slide show depicts the time line of these subsidized employment programs. Read Online   |   Download File
• Nov 19, 2010  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Extending the TANF Emergency Fund Creates Jobs Now Congress should extend the TANF Emergency Fund as soon as possible so that states can continue and expand their subsidized jobs programs. Download PDF
• Nov 15, 2010  |  Child Care and Early Education U.S. Head Start by the Numbers 2009 This fact sheet presents Head Start PIR data for all Head Start programs in the nation -- including preschool programs, Early Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, and American Indian/Alaskan Native Head Start. Download PDF
• Nov 15, 2010  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch CLASP Testimony on DC Time Limits Proposal Download PDF
• Nov 10, 2010  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews Finding and Using Data to Advocate Effectively for Children and Families This presentation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) 2010 annual conference provides a range of data to use to make the case for investments in young children and their families. Download PDF
• Nov 04, 2010  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - November 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Oct 27, 2010  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews Adopting 12-Month Subsidy Eligibility: Impacts on Children, Families, and State Child Care Programs Under federal regulations, states have a great deal of flexibility in setting child care assistance policies. Adopting 12-month subsidy eligibility, with limited interim reporting requirements, is one strategy states can implement to promote sustained access to subsidies and continuous care arrangements for children. This paper lays out the associated impacts of adopting an annual redetermination policy on children, parents, and state subsidy systems. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Oct 22, 2010  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson & Tiffany Conway Perrin Comments in Response to the Administration for Children and Families' Request for Comment on Child Welfare Data Systems CLASP urges the Administration for Children and Families to take a comprehensive approach in making changes to the child welfare accountability system. Such an approach is needed and will yield a system that will: ensure that children are receiving the services and protections they are guaranteed under title IV-E; allow child welfare agencies to identify evidence of particularly effective practices or problematic trends that can help them shape practice; and, provide important information to policymakers and advocates to help better understand how well existing policies are working and ways in which they may be improved. Download PDF
• Oct 11, 2010 Navigating the World of Youth Policy in a Challenging Economy at the National Council of La Raza Workforce Development Forum Download File
• Oct 10, 2010 Reconnecting Disconnected Youth: The CCRY Network Experience Download PDF
• Oct 06, 2010  |  Danielle Ewen and Helen Blank Audio Conference: Congress is Wrapping Up: Get the Scoop on Early Childhood In this audio conference, Helen Blank from the National Women's Law Center (NWLC) and Danielle Ewen at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) provide a summary of the 111th Congress as well as what's on the horizon for the lame duck session and the 112th Congress. They discuss the status of appropriations bills, the Early Learning Challenge Fund, Child Nutrition, TANF, CCDBG and other important pieces of legislation. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Oct 05, 2010  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - October 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Oct 05, 2010  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Lessons from the TANF Emergency Fund In September 2010, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on Welfare Reform: A New Conversation on Women and Poverty. CLASP's testimony for the record focuses on the experience of the TANF Emergency Fund and the lessons that can be taken from it for reauthorization. Download PDF
• Oct 01, 2010  |  Danielle Ewen Many Missing Pieces: A Frank Discussion About Early Childhood Data and State Longitudinal Data Systems On Oct. 1, 2010, Danielle Ewen spoke at the New American Foundation's panel, Many Missing Pieces: A Frank Discussion About Early Childhood Data and State Longitudinal Data Systems. Ms. Ewen discussed issues surrounding the expansion of education data systems that span a child's educational experience from early childhood up through higher education and the start of their careers. Watch the video. Read Online
• Oct 01, 2010  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch and Elizabeth Kenefick TANF Emergency Fund: State Applications Approved as of September 30 As of September 30, 49 states (plus the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and 25 tribes) have been awarded a total of $5 billion from the TANF Emergency Fund. This fact sheet shows the share of its maximum allocation that each state has received. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Sep 29, 2010 Relative Foster Care Licensing Waivers in the States: Policies and Possibilities This report, a joint project of CLASP and the ABA Center on Children and the Law, prepared in collaboration with ChildFocus, the Children's Defense Fund, Generations United and the Grandfamilies State Law and Policy Resource Center. This document presents background information on foster care licensing for relatives. It also includes an overview of Title IV-E reimbursement for relative foster homes and information on the current landscape of waivers of foster home licensing standards, as well as recommendations for licensing standards that can help further the goal of maintaining family connections for children in foster care. Download PDF
• Sep 23, 2010  |  Hannah Matthews Child Care Assistance in 2008 This analysis details state child care expenditures from the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant programs. We find that spending on child care assistance decreased slightly in 2008. Thirty states increased overall child care spending, while 21 states made cuts. The number of children receiving assistance, however, remains far lower than the number of children eligible for assistance. Download PDF
• Sep 10, 2010  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch and Elizabeth Kenefick Analysis of Fiscal Year 2009 TANF and MOE Spending by States The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has published data concerning use of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and state maintenance of effort (MOE) funds in FY 2009. This set of state-by-state charts shows how each state reported using its TANF and MOE funds in FY 2009. (Some states revised March 2011). Read Online   |   Download Spreadsheet   |   Additional PDF
• Sep 09, 2010  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - September 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Sep 03, 2010  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Supplemental Testimony on Comprehensive Child Welfare Financing Reform Supplemental testimony on comprehensive child welfare financing reform submitted to the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support. CLASP argues that the broad components of comprehensive financing reform should include: expanding Title IV-E funds to support the full continuum of services needed by children who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing child abuse and neglect; increasing support to enhance the child welfare workforce; and, increasing accountability - both fiscal accountability and accountability for the outcomes children and families experience. Download PDF
• Aug 31, 2010  |  Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen Early Education Programs and Children of Immigrants: Learning Each Other's Language This paper was written for the Urban Institute's roundtable on Young Children in Immigrant Families and the Path to Educational Success. It discusses the federal and policy landscape for serving young children of immigrants in early care and education and includes policy recommendations for improving access for immigrant families. Read Online
• Aug 31, 2010  |  Hannah Matthews U.S. Child Care Assistance Profile 2008 This fact sheet presents state reported information on child care spending through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds used for child care, and information on children and families participating in CCDBG. Download PDF
• Aug 18, 2010  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson & Tiffany Conway Perrin Comments on Proposed Criteria for Evidence of Effectiveness of Home Visiting Program Models These comments, submitted to the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Administration for Children and Families, were submitted in response to the proposed criteria for evidence of effectiveness of home visiting program models to be implemented by states under the new home visiting program established in the Affordable Care Act. CLASP's comments include recommendations for strengthening the final criteria so that they better reflect the law's goal of helping states build the capacity to implement a coordinated system of early childhood home visitation. The recommendations also encourage strengthening the final criteria by providing much needed information, particularly as related to process, so that states are well-prepared to update their state plans and dialogue with HRSA/ACF as appropriate. Download PDF
• Aug 17, 2010  |  Linda Harris Recommendations for WIA Reauthorization: Title I Youth Provisions Download PDF
• Aug 13, 2010  |  Danielle Ewen Using Title I to Expand Opportunities for High-Quality Early Childhood Programs This presentation discusses how Title I of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) funds can be used to expand opportunities for high-quality early childhood programs. The presentation was featured at the conference, Early Childhood 2010: Innovation for the Next Generation, on August 4, 2010. Download PDF
• Aug 09, 2010  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Comments to Office of Child Support Enforcement: Proposed Rulemaking on Safeguarding Child Support Information These comments address proposed changes to the sharing of child support information specifically as related to information sharing with child welfare agencies for child welfare purposes. CLASP hopes that the final regulations more clearly identify what information can be shared to help child welfare agencies carry out their responsibilities under Titles IV-B and IV-E and that, in particular, they clarify how information regarding family violence can be shared in a safe and appropriate manner. Download PDF
• Aug 05, 2010  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - August 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jul 30, 2010  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann Early Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2009 This fact sheet reviews the 2009 Program Information Reports (PIR) data for the Early Head Start program, which serves children under age 3 and pregnant women. In 2009, Early Head Start continued to provide vital services to a diverse group of low-income children and families. However, less than 3 percent of eligible children receive Early Head Start services. Download PDF
• Jul 30, 2010  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2009 This fact sheet reviews the 2009 Program Information Reports (PIR) data for the Head Start preschool program, which serves children ages 3 and 4. In 2009, Head Start continued to provide vital services to a diverse group of low-income children and families. However, less than half of eligible children receive Head Start preschool services. Download PDF
• Jul 29, 2010  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Testimony on How Child Welfare Waivers Can and Cannot Promote Child Well-Being On July 29, Rutledge Q. Hutson testified before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support on improving the outcomes of children who come into contact with the child welfare system, and the role of Title IV-E demonstration projects in improving those outcomes. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Jul 29, 2010  |  Elizabeth Kenefick How much could your state receive under HR 5893? This shows the amounts that states could received under H.R. 5893 "Investing In American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010", released Wednesday July 28, 2010 by the House Ways and Means Committee. It renames the TANF Emergency Fund as the Emergency Fund for Job Creation and Assistance and extends it through FY 2011. Under this bill, states could receive up to 30 percent of their adjusted block grant during FY 2011 Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Jul 28, 2010 Youth Poverty, Dropout Recovery, and Youth Employment for Grantmakers for Children, Youth, and Families Download File
• Jul 16, 2010  |  Josh Bone TANF Education and Training: Maine's Parents as Scholars One in a series of briefs profiling promising approaches to supporting education and training programs under TANF in spite of the limits imposed by the federal rules. Download PDF
• Jul 06, 2010  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - July 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jul 01, 2010 K-12 Education and the Plight of Black Boys for the National Legal Aid & Defender Association Litigators and Advocacy Directors Conference Download File
• Jun 23, 2010 Sample State Legislation to Extend Foster Care, Adoption and Guardianship Protections, Services and Payments to Young Adults Age 18 and Older Download PDF
• Jun 09, 2010  |  National Youth Employment Coalition Congressional Opportunities to Address Our Nation's Youth Unemployment Crisis This presentation outlines key legislative provisions necessary to connect youth in high poverty communities and those with limited education and skills to the workforce and featured bills being considered by Congress to address the needs of disconnected youth. Download File
• Jun 09, 2010  |  Kisha Bird If Not Now, Then When? Congressional Opportunities to Address Our Nation's Youth Unemployment Crisis This presentation outlines the state of the youth unemployment crisis. Download File
• Jun 08, 2010  |  Child Care & Early Education Early Childhood Education Update - June 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jun 07, 2010  |  Rachel Schumacher Bringing the Comprehensive EHS Model to All Vulnerable Babies and their Families This presentation provides information about how to bring the comprehensive Early Head Start (EHS) model to all vulnerable babies and their families, including key facts for planning policies for vulnerable babies, how EHS addresses critical needs, and a framework for thinking creatively about expanding access to EHS-like services in states and communities. Download PDF
• Jun 07, 2010  |  Rachel Schumacher Happy to be Stuck with You: Why Continuity of Care is So Important to Babies and Toddlers This presentation describes what babies and toddlers in child care need, what continuity of care looks like, and state policies that impact continuity of care. Download PDF
• May 26, 2010  |  Karen Garbarino (Vermont Department for Children and Families) Children's Integrated Services: Vermont's Initiative for Improved Service Delivery and Outcomes This presentation was delivered at a meeting held by ZERO TO THREE and CLASP entitled, "Including and Expanding Early Head Start in State Early Childhood Systems." This meeting worked with state-level policymakers looking to create more comprehensive services for infants, toddlers, and their families. Download PDF
• May 26, 2010  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann Early Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) Data Available through CLASP's DataFinder This document explains CLASP's DataFinder tool and lists the Early Head Start state data available through this tool. Download PDF
• May 26, 2010  |  Rachel Schumacher Leveraging Existing Funding Sources to Support Early Head Start and EHS-like Services This presentation was delivered at a meeting held by ZERO TO THREE and CLASP entitled, "Including and Expanding Early Head Start in State Early Childhood Systems." This meeting worked with state-level policymakers looking to create more comprehensive services for infants, toddlers, and their families. Download PDF
• May 25, 2010  |  Fran Majestic, Barbara Gebhard, Rachel Schumacher, and Sue Mitchell Applying the EHS Approach to Services and Systems for Infants and Toddlers This presentation was delivered at a meeting held by ZERO TO THREE and CLASP entitled, "Including and Expanding Early Head Start in State Early Childhood Systems." This meeting worked with state-level policymakers looking to create more comprehensive services for infants, toddlers, and their families. Session speakers: Fran Majestic, Office of Head Start; Barbara Gebhard, ZERO TO THREE; Rachel Schumacher, CLASP; and Sue Mitchell, Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning. Download PDF
• May 25, 2010  |  Child Care and Early Education Federal Funding Streams "Cheat Sheet" This document lists common acronyms and funding sources of federal programs for young children. Download PDF
• May 25, 2010  |  Debbie Rappaport (ZERO TO THREE) and Wade Fickler (Children's Institute, Oregon) Supporting EHS Through Communications and Framing This presentation was delivered at a meeting held by ZERO TO THREE and CLASP entitled, "Including and Expanding Early Head Start in State Early Childhood Systems." This meeting worked with state-level policymakers looking to create more comprehensive services for infants, toddlers, and their families. Download PDF
• May 21, 2010 Letter Supporting the 2010 Jobs Bill On May 20, CLASP Executive Director Alan Houseman sent this urgent letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, urging support for the Promoting American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• May 18, 2010  |  CLASP and the National Women's Law Center Audio Conference: Using ARRA Funds for State Infant/Toddler Initiatives Join CLASP and the National Women's Law Center on May 18 for a call to find out the latest on how states are using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to improve the quality of care for infants and toddlers. Read Online
• May 05, 2010  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - May 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Apr 22, 2010  |  Julie Strawn The Role of Education and Training in the TANF Program: Read Online On April 22, Julie Strawn testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on the importance of education and training in today's economy, and the role that TANF can play in helping low-income parents obtain economic opportunity and better the lives of their children. Download PDF
• Apr 22, 2010  |  Julie Strawn The Role of Education and Training in the TANF Program: Watch Online Read Online
• Apr 21, 2010  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch TANF Emergency Fund: Creating Summer Jobs for Youth This report explains the rules and requirements for using the TANF Emergency Fund to support summer jobs for youth. Download PDF
• Apr 19, 2010  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann Extending Home Visiting to FFN and FCC - Webinar Slides CLASP hosted a webinar to share findings regarding how major national models of home visiting are including family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers and family child care providers (FCC). Elizabeth Hoffmann presented findings from CLASP's interview project with national models and other stakeholders, such as detailed considerations for implementing home visiting with FFN and FCC, including matters of curricula, staffing, and service referral. The webinar also reviewed opportunities that result from serving FFN and FCC, concluding with recommendations for states. This webinar was made possible by generous support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Download PDF
• Apr 19, 2010  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann Extending Home Visiting to FFN and FCC - Webinar Transcript and Audio CLASP hosted a webinar to share findings regarding how major national models of home visiting are including family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers and family child care providers (FCC). Elizabeth Hoffmann presented findings from CLASP's interview project with national models and other stakeholders, such as detailed considerations for implementing home visiting with FFN and FCC, including matters of curricula, staffing, and service referral. The webinar also reviewed opportunities that result from serving FFN and FCC, concluding with recommendations for states. This webinar was made possible by generous support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Download PDF   |   Download Audio
• Apr 14, 2010  |  Josh Bone TANF Education and Training: Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative One in a series of briefs profiling promising approaches to supporting education and training programs under TANF in spite of the limits imposed by the federal rules. Download PDF
• Apr 14, 2010  |  Josh Bone TANF Education and Training: Kentucky's Ready-to-Work Program One in a series of briefs profiling promising approaches to supporting education and training programs under TANF in spite of the limits imposed by the federal rules. Download PDF
• Apr 14, 2010  |  Josh Bone TANF Education and Training: Pennsylvania's KEYS Program One in a series of briefs profiling promising approaches to supporting education and training programs under TANF in spite of the limits imposed by the federal rules. Download PDF
• Apr 09, 2010  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - April 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Mar 31, 2010  |  Tiffany Conway Perrin Detailed Summary of Home Visitation Program in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act included, among other critical provisions, $1.5 billion in mandatory funding over 5 years for high quality, evidence-based, voluntary early childhood home visitation services. This investment will significantly expand home visitation services, helping to ensure that more children have the opportunity to grow up healthy, safe, ready to learn and able to become productive members of society. This summary details the provisions of the new program. Download PDF
• Mar 31, 2010  |  Campaign for Youth, Linda Harris Co-Chair Letter to House and Senate Budget Committee Members on the FY 2011 Budget We have an opportunity deficit in our nation. An estimated 5.2 million youth ages 16-24 are out of school and out of work. Without purposeful efforts to connect unemployed youth to jobs, paid work experience, education, and training to prepare them for openings in the new economy, those youth will most likely spend the better part of a decade with few opportunities to work, gain skills, or earn family sustaining wages. The Campaign for Youth urges Congress to increase opportunities for low-income and disconnected youth and young adults with limited labor market to access training, education supports, and good jobs that will help spur economic development in local communities across the nation. Download PDF
• Mar 25, 2010  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Reauthorizing ESEA: Considerations for Dropout Prevention and Recovery American school districts are losing the battle to successfully educate a large number of the nation's youth. The reauthorization of ESEA is a prime opportunity to rethink how we can strengthen our commitment to reconnect with youth who have left school without receiving their diploma. These comments, submitted to the US House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor, focus on how to amend ESEA to ensure that struggling students and high school dropouts have access to systems, support, and funding to remain in school or re-enter the educational system and attain a viable education that prepares them for post secondary opportunities and success in careers. Download PDF
• Mar 25, 2010  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch TANF's Role in Providing Assistance to Struggling Families Testimony for the Record for Hearing on TANF's Role in Providing Assistance to Struggling Families Download PDF
• Mar 23, 2010  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care: A Framework for Addressing the Needs of Infants and Toddlers in Child Care (Presentation) This presentation on CLASP's Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project was given at the Illinois Action for Children conference. Download PDF
• Mar 10, 2010  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - March 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Mar 09, 2010  |  Sara Hastings, Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt, and Linda Harris Building a Comprehensive Youth Employment Delivery System: Examples of Effective Practice Many communities have shown tremendous commitment to youth employment. The return on investment and effort, however, can be greatly multiplied if federal youth funds, discretionary funding, resources from other youth serving systems, and community resources are brought together to build comprehensive youth employment system. Key elements of such a system include: a strong convening entity, an effective administrative agent, a well-trained case management arm, strong partnerships across systems that serve youth, and high quality work experience and career exposure. Download PDF
• Mar 09, 2010  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt, Linda Harris, and Kisha Bird Follow the Money: Funding and Legislative Opportunities on the Horizon for Communities to Serve Disconnected Youth Several pieces of legislation have been proposed or passed that present opportunities to fund programs in communities to keep young people connected to school and recapture those who have fallen by the wayside. Most of these resources, however, are from competitive funding streams which will require communities to demonstrate innovative practice in planning and implementation. Communities need to be aware of these potential opportunities very early in the process in order to plan strategically and create partnerships to program at-scale and meet the needs of their disconnected youth. Download PDF
• Mar 05, 2010  |  Kisha Bird (CFY) and CCRY Network Building on the Legacy of Youth Opportunity: Implications for Federal Policy For young people who live in communities plagued by high dropout rates, high youth unemployment rates, greater incidence of juvenile crime, violence, and gang activity, the prospects are bleak and there are few pathways to education, work and responsible citizenship for those disconnected from work and school. Fortunately, we have a roadmap for reaching out to, reconnecting and providing opportunities to disconnected youth. Agencies and organizations that serve youth who are disconnected from school and employment are increasingly working together using a systems approach that improves outcomes and reduces the gaps in services and supports that can occur in more fragmented systems. In the first half of last decade nearly 100,000 disadvantaged and disconnected youth nationwide were able to continue or complete their education and enter the workforce thanks to Youth Opportunity Programming. Unfortunately, funding was discontinued in 2005, and in the ensuing years federal funding for comprehensive youth programming continued to decline despite this being the most difficult economic environment since pre-World War II for the nation's youth. This paper outlines the key lessons of the Youth Opportunity Experience and building on existing strength, experience, and capacity describes its implications for current federal policy, including the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Download PDF
• Mar 05, 2010  |  Kisha Bird and Chris Scott Youth Opportunity Community Profile: Baltimore By implementing a service delivery philosophy that relied on highly skilled youth service professionals and neighborhood-based youth centers, YO! Baltimore not only became a hub for training and education but also for relationship and community building among residents young and old. YO! Sites were safe havens where caring adults gave young people the resources, skills and opportunities they needed to stay on track and to get back on track to achieve their goals. Download PDF
• Mar 05, 2010  |  Kisha Bird and Chris Scott Youth Opportunity Community Profile: California Indian Manpower Consortium In 2000, the California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc. (CIMC) was awarded a $15.9 million Youth Opportunity Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The YO! CIMC Project was a collaborative effort of 23 Indian Tribes and CIMC aimed at providing comprehensive development activities and support for youth, ages 14- 21. The YO! CIMC experience afforded disadvantaged youth (many of whom attended schools in rural and isolated areas, which lacked qualified teachers or adequate curricula and serious health, social, and economic disparities) the opportunity to gain educational and occupational skills through Internships and Subsidized Employment, Life Skills Training, Job Readiness Training, and College SAT Prep programs. Download PDF
• Mar 05, 2010  |  Kisha Bird and Chris Scott Youth Opportunity Community Profile: Hartford In 2000, Hartford was awarded a $28 million Youth Opportunity (YO) Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, YO! Hartford. This fact sheet outlines the lessons, legacy and impact YO had on community practice in the city of Hartford. The Hartford site served as an example of how collaborations and partnerships can increase educational options for under-credited, over-aged students and for those who have dropped out of school. Download PDF
• Mar 05, 2010  |  Kisha Bird and Chris Scott Youth Opportunity Community Profile: Southeast Arkansas In 2000, Rural Arkansas was awarded a $19.8 million Youth Opportunity Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. This fact sheet outlines the lessons, legacy and impact YO had on community practice in rural Southeast Arkansas. Much was accomplished in a relatively short period of time in this community. The YO Arkansas experience gave Phoenix Youth and Family Services (PYFS) a unique opportunity to address the needs of young people and help the community move toward its goal of reversing the economic decline of the area and the consequent departure of its young people. Download PDF
• Feb 22, 2010  |  Hannah Matthews Immigrant Families and Child Care Subsidies: What Federal Law and Guidance Says One in four young children in the United States lives in an immigrant family. Federal law establishes policies on immigrant eligibility for child care assistance, yet questions regarding eligibility remain at the state and local level. Most child care assistance is funded through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, which have differing rules regarding immigrant eligibility. This fact sheet lays out rules and guidance related to immigrant eligibility for child care subsidies through both funding streams. Download PDF
• Feb 05, 2010  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt President's Budget Proposal: Opportunities for Disconnected Youth On February 1, President Obama presented his FY 2011 budget proposal to Congress. The document lays out the desired course for the president's spending priorities for the coming year. This budget reflects the administration's commitment to the education and employment of youth, and proposes increased funding in several areas that can impact programming for disadvantaged and disconnected youth. Read Online
• Feb 04, 2010  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update: February 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Feb 04, 2010  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson President's Budget Calls for Key Investments in our Most Vulnerable Children and Families Our nation's children will be safe and well cared for only when we invest in a continuum of services including: prevention and early intervention services that help prevent child abuse and neglect whenever possible; effective treatment services for children who experience maltreatment and their families; and aftercare services that support children and their families once a crisis is stabilized so that further abuse and neglect do not occur. President Obama's 2011 budget takes a number of positive steps towards supporting this continuum, but The Administration and the Congress must take additional steps to make up for years of underinvestment in critical services for our nation's most vulnerable children. Read Online
• Feb 03, 2010  |  Danielle Ewen and Helen Blank The President's Budget Proposal: Opportunities and Challenges for Early Childhood Programs In this audioconference, Danielle Ewen and Helen Blank discuss the president's FY 2011 budget proposal and implications for funding of state and local early childhood programs. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Feb 02, 2010  |  Hannah Matthews Addressing the Needs of Children of Immigrants: Opportunities for State Policy and Early Childhood Advocates This presentation reviews key findings from CLASP's research on the challenges immigrant families face in accessing child care and early education and presents strategies and policy recommendations for addressing these challenges. Download PDF
• Feb 01, 2010  |  Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen Administration Reverses a Decade of Indifference The President's FY 2011 budget proposal provides resources for expanding quality child care and early education opportunities for children and families. Read Online
• Jan 29, 2010  |  Danielle Ewen Testimony of Danielle Ewen for U.S. Department of Education ESEA Listening Tour Danielle Ewen's testimony lays out principles to consider for early childhood issues in the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and CLASP's recommendations for changes to the law. Download PDF
• Jan 25, 2010  |  CLASP Federal Policy Recommendations for 2010 Our nation faces many domestic challenges, including improving access to affordable health care, improving access to education as well as education outcomes, and providing debt and foreclosure relief. CLASP's 2010 federal policy recommendations are equally essential to achieving healthy and thriving families and improving the nation's prosperity. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Jan 21, 2010  |  Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen FAQ: Using Title I of ESEA for Early Education This paper provides answers to frequently asked questions on using Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds on early education. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Jan 21, 2010 State Fact Sheets on Child Welfare Funding 2010 These fact sheets, compiled as part of a joint project of CLASP and the Children's Defense Fund, are designed to help policymakers, advocates, and the public better understand the complex financing structure of child welfare services in the states, and to enable them to work effectively toward national, state and local reforms that will promote a child welfare system that helps keep children and families out of crisis, provides specialized treatment services for those that do experience crisis and provides supportive services to families after a crisis has stabilized. Read Online
• Jan 20, 2010 Child Welfare in the United States This fact sheet, part of a collection of 50 state fact sheets compiled as part of a joint project of CLASP and the Children's Defense Fund, is designed to help policymakers, advocates, and the public better understand the complex financing structure of child welfare services in their states, and to enable them to work effectively toward national, state and local reforms that will promote a child welfare system that helps keep children and families out of crisis, provides specialized treatment services for those that do experience crisis and provides supportive services to families after a crisis has stabilized. Download PDF
• Jan 15, 2010  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - January 2010 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jan 11, 2010  |  Danielle Ewen The Early Learning Challenge Fund: Metrics and Data This presentation provides an overview of the data-based metrics included in the House Early Learning Challenge Fund legislation (Title IV of HR 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009). Download PDF
• Dec 22, 2009  |  Teresa Lim and Rachel Schumacher State CCDBG Plans to Promote Opportunities for Babies & Toddlers in Child Care (Full Report) CLASP's Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project highlights state policies that support the healthy growth and development of infants and toddlers in child care settings. The foundation of the project is a policy framework comprised of four key principles describing what babies and toddlers in child care need and 15 recommendations for states to move forward. This report analyzes state Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) plans for FFY 2008-2009 through the lens of this policy framework and highlights state policies to improve infant/toddler child care. Download PDF
• Dec 22, 2009  |  Teresa Lim and Rachel Schumacher State CCDBG Plans to Promote Opportunities for Babies & Toddlers in Child Care (Policy Brief) CLASP's Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project highlights state policies that support the healthy growth and development of infants and toddlers in child care settings. The foundation of the project is a policy framework comprised of four key principles describing what babies and toddlers in child care need and 15 recommendations for states to move forward. This policy brief summarizes key findings from an analysis of state Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) plans for FFY 2008-2009 through the lens of the policy framework and highlights state policy approaches. Download PDF
• Dec 18, 2009  |  Campaign for Youth Putting Youth To Work: A Jobs Strategy Linking Youth to Our Economic Recovery The number of unemployed youth and young adults in the United States is reaching record highs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly four million people under the age of 25 are considered officially unemployed. This paper outlines recommendations to ensure youth, especially those in high poverty communities, are a part of the nation's short and long-term economic recovery and job creation efforts. Download PDF
• Dec 17, 2009  |  Hannah Matthews Infants and Toddlers in CCDBG: 2008 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation of infants and toddlers in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2008. Fewer than a third of children served in CCDBG are under the age of 3, but the share of children receiving CCDBG who are infants and toddlers varies from state to state. This fact sheet includes state-by-state information on the ages of children served in CCDBG and other information on the participation of infants and toddlers in the program. Download PDF
• Dec 17, 2009  |  Hannah Matthews School-Age Children in CCDBG: 2008 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation of school-age children in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2008. A third of children served in CCDBG are between ages 6 and 13. This fact sheet includes state-by-state information on the ages of children served in CCDBG and other information on the participation of school-age children in the program. Download PDF
• Dec 11, 2009  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Poverty and Child Maltreatment: Common Challenges and Solutions This presentation looks at the connections between child maltreatment and poverty and explores common challenges and solutions to addressing both issues. In particular, the presentation focuses on the opportunities for TANF and child welfare agencies to work together under current law to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families and begins to examine enhancements that could be made when the TANF program is reauthorized (the current program will expire in 2010). Download PDF
• Dec 10, 2009  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - December 2009 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Dec 09, 2009  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann and Tiffany Conway Perrin Extending Home Visiting to Kinship Caregivers and Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers This paper explores how home visiting programs are serving children in kinship care and in family, friend, and neighbor care, based on CLASP's interviews with major national models of home visiting and other stakeholders. It also presents detailed considerations for implementing home visiting with these caregivers, including matters of curricula, staffing, and service referral, and discusses opportunities that result from serving these caregivers. It concludes with recommendations for states and the federal government. Download PDF
• Dec 04, 2009  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann Extending Home Visiting to Nonparental Caregivers: Opportunities and Barriers (Presentation) This presentation was given at ZERO TO THREE's 2009 National Training Institute. It explores how home visiting programs are serving children in kinship care and in family, friend, and neighbor care, based on CLASP's interviews with major national models of home visiting and other stakeholders. See also the accompanying paper. Download PDF
• Dec 04, 2009  |  Rachel Schumacher Yes We Can: State Policies to Build the Supply of High Quality Infant/Toddler Child Care This presentation discusses the need for high quality infant/toddler child care, challenges to meeting that need, and policy ideas for states to use to build supply. It was delivered at the ZERO TO THREE National Training Institute. Download PDF
• Dec 01, 2009  |  Hannah Matthews Child Care and Development Block Grant Participation in 2008 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2008. CCDBG served a monthly average of 1.6 million children. While 19 states increased the number of children served, 29 states served fewer children in 2008 than in the previous year. This fact sheet reviews data, including the ages of children receiving assistance, the types of child care settings used, and the reasons families receive assistance. Download PDF
• Dec 01, 2009  |  Danielle Ewen and Helen Blank Update on State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care This audioconference provides an update on states' progress in creating Early Childhood Advisory Councils, funded through the ARRA, as well as information about the workings of existing Councils. The call was hosted jointly by CLASP and the National Women's Law Center. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Nov 21, 2009  |  Danielle Ewen, Hannah Matthews, and Elizabeth Hoffmann Finding and Using Data to Advocate for Children and Families Effectively This presentation introduces participants to a range of state and federal data on young children and their families and demonstrate how to put data together to paint a picture of child and family well-being. Download PDF
• Nov 20, 2009  |  Danielle Ewen A Birth Through 8 Agenda for ESEA/NCLB This presentation looks at examples of how the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) can be used for birth through third grade, discuss potential changes in the reauthorization, and discuss how to promote greater use of Title I and other programs in NCLB for birth through age 8. Download PDF
• Nov 20, 2009  |  Rachel Schumacher Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care Policy Framework: Celebrating Successes & Contemplating Improvements This presentation focuses on what matters most for infants and toddlers in child care; share what's working in your community, and dream about what's next using the Center for Law and Social Policy's Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care Policy Framework. Download PDF
• Nov 19, 2009  |  Rachel Schumacher Developing State Quality Rating and Improvement Systems with Babies in Mind This presentation provides guidance to state leaders who want to ensure a state Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) addresses the unique needs of babies and toddlers in child care. It includes a framework of issues to consider, examples of state QRIS provisions, and related resources. Download PDF
• Nov 18, 2009  |  Evelyn Ganzglass Job Creation: Creating Work and Learning Opportunities for Low-Income Populations The current economic and job crisis requires that additional steps be taken to create employment and training opportunities for those hardest hit by the recession. Experts and policymakers have proposed numerous strategies to create and retain jobs such as tax credits, public service employment and the expansion of work-sharing/short-time compensation options under the Unemployment Insurance program. This fact sheet offers a number of ideas for how the public Workforce Investment and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families systems could be mobilized to create new work opportunities for low-income, unemployed workers. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Nov 16, 2009  |  CLASP Audioconference What the TANF Emergency Fund Can Do for Your Cash-Strapped State CLASP brought together leading experts to discuss the latest federal guidance on innovative ways that states can draw on the TANF Emergency Fund, and claim expenditures by third-parties, such as counties and nonprofit service-providers. Listen to this recording of the call to learn about how you can put the TANF Emergency Fund to use! Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Nov 16, 2009  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch The TANF Emergency Fund: A New Resource for Domestic Violence Programs The TANF Emergency Fund can both provide victims of domestic violence with financial and in-kind services to help address domestic violence issues and also relieve some of the funding pressures on providers. Download PDF
• Nov 09, 2009  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - November 2009 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Nov 09, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt (CLASP) & Kisha Bird (CFY) Comments to United States Department of Education: Notice of Policy Priorities for Investing in Innovation Fund The Investing in Innovation (I3) Fund offers local education agencies (LEAs) and nonprofit organizations an opportunity to rethink how they educate children and youth and to use school reform efforts as a foundational vehicle to work across sectors and explore new and innovative ways to support student learning from birth through postsecondary education. Our comments and recommendations relate specifically to ensuring the needs of struggling students and disconnected youth are adequately addressed. Download PDF
• Nov 02, 2009  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Questions and Answers about the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund This document explains the opportunities for states to help low-income families using the new TANF Emergency Contingency Fund created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This version is updated to reflect the questions and answers posted by HHS in October 2009 Download PDF
• Oct 28, 2009  |  Josh Bone and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Analysis of Fiscal Year 2008 TANF and MOE Spending by States The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has published data concerning use of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and state maintenance of effort (MOE) funds in FY 2008. This set of state-by-state charts shows how each state reported using its TANF and MOE funds in FY 2008. Read Online   |   Download Spreadsheet   |   Additional PDF
• Oct 23, 2009  |  Danielle Ewen Small Steps at a Challenging Time: Federal Legislation for Infants and Toddlers Danielle Ewen, CLASP's director of Child Care and Early Education, presented during a session, Current and Proposed Federal Policies and Plans That Will Influence the Care of Infants and Toddlers, at the Program for Infant Toddler Care (PITC) Graduate Conference on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2009 in San Francisco, Calif. Download PDF
• Oct 23, 2009  |  Child Care and Early Education U.S. Head Start by the Numbers 2008 This profile provides data across all Head Start programs (Early Head Start, Head Start preschool, American Indian/Alaskan Native Head Start, and Migrant Head Start) for all grantees. Profiles on individual states are available through "In the States." Download PDF
• Oct 20, 2009  |  Helen Blank And Danielle Ewen Update on State Child Care Assistance Policies and Use of Economic Recovery Funds This audio included child care administrators, who focus on how their states have successfully used American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to assist low-income families. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Oct 08, 2009  |  CLASP CLASP Testimony to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support This written testimony to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support discusses how American Recovery and Reinvestment Act spending has helped safety net programs such as TANF, child care subsidies, unemployment insurance, workforce development programs, and Medicaid, respond to the recession. Download PDF
• Oct 05, 2009 Child Welfare: We Can and Must Do Better Read Online
• Oct 05, 2009  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Testimony to the DC City Council on the TANF Emergency Fund In this testimony delivered to the Human Services Committee of the DC City Council, Ms. Lower-Basch highlights some of the ways to draw down TANF Emergency Funds based on already budgeted expenditures and third-party contributions. Download PDF
• Oct 01, 2009  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - October 2009 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Sep 30, 2009 CLASP Statement for the Record: September 15, 2009 Hearing on the Implementation of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act Statement for the record of the September 15, 2009 Hearing on the Implementation of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act submitted to the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, Committee on Ways and Means. Download PDF
• Sep 25, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt (CLASP) & Kisha Bird (CFY) Comments to United States Department of Education: Notice of Proposed Requirements for School Improvement Grants. Docket ID ED-2009-OESE-0010 Resources through School Improvement Grants offer our nation's most challenged school districts an opportunity to utilize best practices to rethink time and learning and provide our children and youth with a first-rate education experience. The rigorous interventions included in the School Improvement Grants Notice will not only raise the bar for the nation's lowest performing schools but it will provide state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) with the tools, strategies, and resources to effectively turn schools around and support our most disadvantaged students. Our comments and recommendations relate specifically to giving increased attention to struggling students and disconnected youth. Download PDF
• Sep 22, 2009  |  Campaign for Youth Comments to the Corporation for National and Community Service on Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act Download PDF
• Sep 21, 2009  |  Hannah Matthews Child Care Assistance in 2007: Spending Update This analysis details state child care expenditures from the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant programs. We find that spending on child care assistance increased slightly in 2007. Thirty-one states increased overall child care spending, while 20 states made cuts. The number of children receiving assistance, however, remains far lower than the number of children eligible for assistance. Download PDF
• Sep 09, 2009  |  Child Care and Early Learning Coalition Letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on FY 2011 Budget Request for Child Care and Head Start CLASP signed this coalition letter urging HHS to prepare a FY 2011 budget that allows for substantial increases in funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, and Early Head Start. Download PDF
• Sep 03, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt & Linda Harris Community-wide Systems That Promote High School Completion Youth develop across multiple domains that are relevant to academic success. While schools focus primarily on cognitive development, many of the supports young people receive in other developmental areas come from community-based out-of-school programming. Stimulation of development in these additional key areas builds skills that support connections to school and achievement. This article explores the need for a community-wide approach to support dropout prevention for struggling youth and re-engagement of disconnected youth. Read Online
• Sep 03, 2009  |  CLASP Audioconference Building Public-Private Partnerships in Human Services: Inside the New York Back to School Benefit Example George Soros' donation of $35 million to New York State, allowing the state to draw $140 million in federal funds from the TANF Emergency Fund to provide back to school payments of $200 to more than 800,000 children in low-income families, has drawn a great deal of attention from across the country. In this CLASP audioconference, hear from some of the people who made it happen, learn about the processes involved, and get ideas about how to make public-private partnerships to help low-income families with TANF Emergency Funds happen in your state. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Sep 01, 2009  |  CLASP Federal Policy Recommendations for 2009 and Beyond The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) has developed an extensive federal policy agenda for President Obama and the 111th Congress directed at improving the lives of low income people. That agenda is outlined in this document. Download PDF
• Aug 25, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt (CLASP) & Kisha Bird (CFY) Comments/Recommendations in response to Department of Education Proposed Race to the Top Fund Rules in Federal Register Document ED-2009-OESE-0006 The Race to The Top Fund will pave the way for sustainable reforms that transform the educational experience for American students. Our comments are centered around increasing the focus on students who have dropped out through targeting investments for dropout recovery and providing state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) with strategic direction to implement innovative models to reengage youth who have dropped out. Download PDF
• Aug 25, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Comments/Recommendations to United States Department of Education on Proposed State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Rules. Docket ID ED-2009-OESE-0007 State Fiscal Stabilization Funds, made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), will pave the way for sustainable reforms that can drastically improve the educational experience and outcomes for all of America's students. Our comments on the proposed rules derive from our concern for the nation's high school dropouts. We seek necessary reforms to prevent youth disengagement from school or to re-engage them in educational options that meet their needs. A national emphasis on this population will drive state and local education agencies to think more critically about and reach out more intentionally to serve the educational needs of these young people. Download PDF
• Aug 10, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Keeping Youth Connected: Focus on Cleveland To promote greater understanding of the scope of youth distress in high poverty, urban areas, we analyze data on indicators related to education, crime and victimization, employment, and family stability. This data highlights the major school, community, family and peer factors which impede a young person on the path to completing high school. Communities and advocates can use this data to galvanize support for needed interventions, and to benchmark and track progress on achieving outcomes. Download PDF
• Aug 10, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Keeping Youth Connected: Focus on Minneapolis To promote greater understanding of the scope of youth distress in high poverty, urban areas, we analyze data on indicators related to education, crime and victimization, employment, and family stability. This data highlights the major school, community, family and peer factors which impede a young person on the path to completing high school. Communities and advocates can use this data to galvanize support for needed interventions, and to benchmark and track progress on achieving outcomes. Download PDF
• Aug 06, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Keeping Youth Connected: Focus on Atlanta To promote greater understanding of the scope of youth distress in high poverty, urban areas, we analyze data on indicators related to education, crime and victimization, employment, and family stability. This data highlights the major school, community, family and peer factors which impede a young person on the path to completing high school. Communities and advocates can use this data to galvanize support for needed interventions, and to benchmark and track progress on achieving outcomes. Download PDF
• Aug 06, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Keeping Youth Connected: Focus on Washington, DC To promote greater understanding of the scope of youth distress in high poverty, urban areas, we analyze data on indicators related to education, crime and victimization, employment, and family stability. This data highlights the major school, community, family and peer factors which impede a young person on the path to completing high school. Communities and advocates can use this data to galvanize support for needed interventions, and to benchmark and track progress on achieving outcomes. Download PDF
• Aug 05, 2009  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - August 2009 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Aug 05, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Keeping Youth Connected: Focus on Chicago To promote greater understanding of the scope of youth distress in high poverty, urban areas, we analyze data on indicators related to education, crime and victimization, employment, and family stability. This data highlights the major school, community, family and peer factors which impede a young person on the path to completing high school. Communities and advocates can use this data to galvanize support for needed interventions, and to benchmark and track progress on achieving outcomes. Download PDF
• Aug 05, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Keeping Youth Connected: Focus on Detroit To promote greater understanding of the scope of youth distress in high poverty, urban areas, we analyze data on indicators related to education, crime and victimization, employment, and family stability. This data highlights the major school, community, family and peer factors which impede a young person on the path to completing high school. Communities and advocates can use this data to galvanize support for needed interventions, and to benchmark and track progress on achieving outcomes. Download PDF
• Jul 30, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Keeping Youth Connected: Focus on Boston To promote greater understanding of the scope of youth distress in high poverty, urban areas, we analyze data on indicators related to education, crime and victimization, employment, and family stability. This data highlights the major school, community, family and peer factors which impede a young person on the path to completing high school. Communities and advocates can use this data to galvanize support for needed interventions, and to benchmark and track progress on achieving outcomes. Download PDF
• Jul 30, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Keeping Youth Connected: Focus on Oakland To promote greater understanding of the scope of youth distress in high poverty, urban areas, we analyze data on indicators related to education, crime and victimization, employment, and family stability. This data highlights the major school, community, family and peer factors which impede a young person on the path to completing high school. Communities and advocates can use this data to galvanize support for needed interventions, and to benchmark and track progress on achieving outcomes. Download PDF
• Jul 30, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Keeping Youth Connected: Focus on Philadelphia To promote greater understanding of the scope of youth distress in high poverty, urban areas, we analyze data on indicators related to education, crime and victimization, employment, and family stability. This data highlights the major school, community, family and peer factors which impede a young person on the path to completing high school. Communities and advocates can use this data to galvanize support for needed interventions, and to benchmark and track progress on achieving outcomes. Download PDF
• Jul 24, 2009  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Looking Ahead to TANF Reauthorization This presentation provides an overview of the trends in welfare receipt and work since the 1996 creation of the TANF block grant and highlights the modest levels of caseload increase in the current recession. It concludes with some thoughts about TANF reauthorization, scheduled for 2010. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Jul 24, 2009  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Testimony on TANF Sanctions for the Washington, DC Council As part of the budget gap closing process, the District of Columbia is considering imposing increased sanctions on TANF recipients. In this testimony for the DC Council, Elizabeth Lower-Basch reports on the research on TANF sanctions. Download PDF
• Jul 23, 2009  |  Rachel Schumacher Comprehensive Services for Babies and Toddlers: Research, Practice, and Policy This presentation was given at the U.S. Department of Education Parent Information and Resource Centers Annual Directors' Conference and provides a framework for connecting early care and education, health, family support, and early intervention services to support infants and toddlers and their families. It also includes ideas for schools to work with community partners to support the healthy development of children from birth to age three. Download PDF
• Jul 20, 2009  |  Child Care and Early Education Early Learning Challenge Fund Legislation Audio Conference In this audio conference, Dr. Ruth Friedman, Senior Education Policy Advisor, House Committee on Education and Labor, provides an overview of the Early Learning Challenge Fund and answers questions about the legislation. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Jul 20, 2009  |  Danielle Ewen Letter To House Committee On Education And Labor On Early Learning Challenge Fund CLASP wrote a letter of support for the proposed Early Learning Challenge Fund to Chairman Miller. The proposal creates the opportunity for states to make significant investments in the quality of early childhood programs serving disadvantaged children and their families. Download PDF
• Jul 10, 2009  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - July 2009 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jul 10, 2009 U.S. Head Start by the Numbers 2007 This fact sheet presents Head Start PIR data for all Head Start programs in the nation -- including preschool programs, Early Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, and American Indian/Alaskan Native Head Start. Download PDF
• Jun 23, 2009  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews Early Childhood Education In The ARRA: Opportunities For Helping Low-income Children And Their Families This presentation highlights funding opportunities in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for supporting young children and their families, quality early learning experiences, and healthy and supportive communities. Download PDF
• Jun 19, 2009  |  Linda Harris and Sara Hastings Youth Opportunity Grant Evaluation Fact Sheet At the end of 2008, the Department of Labor released the findings of an independent evaluation conducted by DIR, Inc. showing positive results from the YO initiative and highlighting effective practices for serving youth. During the grant period, these 36 communities enrolled 92,000 mostly minority youth -- 48 percent of them out of school. The evaluation documented that for this population, grantees were able to increase educational attainment, Pell Grant receipt, labor market participation, and employment rates and earnings. The evaluation also showed that when adequate resources are targeted at building community capacity to serve youth, labor force participation and education outcomes can improve. Download PDF
• Jun 15, 2009  |  Matt Lewis Distance Learning Can Help Low-Income Parents Attend School: TANF Agencies Should Adopt Supportive Policies (Revised) In the wake of the interim rules implementing the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, several states have expressed concerns about distance learning programs meeting the work verification requirements established by the US Department of Health and Human Services under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. This paper identifies language from HHS-approved work verification plans that other states can adopt in order to maximize access to distance learning and raise work participation rates. It also highlights some restrictive and burdensome language that should be dropped from work verification plans. Download PDF
• Jun 12, 2009  |  Michelle Vinson and Vicki Turetsky State Child Support Pass-Through Policies This chart lists all 50 states and the District of Columbias child support pass-through and income disregard policies as of June 2009. Download PDF
• Jun 03, 2009  |  Danielle Ewen ARRA Opportunities For Shared Services For The ECE Industry: Improving Quality And Financial Stability This presentation, from the 2009 National Shared Services Technical Conference, highlights funding opportunities in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that supoprt an early care and education shared services model to improve business practices and increase the quality of programs. Download PDF
• Jun 01, 2009  |  Tiffany Conway Comments to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid on the Proposed Rule on Case Management Services CLASP supports the proposed partial rescission of the case management services interim final rule (CMS-2237-IFC) and believes that the rescission will help ensure that abused and neglected children receive critical case management services. Download PDF
• May 21, 2009  |  Child Care and Early Education An Economic Recovery Update: How States Can Use Economic Recovery Funds To Help Child Care Listen to an audio conference recording about how to best utilize the economic recovery funds. A conversation with state advocates is moderated by Helen Blank, National Women's Law Center, and Danielle Ewen, CLASP. Speakers include: Speakers: Bruce Liggett, Executive Director, Arizona Child Care Association; Sessy Nyman, Vice President of Public Policy & Government Affairs, Illinois Action for Children; Sheila Hansen, Policy Director, Child and Family Policy Center; Patty Siegel, Executive Director, California Child Care Resource & Referral Network; and Clare S. Richie, Senior Policy Analyst, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• May 21, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Provisions Which Can Support Programming to Improve Outcomes for Black Men & Boys Prior to the economic downturn, Black males already faced disproportionately negative outcomes in so many areas, including education, health, justice, and employment. The recession has only exacerbated the problems faced by this population. There is a case to be made for targeting American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) resources to this population and for using these one-time resources to begin to put in place programs and efforts which will have lasting effects for Black males. This document highlights the funding streams in the ARRA which may provide such opportunities. Download PDF
• May 07, 2009  |  Rachel Schumacher and Elizabeth Hoffmann Babies and Toddlers in Child Care: State Policy and Practice for Healthy Development Young children's experiences between birth and age 3 are critical cornerstones that lay the foundation for future growth and development. This presentation from the 2009 Smart Start Conference explores what babies need to thrive, how these needs align with state policies governing child care for infants and toddlers, and what specific policy examples states are putting into practice to improve care and promote healthy development. Download PDF
• May 07, 2009  |  Hannah Matthews Supporting Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Families In Early Care Policies And Practice This presentation provides recommendations for state policymakers and local programs to help culturally and linguistically diverse families access high quality comprehensive early care and education. Download PDF
• May 06, 2009  |  Elizabeth Hoffmann Extending Home Visiting Programs to Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers: Opportunities and Barriers (Presentation) Many young children spend significant time with family, friend, and neighbor caregivers in order for parents to work. This presentation, given at the national Smart Start conference, explores findings from interviews with national leaders in home visiting around the opportunities and challenges of using home visiting models with nonparental caregivers. Based on these findings, CLASP also offers recommendations for what states can do. Download PDF
• Apr 28, 2009  |  Linda Harris WIA Reauthorization: Opportunity to Rethink the Nation's Youth Delivery System Presentation to the Working for Change Forum sponsored by Community Services Society of New York and Coalition for Human Needs. Download PDF
• Apr 24, 2009  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch and Mark Greenberg Single Mothers in the Era of Welfare Reform The 1990s welfare reform and expansion of work supports caused an historic increase in the share of single mothers who were working. This chapter examines the policy changes of the 1990s and since along with the subsequent employment and earnings outcomes for single mothers. It considers how the policy changes affected both employment levels and job quality and discusses implications for next steps for federal and state policies. This chapter is from the 2009 LERA Research Volume, The Gloves-off Economy: Workplace Standards at the Bottom of America's Labor Market, A. Bernhardt, H. Boushey, L. Dresser, and C. Tilly, eds., Champaign IL: Labor and Employment Relations Association, pp. 163--190. Copyright 2008 by the Labor and Employment Relations Association; Champaign, IL. Reprinted with permission. The volume is available through Cornell University Press. Download PDF
• Apr 15, 2009  |  Linda Harris Considerations for WIA Reauthorization: Title I Youth Provisions WIA reauthorization provides the opportunity to re-think and strengthen the youth delivery system across the country. CLASP recommendations focus on increase targeting to high risk youth and more strategic alliances among youth serving systems. Download PDF
• Apr 14, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Identifying Opportunities in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Improve Outcomes for Black Men and Boys Black men and boys face disproportionately negative life outcomes in many domains, particularly education, employment and justice. This audio conference will identify opportunities in the ARRA to provide education, training, and supportive services in a targeted manner to black men and boys. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Apr 06, 2009  |  Matt Lewis and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Analysis of Fiscal Year 2007 TANF and MOE Spending by States The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has published data concerning use of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and state maintenance of effort (MOE) funds in FY 2007. This set of state-by-state charts shows how each state reported using its TANF and MOE funds in FY 2007. Read Online   |   Download Spreadsheet
• Apr 03, 2009  |  Allegra Baider and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Making the Employment Connection: New Opportunities to Support Transitional Jobs Programs Using the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund This paper highlights new opportunities to develop or expand Transitional Jobs programs using funding from the new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund, which was authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Download PDF
• Mar 25, 2009  |  Linda Harris Making the Connection: Opportunities in ARRA to Serve Older Youth Even before the economic downturn, youth in our economically distressed urban and rural communities were hurting. This audio conference will identify opportunities in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to serve older youth and will outline approaches states and local communities should consider to improve youth outcomes. Download Audio
• Mar 23, 2009  |  Hannah Matthews Ten Policies To Improve Access To Quality Child Care For Children In Immigrant Families While children in immigrant families represent a rapidly growing segment of the nation's child population, they are less likely to access child care and early education settings compared to their peers in native-born families. Part of CLASP's "Reinvesting in Child Care" series, this paper presents ten policies for state policymakers to implement now with economic recovery funds to improve access to quality child care for children in immigrant families. Download PDF
• Mar 20, 2009  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Opportunities in the Recovery Act for Income Support for Low-Income Women and Children This presentation analyzes ways that funds provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 can be used to improve income supports for low-income women and children. It focuses on the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund and the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act. Download PDF
• Mar 18, 2009  |  Danielle Ewen Testimony On Growing Federal Investments In Head Start And Early Head Start This testimony, presented on March 18, 2009 to the Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, discusses the importance of Head Start/Early Head Start programs that support our most vulnerable infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families. Download PDF
• Mar 18, 2009  |  David Hansell, Amy Rynell, and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Making the Employment Connection: New Opportunities to Develop Transitional Jobs Programs This audio conference highlights Transitional Jobs programs to help individuals with barriers to employment enter and succeed in the labor market, and features new opportunities created through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to develop and expand such programs. It ws co-sponsored by the National Transitional Jobs Network. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Mar 11, 2009  |  Elizabeth Appley, Elizabeth Lower-Basch and Stacey Cox Rebuilding the Safety Net: State and Local Opportunities in Income Support This audio conference features opportunities for improvements in income support programs created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund both provide additional funds for states -- but only if they take action to expand program access. The expansion in tax credits for low-income workers also provides opportunities for community tax assistance providers. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Mar 10, 2009  |  Rachel Schumacher Benefitting Babies: Ten Policies States Can Implement Now to Improve Infant/Toddler Child Care with Economic Recovery Funds This paper presents ten policy ideas for state policymakers to implement now with economic recovery funds to support quality programs and enhancement strategies that will improve early care and learning for infants and toddlers. Download PDF
• Mar 10, 2009 State Infant/Toddler ARRA Policies Series Part of CLASP's "Reinvesting in Child Care" series, this set of eight fact sheets provides policy recommendations and state examples for using economic recovery funds to improve the quality of infant/toddler care. Read Online
• Mar 09, 2009  |  CLASP and the National Women's Law Center Making Use of Economic Recovery Funds: Child Care Policy Options for States This joint paper offers state policymakers and advocates a set of policy options for effectively spending CCDBG economic recovery funds to create new jobs, serve more families, and improve the quality of child care. Download PDF
• Feb 27, 2009  |  Hannah Matthews CCDBG: What's in the law? The federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program allows states broad discretion to develop their child care assistance programs within federal guidelines. This brief lays out the federal requirements states must follow in designing their child care programs and spending CCDBG funds. Download PDF
• Feb 25, 2009  |  Child Care and Early Education Child Care and Early Education: Opportunities to Serve More Low-Income, Working Families Danielle Ewen, CLASP, and Helen Blank, National Women's Law Center, discuss the opportunity for states and local communities to serve more low-income working families and to make long-term investments in quality programs through new investments in the ARRA. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Feb 25, 2009  |  Linda Harris Recommendations to USDOL on Guidance to States on Implementing Youth Activities in the Recovery Act The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides $1.2 billion dollars for youth activities under the Workforce Investment Act. Much attention has been focused on summer jobs. The Center for Law and Social Policy and The National Youth Employment Coalition, based on input from administrators and providers in local workforce systems and from organizations at the national level, advanced a set of recommendations to the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration in an effort to assure that ARRA funds are also used in an effective and innovative way to engage out of school youth in jobs, training, and education support activities related to the economic recovery. Download PDF
• Feb 22, 2009  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Provisions in Economic Stimulus Bill to Help Low-Income Families (Interview with Elizabeth Lower-Basch on C-SPAN's Washington Journal) On February 22, 2009, Elizabeth Lower-Basch, senior policy analyst with the Workforce Development team at CLASP, joined C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss provisions in the economic stimulus to help low-income individuals and families. Read Online
• Feb 13, 2009  |  Hannah Matthews Impact of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 on Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Funding State Allocations for $2 Billion in CCDBG Funding. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes $2 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). CLASP has estimated the state allocations for the child care funding as well as the share of funds states will receive for quality initiatives. Download PDF
• Feb 13, 2009  |  Vicki Turetsky How Much Restored Child Support Funding Will Each State Receive Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act? The ARRA includes a 2-year suspension of a provision in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2006 that reduced federal child support funding to the child support enforcement program. The ARRA temporarily restores funding to help families continue to receive child support payments and prevent widespread cutbacks in child support services. Download PDF
• Jan 23, 2009  |  Hannah Matthews Child Care Assistance: A Program That Works As the economic recovery package moves through Congress, it is critical that it include a $3 billion increase in the federal child care assistance program, the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). Child care is a program that works. Research shows that child care assistance makes a significant difference in the economic health and security of families. It helps families sustain their participation in the workforce, reduce instability in care arrangements that can impact work, and move out of poverty. Download PDF
• Jan 22, 2009  |  Rachel Schumacher Continuity of Care: A Critical Component of Quality for Babies and Toddlers in Child Care This presentation, given at the Chicago Metro AEYC Opening Minds Conference, explores how continuity of care affects infant and toddler development. Comparative state data from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minneosta, Ohio, and Wisconsin is included. Download PDF
• Jan 12, 2009 CLASP's Workforce Education and Training Policy Recommendations to Promote Inclusive Economic Recovery This paper is a summary of recommendations CLASP has made on workforce education and training policy that promote inclusive economic recovery. The recommendations include workforce investments to assist low-income and other workers hardest hit by economic recession and help prepare our workforce for the jobs of the future. Download PDF
• Jan 09, 2009  |  Teresa Lim Early Childhood Education Update - January 2009 CLASP's Early Childhood Education Update is a monthly roundup of news, legislative developments, research, and other developments of interest to the early care and education community. This update is part of CLASP's project, funded by The Joyce Foundation, to provide technical assistance to early childhood policymakers and advocates in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read Online
• Jan 08, 2009  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support Funding Stimulates an Economic Recovery Reversing the child support cuts would provide stimulus to the federal government, states, and to low-income families. This fact sheet describes why reversing the child support cuts is a cost-effective means to help low income families meet basic household expenses and will aid state and county budgets. Download PDF
• Jan 01, 2009  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Lessons Learned: Community Perspectives on Supporting the Path to Positive Outcomes for Youth CLASP convened city leadership from eight communities around the country which face the problem of high levels of youth distress. These city leaders provided their grounded perspective on the challenges that communities face when trying to create a continuum of supportive services at sufficient scale to serve all their youth. They also discuss the role that national policy organizations can play in supporting their work. Download PDF
• Dec 08, 2008  |  Sara Hastings Harnessing the Power of Advocacy: Massachusetts' Efforts to Increase State Resources for Youth Across the country, cities and states struggle to garner the resources necessary to address the many issues facing their disconnected young people. Over the last several years, a highly coordinated local and statewide advocacy movement has experienced groundbreaking legislative success in the state of Massachusetts. This policy brief outlines the ways in which advocacy coalitions were formed at the state level in Massachusetts and the approaches advocates used to garner support and resources for systems and programs that serve youth. Download PDF
• Nov 21, 2008  |  Hannah Matthews Child Care and Development Block Grant Participation in 2007 Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2007. CCDBG served a monthly average of 1.7 million children. While 22 states increased the number of children served, 27 states served fewer children in 2007 than in the previous year. This fact sheet reviews data, including the ages of children receiving assistance, the types of child care settings used, and the reasons families receive assistance. See also Infants and Toddlers in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program: 2007 Update for a snapshot of participation of infants and toddlers in CCDBG. Download PDF
• Nov 21, 2008  |  Hannah Matthews Infants and Toddlers in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program: 2007 Update Based on preliminary data from the Child Care Bureau, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation of infants and toddlers in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2007. Over a quarter of children served in CCDBG are under the age of 3, but the share of children receiving CCDBG who are infants and toddlers varies from state to state. This fact sheet includes state-by-state information on the ages of children served in CCDBG. See also Child Care and Development Block Grant Participation in 2007 for an overview of CCDBG participation by children of all ages. Download PDF
• Nov 21, 2008  |  Hannah Matthews U.S. Child Care Assistance Profile 2007 This fact sheet presents state reported information on child care spending through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds used for child care, and information on children and families participating in CCDBG. Download PDF
• Nov 12, 2008  |  CLASP Recover, Renew, Rebuild: Workforce Policies for a Strong and Fair Economy Education and training are major contributors to economic prosperity. They are drivers of economic mobility and opportunity. Workforce policies to help individuals who are struggling in the labor market also are a critical component of a recovery package to get America working again. This report contains CLASP workforce policy recommendations for Congress and the Administration to address the immediate economic crisis and to make a down payment on the longer-term agenda of building a stronger and more equitable economy. It includes actions they can take to: help workers and families recover from the current recession; renew the nation's commitment to good jobs and upward mobility for all and rebuild middle class jobs. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Nov 10, 2008  |  Julie Cohen (ZERO TO THREE) and Danielle Ewen Infants and Toddlers in Child Care This joint brief makes policy recommendations to create supports for, and expand access to, quality child care for infants and toddlers, focusing on the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), tax policy, and appropriations. The brief also summarizes research on the importance of quality child care. Download PDF
• Nov 07, 2008  |  CLASP Beyond Stimulus: Shoring Up the Safety Net, Securing the American Dream The United States is entering into a recession which many will be longer and more severe than any we have faced in recent decades. As Congress and the new President consider what actions to take, CLASP calls for a package that goes beyond stimulus aimed at temporarily boosting consumer demand. This paper outlines actions that Congress should take immediately to strengthen safety net programs that provide critical assistance to vulnerable workers and families and to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to share in the benefits of recovery. Download PDF
• Nov 05, 2008  |  Hannah Matthews U.S. Child Care Assistance State Profile 2006 This fact sheet presents state reported information on child care spending through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds used for child care, and information on children and families participating in CCDBG. Download PDF
• Nov 03, 2008  |  Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen Child Care Assistance in 2006: Insufficient Investments Spending on child care assistance increased slightly in 2006. Thirty-two states increased spending, while 19 states made cuts to their child care programs. Meanwhile, federal funding for child care has remained nearly flat for six years. Analysis of expenditure data from the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant show that states will need more help just to maintain current service levels. Download PDF
• Oct 29, 2008  |  Linda Harris and Evelyn Ganzglass Creating Postsecondary Pathways to Good Jobs for Young High School Dropouts This paper advocates expansion and better integration of efforts to connect high school dropouts between the ages of 16 and 24 to pathways to postsecondary credentials that have value in the labor market. The paper highlights examples of innovations in policy, program delivery, pedagogy in adult education, youth development and dropout recovery, and postsecondary education that should be built upon in developing more robust and successful dropout recovery and postsecondary education policies and practices to open the door to higher wages and career opportunities for this population. The authors urge federal officials, governors, school administrators, college officials, workforce leaders and employers to provide leadership in building the supports and pathways at scale to bring dropout youth back into the education and labor market mainstream. The paper was prepared for the Center for American Progress. Download PDF
• Oct 28, 2008  |  Campaign for Youth Our Youth, Our Economy, Our Future: A National Investment Strategy for Reconnecting America's Youth The Campaign for Youth has developed a national strategy outlining opportunities for federal investment in disconnected youth. These two documents--the full strategy document and its accompanying executive summary--have been circulated to all 2008 presidential candidates. Download PDF
• Oct 16, 2008  |  Alan W. Houseman and the CLASP Staff CLASP Federal Policy Recommendations for 2009 and Beyond CLASP has developed an extensive federal policy agenda for the next President and Congress directed at improving the lives of low income people. The detailed agenda makes recommendations for changes in policy at all levels of the federal government: the White House, Federal departments and agencies, the budget and appropriations' process, and the law-making process in Congress. This publication provides an overview of our agenda organized into eleven key recommendations. Taken as a whole, the eleven recommendations call for increasing investments in effective programs and funding streams that concretely help children, youth, and families thrive; strengthening and modernizing the nation's safety net; and building supportive pathways for low-income youths and adults to good jobs that sustain families and communities. Download PDF
• Oct 03, 2008  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Protecting Children and Strengthening Families Too many children experience abuse and neglect with negative lifelong consequences. Too few children get the services and supports they need to heal. Yet, proven and promising practices can reduce maltreatment and ameliorate harm. Taking these practices to scale will require federal investment and leadership in five strategic areas. We must: (1) increase prevention and early intervention services that help keep children and families out of crisis; (2) increase specialized treatment services for those children and families that do experience crisis; (3) increase services to support families after a crisis has stabilized (including birth families, as well as kinship and adoptive families created when parents are unable to care for their children); (4) enhance the quality of the workforce providing services to children and families; and (5) improve accountability both for dollars spent and outcomes achieved. Together these efforts will improve the lives of millions of children across the nation. Download PDF
• Oct 02, 2008  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch CLASP Comments on HHS Regulation Disallowing Credit for Excess MOE In these comments, CLASP urges the Department of Health and Human Services to maintain a provision that gives states an incentive to spend more of their money than the minimum required to avoid penalty. CLASP strongly disagrees with HHS' claim that reduced cash assistance caseloads mean that there is less of a need for additional spending. Download PDF
• Sep 23, 2008 Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act 2008 resources The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (P.L. 110-351) will help hundreds of thousands of children and youth in foster care by promoting permanent families for them through relative guardianship and adoption and improving education and health care. Additionally, it will extend federal support for youth to age 21. P.L. 110-351 also will offer for the first time many American Indian children important federal protections and support. H.R. 6893 has bipartisan support and is fully paid for. This bill resolves differences between the House-passed Fostering Connections to Success Act (H.R.6307) and the Senate Finance Committee-approved Chairman’s Mark of S. 3038, the Improved Adoption Incentives and Relative Guardianship Support Act. P.L. 110-351 was unanimously passed by the House on suspension of the rules on September 17, 2008 and in the Senate by unanimous consent on September 22, 2008. The law was signed by President Bush on October 7, 2008. Read Online
• Aug 14, 2008  |  Rachel Schumacher and Elizabeth DiLauro (ZERO TO THREE) State Early Head Start Initiative Profiles CLASP and ZERO TO THREE conducted in-depth interviews with 10 states taking actions to build on Early Head Start. These individual profiles of state initiatives include data on the approaches used to build on Early Head Start, the state program, funding and supports, governance and coordination, and monitoring and evaluation. Read Online
• Aug 08, 2008  |  Hannah Matthews Child Care and Development Block Grant Participation in 2006 This fact sheet provides a snapshot of participation in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program in 2006. CCDBG served a monthly average of 1.8 million children. While 29 states increased the number of children served, 22 states served fewer children in 2006 than in the previous year. This fact sheet reviews data, including the ages of children receiving assistance, the types of child care settings used, and the reasons families can receive assistance. Download PDF
• Jul 30, 2008  |  Hannah Matthews and Rachel Schumacher Ensuring Quality Care for Low-Income Babies: Contracting Directly with Providers to Expand and Improve Infant and Toddler Care The supply of high-quality infant and toddler child care is limited, particularly for low-income families. While most states provide child care assistance through vouchers or certificates, states have the option of contracting directly with providers to expand infant/toddler care for low-income families. Based on interviews with state policymakers, this paper explains how states are using contracts to create or stabilize care in particular communities or for specific populations; to create child care slots meeting quality standards important for infants and toddlers; to extend the day for infants and toddlers served in Early Head Start; and to improve the quality of infant/toddler family child care. Download PDF
• Jul 02, 2008  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt and Jonathan Larsen (National Youth Employment Coalition) Comments/Recommendations in response to Department of Education Proposed NCLB Rules in Federal Register Document E8-8700 Adaptations to No Child Left Behind provide an opportunity to strengthen our nation's educational structure and system of services to better educate struggling students and to re-engage youth who have dropped out. Our comments relate specifically to giving increased attention to struggling students and disconnected youth. Local education agencies can be incentivized to pay closer attention to these populations through increasing the graduation rate requirements, and Supplemental Education Services and public school choice are potential vehicles for providing these students with the educational environments and supports to increase their academic success. Download PDF
• Jun 18, 2008 Early Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, And Staff In 2006 This fact sheet reviews the 2006 Program Information Reports (PIR) data for the Early Head Start program, which serves children under age 3 and pregnant women. In 2006, Early Head Start continued to provide vital services to a diverse group of low-income children and families, most of which included at least one working parent. Most children received medical, dental, and disability screenings and follow-up services when necessary. Pregnant women also received prenatal and postnatal health care, dental care, and mental health care. Families also accessed services at high rates; 84 percent of families accessed at least one social service. However, just 2.4 percent of eligible children receive Early Head Start services. Download PDF
• Jun 18, 2008 Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, And Staff In 2006 This fact sheet reviews the 2006 Program Information Report (PIR) data for all Head Start programs, including preschool, Early Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, and American Indian and Alaskan Native programs. In 2006, Head Start continued to provide vital services to a diverse group of low-income children and families. Most children received medical, dental, and disability screenings and follow-up services when necessary. Data show that increasingly, children in Head Start are receiving health insurance through public programs, even though 70 percent of families included at least one working parent. In addition, Head Start teacher education levels continued to rise, while salaries decreased 2 percent from the previous year after inflation adjustment. Download PDF
• Jun 09, 2008  |  Neil Ridley, Elizabeth Lower-Basch, and Matt Lewis Low-Income Workers and Families Hardest Hit by Economic Decline Need Help Now American workers and families are being squeezed between a declining labor market and increasing costs for food, fuel, and other basic needs. This paper describes the economy's impact on vulnerable adults and youth, and lays out recommendations for action that can make a real difference in the lives of low-income workers and their families. Download PDF
• Jun 03, 2008  |  Tiffany Conway and Rutledge Q. Hutson Healthy Marriage and the Legacy of Child Maltreatment: A Child Welfare Perspective The twelfth in a series on Couples and Marriage Research Policy, this brief looks at marriage from a notably different perspective than previous briefs in the series. This brief explores how childhood experiences, specifically child maltreatment and involvement with the child welfare system, impact the potential for a healthy,lasting marriage. The brief summarizes the research on the barriers to a healthy marriage and what is known about the long term impacts of child maltreatment and foster care. Finally, the authors offer recommendations for addressing the unique needs of couples in which one or both partners have experienced childhood maltreatment. Download PDF
• May 20, 2008  |  Vicki Turetsky Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Act of 2007 This brief on legislation outlines the provisions of the proposed Responsible Fatherhood and Health Families Act of 2007. Download PDF
• May 16, 2008  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt A Collective Responsibility, A Collective Work: Supporting the Path to Positive Life Outcomes for Youth in Economically Distressed Communities This paper presents a picture of risk and challenge for youth in distressed communities and outlines how these communities can band together to create a continuum of supportive activities to bolster youth's success in school and life. As youth grow and develop, individualized support and exposure to new experiences has a significant impact on their life trajectory. Youth in economically distressed communities deserve to have access to these types of opportunities, which are much more readily available to their peers in other communities. This investment in youth can have a positive effect on academic success, future life earnings, family stability, and the livelihood of the community. This paper may be helpful in guiding a community's thinking about how to get started in creating a sustainable support system for all of its youth. Click here to download the Executive Summary. Download PDF
• May 06, 2008  |  Vicki Turetsky Preserve the Child Support System: Don't Let the New Hire Database be Hijacked for Immigrant Employment Verification Congress should not authorize the use of a child support data base, called the National Directory of New Hires, to establish mandatory electronic employment verification system as is proposed in the "New Employee Verification Act of 2008" (HR 5515). This use of the National Directory of New Hires will seriously undermine the goals and effectiveness of the child support system. Download PDF
• May 05, 2008  |  Vicki Turetsky; Tyler Moran (National Immigration Law Center) Testimony on Employment Eligibility Verification Systems and the Potential Impacts on SSA's Ability to Serve Retirees, People with Disabilities, and Workers. Written statement delivered before the Subcommittee on Social Security Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives Download PDF
• Apr 25, 2008  |  Rachel Schumacher and Elizabeth DiLauro (ZERO TO THREE) Building on the Promise: State Initiatives to Expand Access to Early Head Start for Young Children and Their Families This report from CLASP and ZERO TO THREE examines actions states have taken to enhance Early Head Start (EHS). Less than 3 percent of babies and toddlers who are eligible for EHS are reached at current federal funding levels. Twenty states use at least one of four main approaches: 1) Extending the day or year of existing EHS services, 2) Expanding the capacity of existing EHS and Head Start programs to increase the number of children and pregnant women served, 3) Providing resources and assistance to child care providers to help them deliver services meeting EHS standards, and 4) Supporting partnerships between EHS and center-based and family child care providers to improve the quality of care. The report also analyzes opportunities and challenges facing state policymakers and provides recommendations for state leaders interested in promoting better futures for at-risk children through building on Early Head Start. CLASP and ZERO TO THREE have also prepared state profiles detailing the approaches of Kansas and Iowa to expanding Early Head Start. Download PDF
• Apr 25, 2008  |  Rachel Schumacher and Elizabeth DiLauro (ZERO TO THREE) Executive Summary: Building on the Promise: State Initiatives to Expand Access to Early Head Start for Young Children and Their Families Executive Summary of Building on the Promise: State Initiatives to Expand Access to Early Head Start for Young Children and Their Families Download PDF
• Apr 09, 2008  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Tax Credits and Public Benefits: Complementary Approaches to Supporting Low-Income Families Tax credits and public benefits are complementary approaches to supporting low-income families; policy makers do not need to choose between them. By understanding the advantages and disadvantages of both mechanisms, advocates and policy makers can better choose the right tool for the job at hand, rather than adopting a one-size fits all approach. Download PDF
• Mar 20, 2008  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Education and Training for TANF Recipients: Opportunities and Challenges under the Final Rule On February 5, 2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published the final rules implementing changes in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program made by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. This paper explains the changes in the new rules that affect recipients' access to education and training, and the actions that states will need to take in order to take advantage of these changes. Many welfare recipients lack the education needed to successfully compete in the labor market. By enabling recipients to participate in education and training activities, states can help improve their long-term employment and earnings outcomes as well as increase their participation rates. Download PDF
• Mar 04, 2008  |  CLASP The Congressional Budget Resolution: Recommendations for a Blueprint in Support of Low-Income Individuals and Families President Bush's budget proposal sends a simple and stark message: even in an economic downturn, those at the bottom of the income scale don't matter. It is now Congress' turn to prepare a budget plan. The Congressional budget resolution should inflict no harm to low-income workers, restore prior cuts, and invest in the future by supporting the workforce and ensuring safe and healthy children. Download PDF
• Feb 11, 2008  |  Hannah Matthews Incorporating Cultural Competence in Quality Rating and Improvement Systems This presentation provides an overview of what cultural competence is; why cultural and linguistic competence is important in early childhood standards; and how quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) can support cultural and linguistic competence. Download PDF
• Feb 06, 2008  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the Interim Final Rule Regarding Medicaid Case Management and Targeted Case Management Services CLASP is concerned about the detrimental effects the interim final rule regarding Medicaid case management and targeted case management services, will have on children being served by child welfare programs, including child protective services and foster care programs. Download PDF
• Feb 04, 2008  |  Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen President's Budget Disregards Sound Investments for Young Children Every Administration uses the budget to send a signal about its priorities for the coming year. In this period of economic downturn, when our most vulnerable children and families need access to comprehensive supports, the message of this budget is simple and stark: children in low-income working families don't matter. Download PDF
• Jan 31, 2008  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Final TANF Rules Include Modest Improvements; Further Action Needed to Restore the Safety Net This week, the Department of Health and Human Services placed on public display the final rules implementing the changes to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program made by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The rule includes several modest but positive changes affecting the work participation rate requirements, but does not change the overall focus on documenting participation. Many of the changes respond to concerns that CLASP and numerous other organizations submitted in response to the interim final rule. Download PDF
• Jan 31, 2008  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Summary of TANF Rules The final rules implementing changes in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program made by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 are scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on February 5, 2008; this summary is based on the pre-publication version made available for public inspection. Download PDF
• Jan 30, 2008  |  Danielle Ewen, Aaron Nelson, and Hannah Matthews CCDBG State Plan Reported Activities To Support Limited English Proficient (LEP) And Immigrant Communities This paper provides examples of activities that states reported within the Child Care and Development Block Grant program to better serve immigrant and LEP communities. CLASP reviewed FY 2006-2007 CCDBG state plans for references to initiatives that would support immigrant families and/or providers, Limited English Proficient (LEP) families and/or providers, English Language Learners, or linguistic and cultural diversity. We find that state reported activities in these areas were often vague and few states reported carrying out multiple strategies. Download PDF
• Jan 30, 2008  |  Tiffany Conway and Rutledge Q. Hutson Parental Incarceration: How to Avoid a "Death Sentence" for Families First published by the Clearinghouse Review Journal of Poverty Law and Policy in Summer 2007, this paper highlights a number of promising services and supports for incarcerated parents and recommends what attorneys representing or working with incarcerated parents and their children can do to minimize harm to children. Download PDF
• Jan 30, 2008  |  Kirsten D. Levingston and Vicki Turetsky Debtors' Prison--Prisoners' Accumulation of Debt as a Barrier to Reentry First published by the Clearinghouse Review Journal of Poverty Law and Policy in Summer 2007, this paper describes the types of criminal financial sanctions levied against people as they make their way through the criminal justice system and the child support policies that lead to unrealistic and counterproductive payment obligations. Cost-recovery policies enforced by criminal justice and child support agencies are ill-advised, undermining the criminal justice system's rehabilitation goals, the child support system's goals to support children, and society's interest in fully reintegrating people after release from prison. Download PDF
• Jan 29, 2008 CLASP Recommends Improvements to Economic Stimulus Package The following letter was sent to Senators suggesting improvements to the economic stimulus package to help those hardest hit by an economic downturn. Download PDF
• Jan 29, 2008  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support: It Makes Sound Fiscal Sense to Restore Funding for Child Support Enforcement (4 of 4) The final fact sheet in this series illustrates why funding for child support enforcement should be restored. Download PDF
• Jan 29, 2008  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support: Restored Federal Funding Needed to Implement New Child Support Pass-Through Options (3 of 4) Effective next year, new state options included in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) will allow states to pay up to 100 percent of collected child support to current and former TANF families -- up to $2 billion more money for families every year. States and advocates alike support the new DRA distribution options. However, a cut in federal funding for child support enforcement also included in the DRA threatens state implementation of these new options. The third fact sheet in this series examines this issue. Download PDF
• Jan 29, 2008  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support: Reversing Cuts Now Will Provide a Needed Boost to the Economy (1 of 4) Quick action is needed by Congress this year to reverse counter-stimulative federal cuts to state and child support programs included in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Allowing these cuts to take effect will result in lay-offs of child support enforcement workers, and even worse, will cost families with children at least a billion dollars a year. In contrast, preventing the loss of federal funds will provide needed state relief, while ensuring that families do not lose support in an economic downturn. This is the first of four fact sheets on the subject. Download PDF
• Jan 29, 2008  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support: Ripple Effects Throughout the Community (2 of 4) The child support program helps families become stronger and more self-sufficient. The program has other bridges into the community as well -- bridges that are at risk of collapse without adequate support. The impacts of the child support funding cut will ripple throughout the community, as illustrated in the second of four fact sheets on the subject. Download PDF
• Jan 26, 2008  |  Linda Harris Mayor's Innovation Project: Realizing the Promise of Cities CLASP engaged in a discussion with Mayors from across the country on strategies for reconnecting youth to education and jobs. Download PDF
• Jan 17, 2008  |  Danielle Ewen Head Start Reauthorization and Other Federal Changes The federal Head Start program was reauthorized in December 2007. The new legislation made substantial changes to the program, including provisions to expand access to Head Start programs, strengthen and expand Early Head Start, increase the quality of the program, and improve collaboration between early childhood programs at the state and local levels. This PowerPoint presentation from CLASP, presented at the 2008 Head Start Johnson & Johnson Advanced Management Institute, provides an overview of key changes in the new law. Download PDF
• Jan 09, 2008  |  by Elizabeth Hoffmann and Danielle Ewen Supporting Families, Nurturing Young Children: Early Head Start Programs in 2006 This policy brief analyzes the 2006 Program Information Reports (PIR) data for the Early Head Start program, which serves children under age 3 and pregnant women. In 2006, Early Head Start supported families with working parents from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds through a broad range of services, including medical, dental, and mental health services. Since 2004, more Early Head Start children and pregnant women received dental exams; more pregnant women had health insurance; and more pregnant women received mental health services. As in previous years, teacher education levels increased, but salaries remained stagnant. Also, more Early Head Start children are in informal care outside program hours. Download PDF
• Dec 20, 2007  |  Hannah Matthews Improving Access to Child Care and Early Education for Immigrant Families: A State Policy Checklist State policies can promote, or impede, access to high-quality child care and early education for immigrant families. CLASP has created a technical assistance tool for states that lists recommended policies that states can implement to address immigrant access to high-quality child care and early education programs. Policymakers will want to evaluate the current set of policies they have in place that support these recommended courses of action as well as to plan for future policy changes and improvements. Download PDF
• Dec 20, 2007  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews Selected State and Local Policies to Support Immigrant and Limited English Proficient (LEP) Early Care and Education Providers. As the young child population is growing in diversity, the early childhood field is facing a shortage of bilingual and bicultural providers. One way to increase the supply of qualified, bilingual and culturally competent early care and education providers is to assist providers from immigrant communities to gain the skills to become licensed child care providers, as well as to provide supports to immigrant providers in order to retain them in the early childhood field and to encourage further professionalization and credentialing. CLASP has created a checklist of selected policies that support immigrant providers, particularly those with limited English proficiency. This tool offers strategies and examples for improving policies in the areas of language access, training and professional development. Download PDF
• Oct 09, 2007  |  Marcie Weadon-Moreno and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Analysis of Fiscal Year 2006 TANF and MOE Spending by States This Excel workbook shows how the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the nation as a whole spent the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants and state Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds in fiscal year 2006. Read Online   |   Download Spreadsheet
• Oct 05, 2007  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews Title I And Early Childhood Programs: A Look At Investments In The NCLB Era This paper explores the wide range of ways in which school districts are using funds from Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) for early education through kindergarten and examines how the implementation of NCLB has impacted those investments. It also makes recommendations for local educational agencies interested in creating Title I-funded early education programs or thinking about how to sustain these types of investments in the face of policy and funding challenges. Download PDF
• Sep 17, 2007  |  Tiffany Conway and Rutledge Q. Hutson Submission in Response to Senator Gordon Smith's July 26, 2007 Call For Papers to Examine the Needs of Grandparent and Other Relative Caregivers In this paper--a response to a call for papers from Sen. Gordon Smith--CLASP details the reasons to support kinship care, recommends areas for additional research, highlights current challenges states face, and addresses common myths. CLASP encourages Congress to adopt the provisions of the Kinship Caregiver Support Act. Download PDF
• Sep 11, 2007  |  Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt, Linda Harris, Mala Thakur, and Jonathan Larsen Recommendations to Improve No Child Left Behind for Struggling Students and Disconnected Youth Every day, an estimated 2,500 students across the nation drop out of high school. While the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has succeeded in bringing to light the disparities that exist in our education system, it has failed to shine a light and provide solutions to the pressing problem of high school dropouts. These recommendations--by CLASP and the National Youth Employment Coalition--focus on how the resources in NCLB can be used to ensure that these youth have access to systems, support, and funding to attain a viable education that prepares them for future learning opportunities and the world of work. Download PDF
• Sep 11, 2007  |  Jodie Levin-Epstein More Than a Paycheck: A Conversation On Why Job Quality Matters and What We Can Do About It The American Dream promises that if you are willing to work hard, you will be able to achieve a better life for yourself and your family. But too many people are stuck in bad jobs -- jobs that pay poverty-level wages and offer no benefits, jobs with little opportunity for advancement, jobs in which workers don't know from week to week if they'll get enough hours to pay their bills, jobs that workers can lose for staying home with a sick child. In this audio conference, you'll hear about the state of job quality in the U.S. today and how a focus on improving job quality can help reduce poverty and support families. You'll learn why poor job quality is an issue that especially affects women. And you'll find out about a proposed New York State law that would have required state agencies to focus on placing clients in jobs that pay sustainable wages. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Jul 24, 2007  |  Linda Harris and Sally Prouty Testimony Submitted for the Record to the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support Hearing on Disconnected and Disadvantaged Youth The Campaign for Youth (CFY), a coalition of national organizations in the youth field, was established in 2002 in an effort to build a united voice for vulnerable and disconnected youth in the United States. This testimony from CFY lays out a 10-point national investment strategy for reconnecting the nation's youth. Download PDF
• Jul 20, 2007  |  Linda Harris and Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt Recommended Changes to the No Child Left Behind Act to Address Workforce Issues CLASP recommendations submitted to the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness of the Committee on Education and Labor. Download PDF
• Jul 20, 2007  |  Linda Harris The Tragic Loss of the Summer Jobs Program: Why it is Time to Reinstate! For more than three decades, the federal summer jobs program provided early work exposure for youth, including more than half a million low-income youth each year in the late 1990s--until the program came to an end with the implementation of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. In light of the peril and the disparities in education and labor market outcomes facing youth in high-poverty communities, there are compelling reasons for re-instituting the federal investment in summer jobs. This article originally appeared in Focus magazine, a publication of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Download PDF
• Jul 19, 2007  |  Linda Harris Recommendations for WIA Reauthorization Legislation: Title I Youth Provisions Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is happening at a particularly important time for state and local youth delivery systems. During the past few years, increased attention has been given to the unacceptably high dropout rates in districts across the country. As local communities seek to put interventions in place, WIA can and should play a pivotal role. It is important that the reauthorization incorporate the past five years' experiences and lessons learned related to youth delivery, especially in economically distressed areas. Download PDF
• Jul 13, 2007 Child Support: Preserving and Expanding a Decade of Progress These slides are from a July 13 congressional briefing on the Child Support Protection Act of 2007 (S. 803 and H.R. 1386). The briefing, which was cosponsored by CLASP, explained the devastating impact of the child support cut--approved by Congress last year and scheduled to take effect this October--on states, counties, and families. Download PDF
• Jun 15, 2007  |  Rachel Schumacher, Katie Hamm, and Danielle Ewen Making Pre-Kindergarten Work For Low-income Working Families As of 2006, 38 states and the District of Columbia had pre-kindergarten programs, which vary considerably in their design. While low-income children stand to gain the most from early care and education initiatives, working families may not be able to access programs that are not responsive to their needs. This paper discusses research supporting the need to review initiatives to ensure maximum access for children in working families, especially low-income children; highlights key strategies to address the needs of low-income working families; and examines the extent to which state pre-kindergarten policies currently do so.This paper is based on research conducted for the CLASP report All Together Now: State Experiences in Using Community-based Child Care to Provide Pre-Kindergarten. Download PDF
• Jun 08, 2007  |  Anne Goldstein (on behalf of ZERO TO THREE), Katie Hamm, and Rachel Schumacher Supporting Growth and Development of Babies in Child Care: What Does the Research Say? This brief outlines research to make the case that state policies can promote the quality and continuity of early childhood experiences and positively impact the healthy growth and development of babies and toddlers in child care--the central tenet of the Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project, conducted by CLASP with ZERO TO THREE. The majority of infants and toddlers will spend some time in non-parental care during these early years; and research shows that secure relationships with parents and caregivers are of primary importance for cognitive, social, and emotional development. The project will highlight how state child care subsidy, licensing, and quality enhancement policies can increase the odds that vulnerable babies and toddlers have positive early learning and development experiences when in child care settings. Download PDF
• May 18, 2007  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Improving Access to Education and Training for TANF Participants The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant is one of the major sources of funding for services designed to help low-income parents succeed in the workplace. The TANF law limits the degree to which states can count TANF families engaged in education and training activities toward federal work participation rate requirements--an unfortunate limitation, given the strong link between educational attainment and earnings. In this two-pager, CLASP recommends that Congress remove these arbitrary limits on education and training. Download PDF
• May 17, 2007  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews Recommendations To Support High-Quality Early Education Programs Through Reauthorization Of The No Child Left Behind Act Unlike other early care and education funding sources, Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has seen some increases in funding levels since 2002. As a result, a number of policymakers interested in investing in high-quality early care and education programs have turned to Title I as a funding source. This publication, which draws from two years study of the relationship between Title I and high-quality early education, offers recommendations for the reauthorization of NCLB. Download PDF
• May 17, 2007 Recommendations for Reauthorization of Title I of the Workforce Investment Act Adult and Youth Programs The United States economy is undergoing a major transformation. This requires a new vision for workforce policy--one that promotes a \"high-road\" path to U.S. competitiveness and greater economic opportunity for all workers. These recommendations for reauthorization of Title I of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) focus on both the supply and demand sides of the labor market, in order to address the long-term needs of workers and employers in the new competitive economy. (Updated July 3, 2007.) Download PDF
• May 15, 2007 The Partnership to Protect Children and Strengthen Families The Partnership was formed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the American Public Human Services Association; Catholic Charities USA; CLASP; the Children's Defense Fund; the Child Welfare League of America; the National Child Abuse Coalition; and Voices for America's Children. In May 2007, the founding partners issued a set of recommendations to enhance federal child welfare law to better protect children and ensure them nurturing families and invited others to join the Partnership. Nearly 30 national organizations now comprise the Partnership. Download PDF
• May 03, 2007  |  Jan Justice State Policy Regarding Pass-Through and Disregard of Current Month's Child Support Collected for Families Receiving TANF-funded Cash Assistance This chart lists all 50 states and the District of Columbia's child support pass-through and income disregard policies. Download PDF
• May 02, 2007  |  Hannah Matthews and Deeana Jang Executive Summary: The Challenges of Change: Learning from the Child Care and Early Education Experiences of Immigrant Families Executive Summary of The Challenges of Change: Learning from the Child Care and Early Education Experiences of Immigrant Families Download PDF
• May 02, 2007  |  Hannah Matthews and Deeana Jang The Challenges of Change: Learning from the Child Care and Early Education Experiences of Immigrant Families One of every five children in the United States is the child of an immigrant. Although these children stand to benefit from high-quality child care and early education programs, available data show that they are less likely to participate in all types of non-parental care than children of U.S.-born citizens are. To explore the reasons for the lower participation of children of immigrants, CLASP conducted site visits across the country to learn first hand about the challenges that immigrant families face. CLASP sought out immigrant leaders and direct service providers, immigrant parents, child care and early education providers, and policymakers. This report identifies multiple barriers that impede immigrant families from accessing high-quality child care and early education. It also highlights promising strategies being used in local communities to break down those barriers and to improve child care and early education programs so that they are more responsive to the needs of diverse immigrant families. It concludes with a set of recommendations for federal, state, and local policymakers, advocates, private foundations, and researchers. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Apr 24, 2007 Recommendations for Improving Education Outcomes for Children and Youth in Foster Care Through Amendments to the McKinney-Vento Act/Education Reauthorization in the No Child Left Behind Act The reauthorization of Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act provides an opportunity for schools to better understand the unique situations and experiences of children in foster care and for child welfare agencies to focus more on the educational needs and outcomes of the children and youth they are serving. This set of recommendations is a joint publication by CLASP, the Child Welfare League of America, the Children's Defense Fund, Lutheran Services in America, and Voices for America's Children. Download PDF
• Mar 22, 2007  |  Danielle Ewen, Elizabeth Lower-Basch, Julie Strawn, and Vicki Turetsky Congress Should Take Action to Restore Flexibility and Funding Lost in 2006 Welfare Reauthorization and HHS Regulations On March 6, 2007, the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support held a hearing on the changes made by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) to programs assisting low-income families. In this testimony for the record, we discuss some of the early effects of the DRA and proposed regulations on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, child care, and child support participants and programs and offer recommendations as to how Congress should respond. Download PDF
• Mar 19, 2007  |  Vicki Turetsky It Makes Sound Fiscal Sense to Restore Funding for Child Support Enforcement The goal of the child support enforcement program is to ensure that children receive financial and medical support from their parents. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 cut funds from the program, threatening to reverse the progress made in its effectiveness over the last 10 years. This fact sheet offers several reasons that Congress should restore funding. Download PDF
• Mar 12, 2007  |  Vicki Turetsky Staying in Jobs and Out of the Underground: Child Support Policies that Encourage Legitimate Work This policy brief explains why policymakers and practitioners should manage the child support obligations of incarcerated and re-entering men to help them maintain regular employment, limit participation in the underground economy, reduce recidivism, and provide steady support to their children over time. A companion brief will outline specific child support strategies to help these parents reconnect to work and family. Download PDF
• Mar 02, 2007  |  Tiffany Conway and Rutledge Q. Hutson Is Kinship Care Good for Kids? More than 2.5 million children are being raised by grandparents and other relatives because their parents are unable--for a variety of reasons--to care for them. A number of states have utilized subsidized guardianship programs as a way of supporting these "kinship families." Some wonder whether kinship care is a good thing--and how we know this. This fact sheet addresses these often unasked but crucial questions. Download PDF
• Feb 27, 2007 The Promise of New Funding for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment to Promote Safety, Permanence, and Well-Being for Children: Questions & Answers About New Grants under the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 P.L. 109-288 These questions and answers (Q&A) were prepared by an informal coalition of groups, including the American Public Human Services Association, Center for Law and Social Policy, Child Welfare League of America, Children's Defense Fund, Legal Action Center, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, and the Rebecca Project for Human Rights. Our group convened after passage of the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 to develop materials about the new funding and the opportunity for those concerned about alcohol and drug addiction and its impact on children and families to use it to improve outcomes for children and families. We hope that this Q&A will stimulate organizations and agencies to begin planning and forming regional partnerships so they will be ready to apply for grants under the Act once they are formally announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the Spring of 2007. Read Online
• Feb 27, 2007  |  CLASP and Policy Studies, Inc. Child Support Distribution Calculator This calculator was jointly prepared by Policy Studies Inc. (PSI) and CLASP, under a grant by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, to provide states and advocates with a tool to estimate the net cost or benefit to a state considering adoption of the child support pass-through and distribution options included in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA). The calculator compares the distribution of support under the DRA options to the distribution of support under the PRWORA status quo. Download Spreadsheet
• Feb 09, 2007  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Bush Administration's "Child Welfare Program Option" Puts Children Who Have Been Abused or Neglected at Greater Risk The Bush Administration's 2008 budget proposal talks about a goal of increasing services and supports for children, but its budget recommendations go in the opposite direction. This brief focuses on the Administration's "Child Welfare Program Option," offering a summary of what is known about the proposal and the concerns and questions CLASP has about the approach suggested. Download PDF
• Feb 05, 2007  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews Families Forgotten: Administration's Priorities Put Child Care Low on List Despite evidence that child care assistance is critical to helping low-income families to work and to succeed financially, the President's FY 2008 budget proposal freezes discretionary child care funding for the sixth consecutive year. According to the Administration's own estimates, 300,000 children will lose child care assistance by 2010. This is in addition to 150,000 children who have already lost assistance since 2000. Download PDF
• Jan 30, 2007  |  CLASP and CBPP Implementing the TANF Changes in the DRA: "Win-Win" Solutions for Families and States, Second Edition This report from CLASP and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is intended to guide state administrators and advocates as they consider implementing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) provisions of the 2006 federal budget, called the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA). This report has been updated to reflect the Interim Final Rule and guidance issued by HHS in response to states' Work Verification Plans. The report discusses the legal structure of the work participation requirements; strategies for improving and increasing engagement in programs; strategies for increasing support for working families (through increased earnings disregards, stand-alone "work supplement" programs, and child support distribution options) and helping states meet participation rates; disability laws and ways to improve the effectiveness of TANF-related programs for individuals with disabilities; and the fiscal implications of the TANF, child care, and child support provisions. To view/print specific chapters, visit http://www.cbpp.org/archiveSite/2-9-07tanf.htm Download PDF
• Jan 22, 2007  |  Helene Stebbins and L. Carol Scott Better Outcomes For All: Promoting Partnerships Between Head Start And State Pre-K This report, a collaboration between CLASP and Pre-K Now, examines how Head Start and state pre-kindergarten programs can work together to best serve young children and their families. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with state pre-k program directors, Head Start collaboration coordinators, and providers of both Head Start and state pre-k programs in five states. The report finds that collaborations led to the enrollment of more children; the availability of more full-day, full-year options; and improvements in the quality of programs across settings. All of those interviewed for the report noted that collaboration is possible under current law and that it is well worth the effort. Download PDF
• Jan 19, 2007  |  Tiffany Conway & Rutledge Q. Hutson In-Depth Summary of Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 The Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (CFSIA) represents an important step toward providing crucial services to children and families involved or at risk of becoming involved with the child welfare system. Of particular benefit are the addition of $40 million annually and the attention given to improving the workforce and addressing substance abuse, specifically methamphetamine abuse. This summary outlines the provisions of the law. Download PDF
• Jan 09, 2007  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Partnering to Promote Guardianship: The Federal Outlook This presentation provides an overview of the needs of children being raised by grandparents and other relatives because their parents are unable to do so. It highlights key provisions of several federal legislative proposals to address some of the unique needs of these families, and it offers an overview of the current federal policymaking environment. Download PDF
• Jan 08, 2007  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Congress Should Take Action to Restore Flexibility Lost in 2006 Welfare Reauthorization and HHS Regulations The 2006 TANF reauthorization substantially increased effective work participation rates on states, and it limited state flexibility to individualize work requirements. HHS's interim regulations implementing this law included narrow definitions of the countable work activities, definitions that further restrict state flexibility to use a range of effective work-related activities. This paper outlines a series of changes that Congress should make to restore flexibility and encourage states to allow low-income families to participate in a range of activities that will improve their self-sufficiency. Download PDF
• Dec 15, 2006  |  Early Childhood Systems Working Group State Early Childhood Development System and Core Elements The Early Childhood Systems Working Group consists of 14 organizations, including CLASP, that mapped four elements of a State Early Childhood Development System as well as the Core Elements of these systems that are needed to support families and help children thrive. Download PDF
• Dec 12, 2006  |  Abbey Frank Increasing Opportunities: Creating and Expanding Transitional Jobs Programs for TANF Recipients Under the Deficit Reduction Act The passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) significantly changed the structure of the work requirements mandated in the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Faced with increased work participation rate requirements and stricter definitions of the allowable work activities, states are now facing difficult choices regarding their TANF programs. One program model that has been proven to improve employment outcomes is transitional jobs (TJ) programs. TJ programs have been used successfully to provide hard-to-employ TANF recipients with paid work experience. This policy paper outlines the ways in which states should report participation in transitional jobs programs under the interim final rule. On December 21, 2006, HHS issued new guidance to states regarding their work verification plans. This paper has been updated to reflect that guidance. Download PDF
• Dec 11, 2006  |  Paula Roberts Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment: An Update of State Law Voluntary paternity establishment programs have been a great success for both parents and children. While federal law sets out the general rules for such programs, there is some state variation. Among the major differences involve 1) the ability of minor parents to use the voluntary establishment process, 2) the process for rescinding an acknowledgment, and 3) under what circumstances an acknowledgment can be challenged after the rescission period. This memo and its accompanying tables describe and analyze these state variations. Download PDF
• Dec 08, 2006  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews The Potential Of Title I For High-Quality Preschool This presentation, funded by the Foundation for Child Development, provides a brief overview of Title I of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, explains how these funds may be used to support high-quality preschool, and offers several illustrative models of school districts using Title I funds for early education. It also provides background information making the case for investments in young, low-income children, along with relevant policy implications that may affect the availability of Title I funding for such programs. Download PDF
• Dec 01, 2006  |  Natalie Branosky, Mark Greenberg, Elisa Minoff et al Staying On, Stepping Up The issue of promoting employment retention and advancement is an important topic in UK policy debates, as it is in the U.S. This report discusses research and experience that might be used to strengthen the U.K.'s efforts. In the third chapter--"Employment retention: evidence from the UK and the US"-- Elisa Minoff and Mark Greenberg from CLASP and Natalie Branosky from the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion provide a survey and discussion of the employment retention research and experience for single parents in the U.S. and U.K. This report was published by One Parent Families, a British charity which supports lone parents and their children. For more information, please go to www.oneparentfamilies.org.uk. Download PDF
• Nov 13, 2006  |  Linda Harris with Charles Modiano, consultant Making the Juvenile Justice - Workforce System Connection for Re-entering Young Offenders: A Guide for Local Practice This guidebook is designed to provide advice from the field to communities who are interested in pursuing more formal connections--or strengthening existing connections--between the workforce and justice systems. It draws on experiences in eight communities and focuses on on-the-ground challenges and solutions related to blending the cultures, adapting programming, engaging employers, and meeting performance. Download PDF
• Nov 02, 2006  |  Hannah Matthews U.S. Child Care Assistance State Profile 2005 This fact sheet presents state reported information on child care spending through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds used for child care, and information on children and families participating in CCDBG. Download PDF
• Nov 01, 2006  |  Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen Child Care Assistance in 2005: State Cuts Continue State spending on child care assistance declined in 2005 for the second consecutive year. Twenty-two states made cuts to their child care programs, as the number of children living in low-income families that received help from these programs continued to decline. Many families turn to child care assistance programs to get help paying for the child care they need in order to work and to succeed. This policy brief provides an overview of national expenditure data for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds directed towards child care. View the associated chart showing state-by-state changes in child care expenditures and CCDBG participation from 2004 to 2005. Download PDF
• Oct 20, 2006  |  Paula Roberts Proposed Medical Child Support Regulations This publication describes new proposed federal regulations relating to medical support enforcement and suggests issues on which interested people may wish to comment. Download PDF
• Oct 05, 2006  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch Two-Thirds of States Qualify for Extended Counting of TANF Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance Under TANF rules, job search and job readiness assistance may only be counted toward the work participation rate for 6 weeks in a fiscal year; however this limit is extended to 12 weeks in high unemployment states and those qualifying as "needy" under the Contingency Fund provisions of the law. This provision gives eligible states some flexibility in providing activities that address barriers to employment and that are only countable toward meeting TANF participation rates under the job search/job readiness work activity as defined in the interim final regulations. Download PDF
• Oct 01, 2006  |  Marcie Weadon-Moreno and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Analysis of Fiscal Year 2005 TANF and MOE Spending by States This Excel workbook shows how the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the nation as a whole spent the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants and state Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds in fiscal year 2005. Read Online   |   Download Spreadsheet
• Sep 12, 2006  |  Katie Hamm Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2005 This fact sheet reviews the 2005 Program Information Report (PIR) data for all Head Start programs, including preschool, Early Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, and American Indian and Alaskan Native programs. Data show that while Head Start helped more families access social services in 2005, the number of children served decreased. In addition, Head Start teacher education levels continued to rise, while salaries remained stagnant. Download PDF
• Sep 12, 2006  |  Tiffany Conway and Rutledge Hutson Comments to the Children's Bureau, ACF on the Proposed Rule to Implement the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) These are CLASP's official comments to ACF on the proposed rule to implement the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2006. This is the rule proposed for implementing the data collection requirements of the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999. Download PDF
• Sep 01, 2006 State Fact Sheets on Child Welfare Funding 2006 These fact sheets, a joint project of CLASP and the Children's Defense Fund, are designed to help policymakers, advocates, and the public better understand the complex financing structure of child welfare services in their states, and to enable them to work effectively toward national and local reforms that will help ensure our nation's child welfare system protects children, accurately identifies and addresses their needs--including the needs of their families--and helps all children grow up in safe and loving families. Read Online
• Aug 29, 2006  |  Rutledge Hutson Comments to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Medicaid Citizenship Documentation Interim Final Rule This document contains CLASP's official comments to CMS on the interim final rule published in the federal register on July 12, 2006. The regulations implement the citizenship documentation requirements of Section 6036 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Download PDF
• Aug 29, 2006  |  Jodie Levin-Epstein and Webb Lyons Targeting Poverty: Aim at a Bull's Eye Forty years after the war on poverty and a year after Katrina struck, commitments to tackle poverty are beginning to come back onto political and policy agendas. The report identifies efforts around the nation to set poverty targets -- numerical goals and timelines -- for the reduction or elimination of poverty. For example: In California, a 2006 bill calls for child poverty to be eliminated by 2026; in Connecticut, state law already establishes that child poverty is to be reduced by 50 percent by 2014. Among the reasons why poverty may be gaining attention is the increasing concern among many Americans that at some point they and their families may experience poverty. These and other issues are explored. Download PDF
• Aug 28, 2006  |  Vicki Turetsky Realistic Child Support Policies that Support Successful Re-entry These slides describe 8 child support strategies to improve employment and long-term child support outcomes for parents leaving prison. Click here for the PowerPoint version of this presentation. Download PDF
• Aug 28, 2006  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch, Rutledge Q. Hutson, Amy-Ellen Duke, and Julie Strawn Comments to HHS on the TANF Interim Final Rule These are CLASP's official comments to ACF on the interim final rule published in the Federal Register on June 29, 2006. These regulations implemented changes to TANF made as part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Download PDF
• Aug 25, 2006  |  Katie Hamm Early Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2005 This fact sheet reviews the 2005 Program Information Reports (PIR) data for the Early Head Start program, which serves children under age 3 and pregnant women. In 2005, Early Head Start continued to provide vital services to a diverse group of low-income children and families, most of which included at least one working parent. Most children received medical, dental, and disability screenings and follow-up services when necessary. Families also accessed services at high rates; 80 percent of families accessed at least one social service. However, just 2.5 percent of eligible children receive Early Head Start services. Download PDF
• Aug 25, 2006  |  Katie Hamm More than Meets the Eye: Head Start Programs, Participants, Families, and Staff in 2005 This policy brief examines the latest data from the Program Information Reports (PIR) that all Head Start programs must submit to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2005, Head Start served fewer children than in previous years. At the same time, PIR data show that Head Start is increasingly a provider of last resort for low-income families. Despite a decrease in the number of families served, there was an increase in the number of families accessing an array of services through Head Start, including services for substance abuse, child abuse or neglect, mental health, and English as a Second Language courses. As in previous years, teacher education levels increased, but salaries remained stagnant. Download PDF
• Aug 17, 2006  |  Evelyn Ganzglass Ten Years after Welfare Reform, It's Time to Make Work Work for Families On the 10th anniversary of passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, CLASP calls for the implementation of a more holistic set of strategies that truly expand opportunities for low-income families to move into the middle class and achieve the American dream. Download PDF
• Aug 10, 2006  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch, Amy-Ellen Duke and Allegra Baider Model Comments on TANF Interim Final Rule -- Workforce Development System These model comments on the interim final TANF regulations are focused on specific issues related to the definition of work activities and reporting requirements that are of interest to the workforce development community. Download PDF
• Aug 10, 2006  |  Allegra Baider and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Model Comments on TANF Interim Final Rule -- Transitional Jobs These model comments on the interim final TANF regulations are focused on specific issues related to the definition of work activities and reporting requirements that are of interest to Transitional Jobs providers. Download PDF
• Aug 10, 2006  |  Elizabeth Lower-Basch, Amy-Ellen Duke, and Allegra Baider Model Education and Training Comments on TANF Interim Final Rule These model comments on the interim final TANF regulations are focused on specific education and training issues related to the definition of work activities and reporting requirements. Download PDF
• Aug 03, 2006  |  Rachel Schumacher, Katie Hamm, Anne Goldstein, and Joan Lombardi Starting Off Right: Promoting Child Development From Birth In State Early Care And Education Initiatives State early care and education policies that start at birth and address the full range of children's development can potentially identify health and developmental issues, link families to necessary supports, and assure that those who care for infants and toddlers have the tools to stimulate early learning and development and ease transitions into the preschool and elementary years. This paper describes a menu of state strategies to improve early care and education for infants and toddlers, and supports to their families, including: examples of specific policies to promote child development birth to 3, as well as ideas for state funding and governance structures that provide attention and resources for all children birth to age 5. Read Online   |   Download PDF
• Aug 02, 2006  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support Assignment and Distribution Provisions in the Deficit Reduction Act These slides summarize the new changes in child support assignment and distribution rules included in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Download PDF
• Jul 30, 2006  |  Paul Legler (PSI) and Vicki Turetsky More Child Support Dollars to Kids: Using New State Flexibility in Child Support Pass-Through and Distribution Rules to Benefit Government and Families The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 provides new state flexibility to pass through more child support dollars to current and former TANF families. This policy brief describes the new DRA changes in assignment and distribution rules, and explains why they can improve child support compliance, assist families making the transition from welfare to work, help states meet work participation and child support performance rates, and reduce state costs. The policy brief is also available at www.policy-studies.com. Download PDF
• Jul 21, 2006  |  CLASP and the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities Analysis of New Interim Final TANF Rules This collaborative analysis provides an overview of the major regulatory provisions and the implications for state policies of rules issued by the Department of Health and Human Services on June 29, 2006. The interim final regulations implement the changes to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program made by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The analysis explains the new federal definitions of the countable work activities and their implications for education and training and services for individuals with barriers to employment. The analysis also examines the treatment of child-only cases, how hours of participation must be counted tracked and verified, implications for child care, and changes in the maintenance of effort requirement. Download PDF
• Jun 29, 2006  |  Paula Roberts Paternity Disestablishment in 2006 This is the latest update on developments in the area of paternity disestablishment. This piece also contains a detailed discussion of issues emerging as parents who have established parentage through the voluntary acknowledgment process attempt to disestablish paternity through the use of genetic testing. Download PDF
• Jun 22, 2006  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support Provisions in the Deficit Reduction Act The fiscal year 2006 federal budget, signed into law on February 8, 2006, makes major funding and program changes to the child support program and creates a new federal grants program for fatherhood and marriage initiatives. This four-page brief offers a preliminary analysis of the child support and fatherhood provisions of the new budget law. Download PDF   |   Additional PDF
• Jun 20, 2006  |  TANF 2006: CLASP- CBPP Series Skill Upgrading - The Role of Community Colleges in Helping Low-Skilled Workers to Advance in the Labor Market In today's highly competitive global economy, skill-building is becoming increasingly important for achieving self-sufficiency. This conference call highlights strategies that have shown promise in helping low-income individuals gain access to education and training, and develop the skills necessary to advance in their careers. Download Audio
• Jun 01, 2006  |  TANF 2006: CLASP- CBPP Series Not Just Any Job - Helping TANF Recipients Access Good Jobs Although many TANF recipients have entered the labor market, many former recipients remain poor, and continually struggle in low-wage jobs. Research has shown that the type of jobs in which TANF recipients are placed initially have long-term implications for both employment retention and earnings. This conference call highlights strategies that have shown promise in helping low-income individuals gain access to jobs that will lead to opportunities for advancement. Download Audio
• May 30, 2006  |  Paula Roberts Final Regulation on Review and Adjustment of Child Support Orders This brief memo discusses the final federal regulation on states' ability to use a quantitative standard for determining whether an adjustment should be sought in a child support case when review indicates that some change may be appropriate under the state's child support guidelines. Download PDF
• May 23, 2006  |  Allegra Baider and Abbey Frank Transitional Jobs: Helping TANF Recipients with Barriers to Employment Succeed in the Labor Market Transitional jobs programs are a promising strategy for helping TANF recipients with barriers to employment transition into the labor market. Program participants are paid wages, gain work experience, and build skills necessary for future success in the workplace. Download PDF
• May 10, 2006  |  Mark Greenberg, Danielle Ewen, and Hannah Matthews Using TANF for Early Childhood Programs In recent years, states have made significant investments in pre-kindergarten programs in order to help young children enter school ready to learn. Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds are among the sources states have tapped to support some or all of their early childhood initiatives. This brief, supported by the Foundation for Child Development, outlines when and how states can use TANF funds to support early childhood programs, and examines the impact of TANF changes included the 2006 federal budget (called the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) on this use. Download PDF
• Apr 17, 2006  |  Evelyn Ganzglass Strategies for Increasing Participation in TANF Education and Training Activities The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) provisions in the fiscal year 2006 federal budget will require most states to substantially increase the number of TANF recipients participating in work-related activities. This paper aims to help state policymakers, program administrators, and others identify approaches to meeting federal participation rates while also improving programs' ability to help families enter and maintain sustainable employment. It summarizes existing research on how skills and credentials impact labor market success and on effective skills training and postsecondary education strategies. It also examines rates of participation in education and training, and recommends strategies to expand access to these activities within the new TANF policy context. Download PDF
• Apr 03, 2006  |  Hannah Matthews Child Care Assistance Helps Families Work: A Review of the Effects of Subsidy Receipt on Employment Reliable and stable child care helps parents retain steady employment and reduces workplace absenteeism, but the high costs of care challenge many families, particularly low-income working parents. Child care assistance can help. This policy brief reviews relevant research and finds that low-income mothers who receive child care subsidies are more likely to be employed, to stay off welfare, and to have higher earnings. For that reason, increasing investments in child care assistance is necessary to help families move from welfare to work and to help low-income parents continue working. Download PDF
• Apr 02, 2006  |  Mark Greenberg Welfare Reform: Success or Failure? Ten years after it was enacted, welfare reform has shown dramatic but mixed results, Mark Greenberg argues in this editorial in the March 2006 issue of Policy and Practice. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and an accompanying set of policies in the 1990s expanded access to work supports supports for low-income working families and led to a drop in the TANF caseloads. But as the economy slowed in recent years, the most favorable indicators have slowed or reversed. Today, fewer than half of eligible families and only one-third of poor children receive assistance. In the wake of this year's TANF reauthorization, Greenberg says states should look to the experiences of the past decade to shape more effective programs. Download PDF
• Mar 17, 2006  |  Katie Hamm and Danielle Ewen From the Beginning: Early Head Start Children, Families, Staff, and Programs in 2004 This policy brief profiles the Early Head Start program--which serves low-income children under age 3, pregnant women, and their families with comprehensive early education and support services--using the latest data from the Program Information Reports that all Head Start grantees must submit to the U.S. Department of Health. Major changes in 2004 included more children with access to a continuous source of dental care and fewer families receiving TANF benefits. The proportion of home visitors and teachers with degrees also increased, although teacher salaries remained stagnant. (Head Start Policy Brief No. 7.) Download PDF
• Feb 27, 2006  |  Linda Harris Learning from the Youth Opportunity Experience: Executive Summary This brief summary accompanies the 50-page full report detailing the experiences of 22 communities that received U.S. Department of Labor Youth Opportunity Grants to support education, work exposure, and youth development for under-served young people. Download PDF
• Feb 21, 2006 Audio Conference 02/21/2006 - Child Support Federal child support budget developments enacted and proposed. Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Feb 17, 2006  |  Casey Trupin, Vicki Turetsky, Rutledge Q. Hutson Final 2006 Budget Bill Cuts Services to Abused and Neglected Children On February 8, 2006, President Bush signed into law the 2006 federal budget bill, which includes provisions to decrease federal funding for a range of services that help children who have been abused or neglected. It also removes foster care payments for some low-income relatives caring for children at risk of abuse and neglect, and restricts access to some Medicaid services for children in foster care. The bill makes two modest improvements to child welfare funding, but they are not sufficient to offset the cuts. This brief examines the bill's impact on child welfare funding. Download PDF
• Feb 16, 2006  |  Linda Harris Learning from the Youth Opportunity Experience: Building Delivery Capacity in Distressed Communities In 2000, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded significant Youth Opportunity (YO) Grants to 36 high-poverty urban, rural, and Native American communities. The grants were designed to serve all young people in these areas, regardless of income or connection to school or work. Communities were required to assess and integrate existing youth-serving systems and agencies to support education, work exposure, youth development, and other services for young people. Despite evidence of considerable community accomplishments, the YO grants were ended in 2005. This report, based on a survey of 22 of the 36 sites, examines the approaches' strengths, challenges, and lessons learned, and offers recommendations for policy and practice. The appendix of this report contains a brief description of the collaborative efforts in which these YO communities were engaged. Download PDF
• Feb 15, 2006 Audio Conference 02/15/2006 - TANF Federal TANF budget developments enacted and proposed Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Feb 10, 2006  |  Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews Toward a Decade of Indifference: Administration Budget Ignores Child Care Needs of Working Families Child care assistance is critical to helping low-income working families succeed and find quality child care that fosters their children's well-being and healthy development. Yet the President's 2007 budget proposal, released on February 6, 2006, freezes discretionary child care funding for the fifth consecutive year. The result will be a 25 percent drop in the number of children from low-income working families who get help paying for child care by 2011, as compared with 2000 numbers. Download PDF
• Feb 10, 2006  |  Paula Roberts Changes to the Child Support Program: An Overview of the Provisions of the 2006 Federal Budget and the 2007 Budget Proposal This brief describes the changes in the child support program that result from passage of the 2006 federal budget bill (called the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) as well as the effective date for those changes. It also describes possible additional changes contemplated by the Bush Administration's fiscal year 2007 budget proposal. Download PDF
• Feb 07, 2006  |  Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen Understanding Early Care and Education Participation Among Immigrant Families: A Brief Children born to immigrant parents often face multiple risk factors that make their participation in quality early education programs particularly beneficial--yet these children appear less likely to participate in such programs. This two-page brief summarizes the 26-page paper, Reaching All Children? Understanding Early Care and Education Participation Among Immigrant Families, part of CLASP's Breaking Down Barriers project intended to better understand and remedy the barriers immigrant families face to accessing high-quality early education programs. Download PDF
• Jan 30, 2006  |  Mark Greenberg The TANF Participation Rate Structure under the Budget Reconciliation Bill Pending budget legislation would change the TANF work participation rate rules in important ways. At the same time, current rules relating to many aspects of the participation rate structure would remain unchanged. This document provides a summary of the overall structure that would result, including how participation rate requirements would be calculated, which activities would count as participation, and how the "caseload reduction credit" and penalty provisions would work. Download PDF
• Jan 26, 2006  |  Vicki Turetsky and Joan Entmacher (NWLC) Cuts to Child Support Enforcement in the Budget: A Fact Sheet In February, Congress is expected to vote on the FY 2006 budget agreement. The current version would cut federal child support funds by more than 20 percent--resulting in at least $8.4 billion in child support going uncollected over the next 10 years. This fact sheet offers a clear overview of the impact of the cuts on the child support enforcement program, states, and the families who benefit. Download PDF
• Jan 20, 2006  |  Mark Greenberg and Sharon Parrott (CBPP) Summary of TANF Work Participation Provisions in the Budget Reconciliation Bill The budget reconciliation bill expected to be up for a vote in the House of Representatives on February 1st includes a set of provisions related to TANF and federal child care funding, including changes to TANF work participation rules. This report, jointly issued with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), provides a brief summary followed by a more detailed explanation of each change. Download PDF
• Jan 19, 2006  |  Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen Reaching All Children? Understanding Early Care and Education Participation Among Immigrant Families One in five children in the United States is the child of an immigrant. These children stand to benefit greatly from high-quality child care and early learning programs, yet appear less likely to participate in such programs. This paper summarizes evidence about the participation of young children of immigrants in early care and education programs as well as the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of immigrant families that likely influence participation. It then offers policy recommendations for state and local administrators of pre-kindergarten and other early care and education programs, and proposes areas for additional research. This paper is part of CLASP's Breaking Down Barriers project, which is supported by the Foundation for Child Development. Download PDF
• Jan 19, 2006  |  Casey Trupin Federal Budget Bill May Reduce Federal Child Welfare Funds to California by Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Shortly after it returns on January 31, 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on a budget package already approved by the Senate. This package, called the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, contains numerous cuts to human services, including child welfare. California will bear the largest share of the funding losses in the nation. This paper examines how the budget agreement will affect children and families in California's child welfare system--particularly, the bill's financial disincentives to placing children with relatives and time restrictions on federal administrative funds for children in relative care. Download PDF
• Jan 18, 2006  |  Vicki Turetsky Families Will Lose At Least $8.4 Billion in Uncollected Child Support if Congress Cuts Funds--and Could Lose Billions More In February, Congress is expected to vote on the FY 2006 budget agreement. The current version would cut federal child support funds by more than 20 percent. Despite the claim that families would not be hurt, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that at least $8.4 billion in child support would go uncollected over the next 10 years if the incentive match is eliminated. This report uses Congressional Budget Office projections to show how much funding each state stands to lose and how much child support will go uncollected if the cuts are enacted. Download PDF
• Jan 16, 2006  |  Mark Greenberg New TANF Requirements Could Result in New Large Costs and Risk of Federal Penalties for California In February 2006, the House of Representatives will vote on a federal budget bill that revises work requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and creates significant penalties for states that fail to meet these requirements. Given its size and caseload, California will incur significant costs in order to meet the new requirements, and will still be at great risk for penalties. This report uses available federal data to examine the federal bill's budgetary implications in California. Download PDF
• Jan 12, 2006  |  Mark Greenberg The TANF Reconciliation Bill Provisions This PowerPoint presentation examines the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reauthorization provisions in the House and Senate budget reconciliation bills, debated in January 2006. It includes information on the changes to the structure of the program and key concerns for policymakers and advocates. Mark Greenberg gave this presentation to a Welfare Advocates Meeting at the Coalition on Human Needs on January 12, 2006. Download PDF
• Jan 09, 2006  |  Paula Roberts The Child Support Provisions of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 The conference agreement of the fiscal year 2006 federal budget (also called the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) includes changes to the child support program. This short publication offers a clear description of the Act's specific changes to the financing of the child support program and how it works. The House is expected to vote on the Act on February 1, 2006. Download PDF
• Jan 06, 2006  |  Mark Greenberg Conference TANF Agreement Requires States to Increase Work Participation by 69 Percent, but New Funding Meets Only a Fraction of New Costs The budget conference agreement includes a mandate that states meet a 50 percent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work participation rate in order to avoid federal penalties. The bill forces states to make an unpalatable choice: increase work participation rates by an estimated 69 percent or cut the number of families receiving assistance--or both. What's more, the bill provides states with new funds that amount to less than $70 per new participant per month. Download PDF
• Dec 08, 2005  |  Paula Roberts Parentage Case Update: Can a Child Have Two Mothers? Modern technology makes it possible for a child to have two mothers.Should the law recognize this? This memo analyzes three recent California cases that use traditional laws and methods of analysis to find that the law should.The cases may be useful to other jurisdictions trying to decide how to approach such situations. Download PDF
• Dec 05, 2005  |  Paula Roberts Child Support Cooperation Requirements and Public Benefits Programs: An Overview The TANF and Medicaid programs impose assignment and child support cooperation requirements on participating adults. The Food Stamp, SCHIP and child care programs may also contain child support cooperation requirements. This paper examines the rules in each separate program and then describes what happens if an individual is subject to a cooperation requirement in more than one program. The author makes recommendations for streamlining the requirements and making sure that individuals who are subject to the requirement of more than one program are treated fairly. Download PDF
• Nov 21, 2005  |  Katie Hamm and Danielle Ewen Still Going Strong: Head Start Children, Families, Staff, and Programs in 2004 As Congress considers legislation to reauthorize the federal Head Start program, this policy brief examines the latest data from the Program Information Reports that all Head Start grantees must submit to the U.S. Department of Health. In 2004, Head Start continued to provide early education services and medical, dental, and mental health screenings for poor children, as well as comprehensive supports for families. The number of teachers with degrees grew substantially in 2004--65 percent of teachers had an Associate's Degree or higher. Less than half of eligible children, however, receive Head Start services. Download PDF
• Nov 17, 2005  |  Vicki Turetsky Backing Away From Parental Responsibility: Child Support Budget Cuts Will Unravel a Decade of Progress Under the House of Representatives' proposed budget reconciliation bill, the child support program faces a 40 percent cut in federal funds over the next 10 years--funds the program uses to establish and enforce non-custodial parents' child support responsibilities to their children. The cuts threaten to reverse a decade of stunning progress in a program that serves two-thirds of all single-parent families in the United States and benefits more than 17 million children. This paper examines the importance of the child support program, the reasons behind its dramatic improvement in performance, and how these cuts would jeopardize families of all income levels. Download PDF
• Oct 27, 2005  |  Vicki Turetsky Update: Ways and Means Committee Approves 40 Percent Cut in Child Support Funds The Committee on Ways and Means has approved deep cuts to the federal funding for child support services, which would severely reduce states' ability to collect child support for low- and moderate-income families. This policy brief outlines the changes, and uses Congressional Budget Office projections to show how much funding each state stands to lose and how much child support will go uncollected if the cuts are enacted. Download PDF
• Oct 25, 2005  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support-Related Provisions in New Katrina Relief Legislation This paper outlines the child support-related provisions of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Response and Recovery Act of 2005, signed into law on September 21, 2005. It also describes recent Health and Human Services policy guidance and pending legislation that would clarify the law. Finally, it recommends that Congress adopt additional short-term child support measures to help states impacted by the hurricanes. Download PDF
• Oct 25, 2005  |  Paula Roberts and Elaine Sorensen, of the Urban Institute State Strategies for Preventing Accumulation and Managing Existing Child Support Arrears The publicly funded child support program contends with over $100 billion in arrears (outstanding child support owed by obligated parents). To address this problem, a number of states revising their policies and developing strategies to both prevent the growth of arrears and resolve existing debt. This PowerPoint presentation describes these efforts, and includes a comprehensive bibliography of sources for further information. Download PDF
• Oct 24, 2005  |  Vicki Turetsky The Child Support Enforcement Program: A Sound Investment in Improving Children's Chances in Life The Child Support Enforcement program's performance has improved dramatically in recent years. This six-page report explains why the program is a sound investment--returning $4.38 in collected support for every dollar the government spends. (See also, The Child Support Program: An Investment That Works, July 2005.) Download PDF
• Oct 14, 2005 Better Jobs: New Ways to Raise Income for Welfare Families Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• Sep 20, 2005  |  Linda Harris Campaign for Youth Issues Considerations for Youth and Communities Impacted by Hurricane This collective response from a coalition of national policy and advocacy organizations draws attention to the needs of the vulnerable youth impacted by Hurricane Katrina and makes a set of recommendations. Download PDF
• Sep 16, 2005  |  <a href=mailto:vturet@clasp.org>Vicki Turetsky</a> In Everybody's Best Interests: Why Reforming Child Support Distribution Makes Sense for Government and Families More than 17 million children are served by the public child support program&#151;but many never see the funds collected on their behalf. Instead, collections are used to recoup the public costs of families' welfare cash assistance. Recent reform proposals would shift the program's emphasis from cost recovery to family support. This brief describes the regulations, and how families and government alike stand to benefit from the direct pass-through of child support payments to children. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2005  |  Paula Roberts Recent State Efforts in Medical Child Support In August of 2000, the Medical Child Support Working Group issued a report recommending over 70 changes in medical child support that would facilitate the enrollment of more children being raised in single-parent families in public and private health care coverage. While efforts to implement the recommendations at the federal level have been slow, many states have moved ahead and developed innovative approaches to medical support establishment and enforcement. This memo updates state developments over the last two years. Download PDF
• Aug 19, 2005  |  Linda Harris What's a Youngster to Do? The Education and Labor Market Plight of Youth in High-Poverty Communities Statistics show that many young adults in economically distressed communities are being left behind in educational systems and in the job market. This article highlights the magnitude of distress in selected communities and outlines a set of considerations for policy-making and action at the national and community level. Pub No. 05-40. 9 pages. August 2005. Download PDF
• Jul 28, 2005  |  Vicki Turetsky The Child Support Program: An Investment That Works This four-page paper provides data to explain how child support helps children and increases self-sufficiency. It also briefly discusses the federal program's performance and its funding. The paper was revised in July 2005 to include 2004 data. Pub No. 05-23. 4 pages. (See also the October 2005 update.) Download PDF
• Jul 26, 2005  |  Katherine Hart and Rachel Schumacher Making the Case: Improving Head Start Teacher Qualifications Requires Increased Investment This policy paper, part of the Head Start Series, describes changes in Head Start teacher qualifications in light of recent policy history and assesses whether states and higher education systems are prepared for a major policy change requiring more teachers to have a B.A. It presents both relevant research and federal data from Head Start Program Information Reports (PIR) from 2002-2003. Download PDF
• Jul 26, 2005  |  Paula Roberts Medical Support Update: The Federal Scene In 1998, Congress enacted the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act (CSPIA). One outgrowth of CSPIA, the Medical Child Support Working Group (MCSWG), made nearly 80 recommendations for change in law, policy, and practice to improve the chances that children served by the child support enforcement program would obtain adequate, accessible, and affordable health care coverage. During the past 18 months, some progress has been made at the federal level to move forward on this agenda. This memo describes some of these recent developments. Download PDF
• Jul 14, 2005  |  Danielle Ewen Cost of Meeting House and Senate Proposed Head Start Teacher Qualification Requirements This analysis provides a preliminary estimate of the necessary level of funding needed to raise the degree qualifications to meet the requirements in the Head Start reauthorization legislation currently proposed in the House and Senate. CLASP's analysis demonstrates that it will cost at least $2.7 billion over six years to cover the cost of educating the necessary number of teachers in the House bill and raising their compensation to the levels of kindergarten teachers. To pay for the cost of the Senate requirements for increased education and raising compensation, CLASP estimates that it will cost as much as $3.4 billion over six years. Download PDF
• Jul 07, 2005  |  Lacinda Hummel and Jodie Levin-Epstein A Needed Transition: Lessons from Illinois about Teen Parent TANF Rules TANF legislation includes two rules specific to minor parents (parents under age 18). One rule requires that minor parents live in an approved arrangement, usually with their parents. The other rule requires that minor parents typically participate in education leading to a high school diploma or GED. This issue brief reviews how Illinois approached eligibility under the two minor parent rules, and it explores why and how Illinois moved forward with a transitional compliance administrative rule. It also examines the effect the rule has had--notably that the process led to a better understanding of minor parents' individual circumstances and thus led to fewer inappropriate denials. Download PDF
• Jun 30, 2005  |  Elisa Minoff Analysis of Fiscal Year 2004 TANF and MOE Spending by States This Excel workbook shows how the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the nation as a whole spent the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants and state Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds in fiscal year 2004. Read Online   |   Download Spreadsheet
• Jun 10, 2005  |  Paula Roberts Paternity Disestablishment in 2004-2005 This memo analyzes the statutory and case law developments in paternity disestablishment from late 2004 and early 2005, as well as recently enacted statutes. The first appendix describes in detail the reported cases in 2004 and early 2005. The cases are divided by topic and listed alphabetically by state. The second appendix contains a chart listing the major state cases in the last eight years in regard to paternity disestablishment for marital children. The third appendix charts similar case law as regards non-marital children. Download PDF
• May 16, 2005  |  Rachel Schumacher, Danielle Ewen, Katherine Hart, and Joan Lombardi Policy Brief: All Together Now: State Experiences In Using Community-Based Child Care To Provide Pre-Kindergarten This brief is based on the 61-page report of the same name, which was commissioned by the Brookings Institution. It studies the emergence of the mixed delivery model, in which pre-kindergarten is delivered in community-based settings and schools. This policy brief, the fifth in the Child Care and Early Education Series, describes principal approaches to state implementation of the mixed delivery model but does not provide examples of state policies. See the full report for details about state policy choices. Download PDF
• May 09, 2005  |  Danielle Ewen and Katherine Beh Neas Preparing for Success: How Head Start Helps Children with Disabilities and Their Families In 2004, 13 percent of the children in Head Start and Early Head Start (more than 134,000 children) were diagnosed with a disability. Without Head Start, some of these children might have gone undiagnosed, leaving their disabilities unaddressed for years. This paper, a joint venture between CLASP and Easter Seals, updates data from a 2003 paper of the same title. It details the requirements that Head Start grantees must meet to serve children with disabilities and provides data on how the programs are meeting them. Download PDF
• May 06, 2005 Audio Conference 05/06/2005 - Connecting Disconnected Youth and Disconnected Systems: Innovative Community Approaches Download Audio   |   Additional PDF
• May 02, 2005  |  Linda Harris Recommendations for Senate WIA Reauthorization: Title I Provisions Affecting Youth Congress is currently considering Workforce Investment Act (WIA) reauthorization proposals. In March, the House passed its WIA reauthorization bill, H.R. 27. In January, Senator Enzi introduced S. 9, which contains several improvements over current law with regard to service to youth. This document contains CLASP's key recommendations for further improvements to Title I youth provisions in S. 9. Download PDF
• Apr 15, 2005  |  Paula Roberts Update on the Uniform Parentage Act (2002) The Uniform Parentage Act (UPA) provides a comprehensive framework for establishing the parentage of children born to both married and unmarried couples. The UPA was revised in 2002, and six states have enacted it in some form. This memo includes a table that compares major provisions of the model act to state enactments and variations. Download PDF
• Mar 30, 2005  |  Danielle Ewen, Jennifer Mezey, and Hannah Matthews Missed Opportunities: The Possibilities and Challenges of Funding High-quality Preschool through Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act This paper, funded by the Foundation for Child Development, provides general background on the legislation behind Title I and provides an overview of the available data on the use of Title I funds for preschool, as well as illustrative examples of how a few states and local communities have used Title I funds for these programs. It also examines the U.S. Department of Education's statutes, regulations, and guidance on the use of Title I funds for preschool and raises some unanswered questions. Finally, it discusses how the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act may affect the availability of Title I funding for preschool programs. Download PDF
• Mar 16, 2005  |  Mark Greenberg and Jennifer L. Noyes Increasing State and Local Capacity for Cross-Systems Innovation: Assessing Flexibility and Opportunities under Current Law This paper was written as part of a collaborative effort between the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Hudson Institute, and CLASP. The authors analyze the flexibility, opportunities, and barriers under current federal law with respect to cross-program integration and collaboration. Download PDF
• Mar 16, 2005  |  Mark Greenberg and Jennifer L. Noyes Supporting Cross-Program Integration: Some Recommendations for Federal Policy and Practice This brief is based on the paper Increasing State and Local Capacity for Cross-Systems Innovation. Drawing on the papers' findings and consultation with a range of state and federal policymakers, the brief provides the authors' recommendations for federal action on cross-program state and local service integration efforts. This brief was written as part of a collaborative effort between the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Hudson Institute, and CLASP. Download PDF
• Mar 15, 2005  |  Jodie Levin-Epstein To Have and To Hold: Congressional Vows on Marriage and Sex This paper discusses what the government has already done to promote abstinence-unless-married programs and marriage, and what it proposes to do with the reauthorization of the welfare law. The article then discusses the relationship between marriage and pregnancy prevention, including research findings on the influence of childbearing on marriage. It concludes with some welfare reauthorization recommendations for Congress on this topic. A condensed version of this paper appears in the April 1, 2005, SIECUS Report, Vol. 33, No. 1. Download PDF
• Feb 24, 2005  |  Rachel Schumacher, Danielle Ewen, Katherine Hart, and Joan Lombardi All Together Now: State Experiences in Using Community-Based Child Care to Provide Pre-Kindergarten This paper, commissioned by the Brookings Institution, studies the emergence of the mixed delivery model, in which pre-kindergarten is delivered in community-based settings and schools. It describes findings of CLASP survey of states that was undertaken to understand the policy choices, opportunities, and challenges of including community-based child care providers in their pre-kindergarten programs. Also, now available are individual detailed descriptions of each of the 29 states' responses to the CLASP survey on the state policies used to integrate pre-kindergarten into community-based child care settings. Download PDF
• Feb 08, 2005  |  Paula Roberts New Regulation on Review and Adjustment of Child Support Orders This memo describes a new Interim Final regulation on review and adjustment of child support orders in states using the guidelines method of adjustment. The Office of Child Support Enforcement is proposing to return to a policy under which these states can adopt quantitative standards for adjusting support orders. Such standards allow states to disregard adjustments of a small magnitude, even when such adjustments could be consequential for both low-income custodial parent families and obligors. Download PDF
• Dec 30, 2004  |  Paula Roberts Paternity Disestablishment in 2004: The Year in Review This memo analyzes the statutory and case law developments in late 2003 and 2004. It contains two appendices. The first appendix describes in detail the reported cases in 2004. The cases are divided by topic and listed alphabetically by state. The second appendix contains two charts listing the major state cases in the last seven years. One chart deals with disestablishment for marital children and the other for non-marital children. This memo follows up the publications titled Truth and Consequences, Parts I, II, and III and a memo from June 2004. All documents are available at www.clasp.org. Download PDF
• Dec 28, 2004  |  Ron Haskins, Mark Greenberg, and Shawn Fremstad Federal Policy for Immigrant Children: Room for Common Ground? This policy brief, part of the Future of Children Policy Brief Series by the Brookings Institution, offers differing views from its authors on how to improve the well-being of children in immigrant families in the United States. Haskins emphasizes the need to tie public benefits for immigrant families to work through such policies as education and training and the earned income tax credit for families with children. While Greenberg and Fremstad argue that noncitizen families should have the same eligibility for public assistance as citizen families and support greater financial aid for early childhood education and other forms of schooling. Read Online
• Nov 01, 2004 CLASP Audio Conference Transcript: Interview with Author Jason DeParle (September 10, 2004). Jason DeParle, an award-winning New York Times reporter, discusses his book, American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids, and a Nation's Drive to End Welfare. University of Pennsylvania sociologist Kathy Edin and CLASP Policy Director Mark Greenberg join DeParle to discuss the findings of the book. This audio conference is moderated by Jodie Levin-Epstein. Download PDF
• Oct 20, 2004  |  Paula Roberts OIG Studies on Possible Recoupment of SCHIP Costs Through the Child Support Program The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently conducted studies in several states on the potential for recouping State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) costs from non-custodial parents through the child support program. This memo summarizes the OIG recommendations and state actions so far for Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Download PDF
• Oct 07, 2004  |  Mark Greenberg and Hedieh Rahmanou Looking to the Future: A Commentary on Children of Immigrant Families This article, printed in Fall 2004 issue of The Future of Children, a publication of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, responds to the question: "How should policymakers, advocates, stakeholders, and practitioners respond strategically and proactively to demographic change and increasing diversity in order to promote the healthy development, productivity, and well-being of our nation's children into the future?" The entire journal issue is devoted to children of immigrant families and is available at www.futureofchildren.org. Download PDF
• Oct 06, 2004  |  Paula Roberts Litigation Success on the Issue of Recoupment of Child Support Overpayments This memo discusses the ramifications of the recent court decision in Gamble v. Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The court found that the Eleventh Amendment barred monetary relief against the state and its officials. It also barred declaratory and injunctive relief against the state, but the Eleventh Amendment did not bar such relief against state officials. Plaintiffs counsel then successfully moved for a preliminary injunction to stop the state from recouping erroneous overpayments of child support. Download PDF
• Oct 05, 2004  |  Mark Greenberg and Jennifer L. Noyes The Opportunities for Service Integration Under Current Law This article, which appeared in the Summer 2004 issue of Focus, published by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Institute for Research on Poverty, identifies barriers to social services integration. The National Governors Association, Hudson Institute, and CLASP initiated a project to examine several key areas in which states wanted to promote service integration and then identify legal issues and potential legal barriers to such integration. As part of the project, the authors developed a set of joint recommendations for federal actionlegislative, regulatory, and administrativeto support state and local service integration efforts. The entire journal issue is available at www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp/focus/focus.htm. Download PDF
• Oct 01, 2004  |  Paula Roberts and Michelle Vinson State Policy Regarding Pass-Through and Disregard of Current Months Child Support Collected for Families Receiving TANF-funded Cash Assistance This chart lists all 50 states and the District of Columbias child support pass-through and income disregard policies as of August 31, 2004. Download PDF
• Sep 14, 2004  |  Steve Savner and Jared Bernstein Can Better Skills Meet Better Jobs? This article, from the September 2004 issue of American Prospect, exhorts supply-side and demand-side advocates to form a complementary agenda to meet both sides' needs. The authors suggest not only providing more access to quality job training but then also creating the jobs when they don't already exist. Read Online
• Sep 14, 2004  |  Mark Greenberg Welfare Reform, Phase Two This article, from the September 2004 issue of American Prospect, discusses the welfare reform law from 1996, how it has played out as a policy, and what still needs to be done in reauthorization of the law. The author suggests that the reathorization support and reward work--and end poverty as we still know it. Read Online
• Sep 13, 2004  |  Paula Roberts Establishment of Paternity and Enforcement of Support Orders When a Member of the Military Is Involved The Department of Defense employs approximately 1.4 million active duty military personnel, 1.4 million reservists, 2 million retirees, and 800 thousand civilian employees. Many of these employees and retirees are non-custodial parents. This memo to child support advocates details how to deal with the military in establishing and enforcing support orders. Download PDF
• Aug 27, 2004  |  Abbey Frank Where the Funds Are: Potential Use of Child Support Funds for Transitional Jobs Programs Transitional jobs programs combine subsidized employment, skill development, and support services to help participants overcome substantial barriers to employment. This policy brief focuses on the ways in which states can leverage portions of federal child support funds to offset some of the costs of transitional jobs programs that are either targeted towards noncustodial parents or include noncustodial parents as a part of their client base. Download PDF
• Aug 04, 2004 CLASP Audio Conference Transcript: Disconnected Youth: Educational Pathways to Reconnection (July 9, 2004) CLASP Senior Policy Analyst Linda Harris moderates a discussion about innovative ideas for reconnecting at-risk youth to education with Rob Ivry, Senior Vice President at MDRC; Laurel Dukehart, Manager of the Gateway to College Replication Project at Portland Community College; and Jack Wuest, Director of the Chicago Alternative Schools Network. Download PDF
• Jun 23, 2004  |  Katherine Hart and Rachel Schumacher Moving Forward: Head Start Children, Families, and Programs in 2003 This eight-page policy brief, the fifth in a series, offers the latest data available from Program Information Reports submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by all federal Head Start grantees. In 2003, Head Start continued to serve a diverse population of low-income children, mostly in working families. Head Start provided early education and a range of services to poor children and their families, including developmental and mental health screenings and special education and early intervention services. In 2003, more Head Start children had access to continuous medical and dental care than in previous years. Early Head Start children showed a particularly dramatic increase in access to dental care, rising from 47 percent in 2002 to 64 percent in 2003. Download PDF
• Jun 17, 2004  |  Paula Roberts Paternity Disestablishment Case Update Since the publication of the CLASP series on paternity disestablishment, Truth and Consequences, (available in the 2003 section of the Child Support publications page) there have been a number of new reported paternity disestablishment cases. The newest cases are summarized in this memorandum, which updates the memo posted on this site in March 2004. Download PDF
• May 21, 2004 CLASP Audio Conference Transcript: Financing Child Welfare: What Policies Best Protect Children? (May 7, 2004) Cassie Statuto Bevan, Senior Policy Advisor for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay; Nick Gwyn, Minority Staff Director of the House Human Resources Subcommittee; and Rutledge Hutson of the Childrens Defense Fund discuss the current child welfare crisis confronting states, explain how federal financing affects child welfare services, and describe financing reform proposals being discussed on Capitol Hill. Download PDF
• May 21, 2004  |  Paula Roberts Proposed Food Stamp Regulations that Involve Child Support Obligations Many of the households participating in the Food Stamp Program contain a person who either pays or receives child support. In 2002, Congress made changes in the food stamp laws that affect these households, especially those that contain a person who is paying child support. This memorandum summarizes the proposed regulations that cover these changes and discusses some of the issues they raise. Download PDF
• May 13, 2004  |  Anita Mathur, with Judy Reichle, Julie Strawn, and Chuck Wiseley From Jobs to Careers: How California Community College Credentials Pay Off for Welfare Participants This report, a joint venture of CLASP and the California Community Colleges Chancellors Office, tracks the employment rates and median annual earnings of female welfare participants who exited the California community college system in 1999-2000. The report shows that women receiving welfare in California who complete an Associate degree or certificate work more and earn substantially more in the two years after college than they did before college. In addition, while attending school, the women welfare participants were more likely to be employed than the general California welfare population. Download PDF
• Mar 25, 2004  |  Paula Roberts SSI and Child Support In contrast to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program contains a mandatory child support disregard. However, at present, only 25 percent of those SSI children living with just one parent actually receive child support. Thus, a substantial number of SSI children might benefit from more aggressive pursuit of support on their behalf. This memorandum summarizes the options laid out in a recent Social Security Administration brief about how to increase child support, and overall income, for children receiving SSI. Download PDF
• Mar 15, 2004  |  Paula Roberts OIG Studies on Potential Medicaid Savings Through Cost Contributions from Noncustodial Parents This memorandum for state child support advocates summarizes recent reports from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on seven states potential for recouping some of their Medicaid costs for children in single-parent families through improved medical support enforcement. In particular, the OIG is interested in the capacity of noncustodial parents who did not provide private health care coverage to their children to contribute toward the cost of their childrens Medicaid coverage. The states for which OIG has released reports are Connecticut, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Download PDF
• Mar 11, 2004  |  Paula Roberts No Minor Matter: Developing a Coherent Policy on Paternity Establishment for Children Born to Underage Parents For the roughly 150,000 babies born each year to unwed minors, paternity establishment is a complicated issue. Paternity establishment provides children with crucial financial and emotional support and access to larger extended families. At the same time, it can cause problems for minor parents: immature youngsters might enter an ill-advised marriage; a young man might sign an acknowledgment for a child who is not his genetic offspring; or a young woman who is a victim of incest or statutory rape might be better off if paternity is not established. The potential rights, limitations, and obligations of the minor parents, their babies, and the grandparents all need to be considered in developing thoughtful approaches to this issue. This policy brief (which is based on a longer report) offers recommendations to states for developing consistent laws and policies to address paternity establishment among minor parents. Download PDF
• Feb 12, 2004  |  Mark H. Greenberg, Emil Parker, and Abbey Frank Integrating TANF and WIA Into a Single Workforce System: An Analysis of Legal Issues A number of states and localities want to promote improved coordination or integration of workforce development efforts under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). This analysis identifies and analyzes legal issues presented by integrating TANF and WIA. This paper was written as part of a collaborative effort between the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, CLASP, and the Hudson Institute. Download PDF
• Feb 10, 2004  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Providing Comprehensive, Integrated Social Services to Vulnerable Children and Families: Are There Legal Barriers at the Federal Level to Moving Forward? Over the past several years, social service providers have increasingly recognized that families seeking assistance often face multiple, complex needs and that they require the services of more than one program. Working in consultation with state and local officials, this paper offers a model of cross-system integration focusing on comprehensive services for children and families. This paper was written as part of a collaborative effort between the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, CLASP, and the Hudson Institute. Download PDF
• Jan 28, 2004  |  Kate Irish, Rachel Schumacher, and Joan Lombardi Head Start Comprehensive Services: A Key Support for Early Learning for Poor Children This policy brief, the fourth in the Head Start Series, describes the comprehensive services Head Start children receive. It presents data from Head Start Program Information Reports (PIR) from the most recent program year, 20012002, and compares them, when possible, to national data on the services low-income children and families receive. Download PDF
• Dec 31, 2003  |  Amy Hirsch Some Days Are Harder Than Hard: Welfare Reform and Women With Drug Convictions in Pennsylvania This report consists of interviews of 26 women with drug convictions and of staff in the criminal justice system in the state of Pennsylvania. These women are banned from ever receiving cash assistance or food stamps, no matter what they do, because they have felony drug convictions. Federal law allows states to opt-out of the ban, but requires them to pass legislation in order to do so. At least 27 states have taken the option to support women in recovery. (Originally published in 1999.) Download PDF
• Dec 19, 2003  |  Jodie Levin-Epstein Lifting the Lid Off the Family Cap: States Revisit Problematic Policy for Welfare Mothers Since 1992, 24 states have implemented some type of a family cap policy, usually to discourage welfare recipients from giving birth to children while receiving cash assistance. Recently, however, a handful of states have begun to rethink the family cap. This policy brief, the first in a series on Childbearing and Reproductive Health Policy, explains what family cap policies are, reviews some of the research on their effectiveness, explains how many families are affected by them, describes challenges that have been mounted against these policies, and recommends that states with family caps consider repealing these mistaken and potentially harmful policies. Download PDF
• Dec 18, 2003  |  Jodie Levin-Epstein Teen Parents and Abstinence Education: Research Findings, 2003 This compilation of summaries of new research is designed as a reference tool for practitioners, policymakers, and others interested in teen parents (and particularly their relationship to welfare programs) and abstinence education. Download PDF
• Dec 18, 2003  |  Jodie Levin-Epstein and John Hutchins Teens and TANF: How Adolescents Fare Under the Nations Welfare Program This policy brief, published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, offers an update on what is known about the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs effects on different populations of teens: teen parents receiving TANF benefits, youth living in TANF families, and youth participating in TANF-funded programs. The brief provides background on the welfare program, summarizes the latest research, and discusses the implications of a number of TANF policies for teens and their families. Download PDF
• Dec 09, 2003  |  Jennifer Mezey, Katherine Beh Neas, and Kate Irish Policy Brief: Coming Together for Children with Disabilities: State Collaboration to Support Quality, Inclusive Child Care Families with children with disabilities have difficulty finding high-quality, appropriate child care for their childrenand this is particularly true for low-income families. This policy brief from CLASP and Easter Seals discusses the challenges these low-income families face; presents the findings of a survey of administrators of state child care and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act programs; explains the importance of collaboration among these programs; and suggests policy recommendations for federal and state governments. Download PDF
• Nov 26, 2003  |  Paula Roberts Recent Cases on a Variety of TANF/Child Support Issues In the last three years there have been a number of reported cases dealing with the child support program and its relationship to the federal welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). This memo summarizes cases that deal with issues commonly faced by child support clients and their attorneys. Download PDF
• Nov 24, 2003  |  Paula Roberts New Regulations on Obtaining Health Care Coverage from Non-custodial Parents Who Are Federal Employees If a non-custodial parent has health care coverage available through employment, the state must order the non-custodial parent to enroll the children in that coverage (unless the children are already covered by some policy other than Medicaid). Until October 30, 2000, however, this scheme did not apply to federal employees. While decision-makers could order non-custodial parents who were federal employees to provide health care coverage for their children, unless such employees voluntarily complied, there was no way to enforce the orders. A law was passed to ensure enforcement of health care orders to federal employees; however, a number of questions about its proper implementation that have kept it from being as effective as it could be. This memo outlines some areas of concern on which public comment might be helpful. Download PDF
• Oct 01, 2003  |  Nisha Patel, Lisa Ranghelli, and Mark Greenberg Policy Brief: A Means to an End: Integration of Welfare and Workforce Development Systems This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF
• Oct 01, 2003  |  Lisa Ranghelli, Nisha Patel, and Mark Greenberg Report: A Means to an End: Integration of Welfare and Workforce Development Systems During the last decade, before and after implementation of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, state welfare agencies became increasingly focused on linking low-income families with employment. At the same time, in implementing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), states created one-stop centers and focused on addressing the fragmentation and duplication that has often plagued state employment and training programs. The transformation of state welfare and workforce systems has prompted states to assess the relationship between the two systems. This report describes how four statesFlorida, Ohio, Utah, and Wisconsinhave approached integration of TANF and WIA services; how integration has affected TANF-eligible families, other workers and job seekers, employers, and state and local governments; possible lessons learned from early experiences; and policy implications. A concluding section offers recommendations for state and federal policymakers. Download PDF
• Aug 29, 2003  |  Heide Spruck Wrigley, Elise Richer, Karin Martinson, Hitomi Kubo, and Julie Strawn Report: The Language of Opportunity: Expanding Employment Prospects for Adults with Limited English Skills This report describes the demographics and economic circumstances of low-income adults with limited English proficiency (LEP) as well as the language and job training services available to them. The authors summarize lessons from scientific evaluation research on employment programs for low-skilled adults and provide recommendations for policy and practice that would increase opportunities for LEP adults to gain access to higher-paying jobs. The appendix includes profiles of several programs that are successfully training and working with LEP adults. Download PDF
• Aug 28, 2003  |  Linda Harris WIA Reauthorization Recommendations on Title I Youth Provisions The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 redirected the focus of youth programming from short-term programs to longer comprehensive interventions. Congress is scheduled to reauthorize the WIA legislation by September 30, 2003. The reauthorization of WIA provides the opportunity to define and refine the parameters of this country's youth development system and set the stage for increasing appropriations to a level commensurate with the need. It also provides the opportunity to strengthen the ability of states and local areas to implement comprehensive programs and systems as mandated by the legislation with a priority focus on youth who are disconnected, or most at risk of disconnecting, from the system and supports they need to be productive, self-sufficient, and responsible adults. This paper provides a short summary of reauthorization recommendations related to the youth provisions and includes a separate document that discusses the rationale for each recommendation. Download PDF
• Aug 28, 2003  |  Heide Spruck Wrigley, Elise Richer, Karin Martinson, Hitomi Kubo, and Julie Strawn Policy Brief: The Language of Opportunity: Expanding Employment Prospects for Adults with Limited English Skills This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF
• Aug 18, 2003  |  Rachel Schumacher, Kate Irish, and Joan Lombardi Meeting Great Expectations: Integrating Early Education Program Standards in Child Care In order to achieve improved child outcomes, policymakers must invest in improved program standards in child care. This report, part of the Foundation for Child Development's Working Paper Series, examines three strategies in seven states that have integrated program standards into child care by directly tying standards to funding: the delivery of state pre-kindergarten (Georgia, New Jersey, and New York) and Head Start (Ohio, Oklahoma, and Oregon) in child care settings and the use of contracts including required standards with child care providers (California). These states are requiring participating child care providers to meet early education program standards that routinely exceed those required by state child care licensing rules. They are also providing additional monitoring, technical assistance, and fiscal resources to help participating programs meet these standards. Download PDF
• Aug 18, 2003  |  Rachel Schumacher, Kate Irish, Joan Lombardi Policy Brief: Meeting Great Expectations: Integrating Early Education Program Standards in Child Care This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF
• Aug 15, 2003  |  Paula Roberts Recent Federal Guidance on Important Child Support Program Issues In the last few months, the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement has issued a number of important Action Transmittals (ATs) and Policy Information Questions (PIQs), covering a range of child support issues. This document summarizes these ATs and PIQs, which clarify adjustment of child support orders, paternity disestablishment, recoupment of child support overpayments, payments in foreign currency, and private health care coverage for dependents. Download PDF
• Aug 04, 2003  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Comments on the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System This letter, submitted by CLASP to the federal Childrens Bureau, comments on how to improve the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). The data collected through AFCARS provide critical information to federal, state, and local governments, as well as to advocates and researchers, which can be used to improve program management and to enhance policy development and implementation. These comments offer suggestions about improving AFCARS so that this data collection system can be a more effective tool in improving the welfare of children in foster care and of those who have been adopted through the child welfare system. The comments fall into four general categories: (1) developing the capacity to track children over time; (2) improving the comparability of data across states; (3) collecting critical additional data and (4) enhancing access to data on a timely basis. Download PDF
• Aug 04, 2003  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Input on Improving Court Oversight of Child Welfare Cases The new Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care is developing recommendations to improve court oversight of child welfare cases and to facilitate better, more timely decisions related to childrens safety, permanence, and well-being. This memo offers three suggestions to the Commission: (1) designate specially trained judges to hear child welfare cases; (2) ensure that everyone involved in the child welfare cases has an opportunity to be heard; and (3) provide comprehensive training to judges, lawyers, guardians ad litem, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and related court personnelnot only about the legal issues involved in child welfare cases, but also about child development, family dynamics, substance abuse, mental health, and domestic violence. Download PDF
• Aug 04, 2003  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Input on Improving Federal Child Welfare Financing Mechanisms The new Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care is developing recommendations to improve federal financing mechanisms in ways that facilitate faster movement of children from foster care into safe, permanent families and reduce the need to place children in foster care. This memo encourages the Commission to begin by considering a set of questions about the fundamental purposes and goals of the child welfare system. We hope such a big picture analysis will suggest the value of expanding Title IV-E eligibility to cover all children and all child welfare services. The memo also makes recommendations about immediate steps Congress can take, while the Commission deliberates about a broader vision. These interim steps will begin to strengthen the child welfare systems ability to meet the needs of maltreated children. Download PDF
• Jul 16, 2003  |  Elise Richer, Abbey Frank, Mark Greenberg, Steve Savner, and Vicki Turetsky Boom Times a Bust: Declining Employment Among Young Less-Educated Men During the 1990s, employment rates for less-educated young women rose significantly. Less-educated young men, however, did not experience a similar jump in employment rates. In fact, their employment rates remained stagnant during the decade, failing to return to higher rates of prior years. This report explores why these young men are not in the formal labor market and offers potential policies to raise their employment rates. Download PDF
• Jul 01, 2003  |  Jodie Levin-Epstein and Mark H. Greenberg, Editors Leave No Youth Behind: Opportunities for Congress to Reach Disconnected Youth Too many young people are not on the path toward successful adulthood, and the U.S. has no coherent policy to help these disconnected youth become productive members of society. Estimates of the number of youth who are disconnected or at risk of becoming disconnected range from nearly 3 million to more than 7 million. This report offers recommendations to help disconnected youth in six programs being considered by the 108th Congress for reauthorization: the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Higher Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, and the Workforce Investment Act. It encourages federal policymakers to look across legislative initiatives to develop an integrated set of policies to address the needs of this population. The report concludes that the nation should commit itself to increase the proportion of young people who at age 25 (1) have a high school diploma and postsecondary degree or credential, (2) are employed in jobs with career advancement possibilities, and (3) are not engaged in adverse risk-taking behaviors. Download PDF
• Jun 25, 2003  |  Kate Irish, Rachel Schumacher, and Joan Lombardi Serving Americas Youngest: A Snapshot of Early Head Start Children, Families, Teachers, and Programs in 2002 This policy brief, the third of a series of analyses of Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) data, offers the first detailed examination of Early Head Start PIR data from the most recently available program year, 2001-2002. While Head Start primarily serves low-income preschool children ages 3-5, the Early Head Start program, created in 1995, serves low-income infants and toddlers (birth to age three) and pregnant women. This brief describes the unique features of the Early Head Start program and places them in the context of the overall Head Start program. Download PDF
• Jun 16, 2003  |  Paula Roberts New Child Support Regulations In February 1999, the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) issued Interim Final Regulations implementing changes contained in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, and the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998. On May 12, 2003, OCSE responded to public comment on these changes and issued Final Regulations. This document discusses these regulatory changes. Download PDF
• Jun 02, 2003  |  Paula Roberts Failure to Thrive: The Continuing Poor Health of Medical Child Support The state child support enforcement program can better assist the uninsured children under its purview in obtaining coverage. First, it could require a parent with access to coverage to enroll the child and allocate any associated costs for premiums, co-payments, and deductibles between the parents. Second, when neither parent has access to private coverage, the state child support agency can provide information to the custodial parent about public coverage and help the custodial parent enroll the child in such coverage. This paper discusses the obstacles to obtaining dependant coverage in these two ways and provides examples of states that have overcome these obstacles. Download PDF
• May 28, 2003  |  Jodie Levin-Epstein Welfare, Women, and Health: The Role of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Women comprise 90 percent of the adult caseload receiving welfare assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANFs influence on womens health and well-being is broad and is driven by multiple aspects of the program, including access to health insurance, work requirements and training options, links to health care services, and reproductive health provisions. This issue brief, published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, reflects on lessons learned from recent research on the connection between welfare policies and low-income womens health. For more information on the Kaiser Family Foundations work on Womens Health Policy, please visit: www.kff.org/women. Download PDF
• May 21, 2003  |  Rachel Schumacher Family Support and Parent Involvement in Head Start: What Do Head Start Program Performance Standards Require? Head Start programs provide early childhood education, comprehensive services, and family support to more than 900,000 low-income children and their families. This brief paper describes specific requirements in Head Start Program Performance Standards to involve parents in programs and to provide or link families to support services, and it provides data on family support and involvement in Head Start programs in 2002. Download PDF
• May 20, 2003  |  Paula Roberts Rethinking the Medicaid Child Support Cooperation Requirement In order for low-income, custodial single parents to obtain Medicaid coverage for themselves, they must usually assign to the state any rights they have to private health care coverage and cooperate with the states child support enforcement agency in pursuing that coverage. If they fail to do so, their children can receive Medicaid benefits, but they cannot. This paper describes the Medicaid program and the child support assignment and cooperation requirements as well as the differences between the Medicaid and SCHIP programs in this context. It concludes with the recommendation that the Medicaid child support cooperation requirement be abolished. Download PDF
• May 16, 2003  |  Rachel Schumacher and Kate Irish Whats New in 2002? A Snapshot of Head Start Children, Families, Teachers, and Programs This year, Congress is scheduled to reauthorize Head Start, a federal-to-local grant program for the provision of early childhood education, comprehensive services, and family support to poor preschool children and their families. This policy brief, the second in a series of analyses of Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) data by CLASP, describes the picture for Head Start children, families, teachers, and programs in the 2001-2002 program year, highlighting new data never gathered before for the PIR. The 2002 PIR data confirm that Head Start serves a diverse population of low-income children and families. Most of these families are working poor, with minimum education levels. These children and families receive a variety of family support and comprehensive services through Head Start and through coordination with available services in their communities. The 2002 PIR data provide helpful contextual information as the reauthorization of Head Start moves forward. Download PDF
• May 15, 2003  |  Rachel Schumacher Promoting the Health of Poor Preschool Children: What Do Federal Head Start Performance Standards Require? Head Start programs provide early childhood education, comprehensive services, and family support to more than 900,000 low-income children and their families. This brief paper describes the specific Head Start requirements for the provision of health screenings, follow-up, and linkages to services to participating children and their families and provides data on health services provided to Head Start children and families in 2002. Download PDF
• May 05, 2003  |  Mark Greenberg and Rachel Schumacher Financing Universal Pre-Kindergarten: Possibilities and Technical Issues for States in Using Funds Under the Child Care and Development Fund and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant In recent years, states and localities have become increasingly interested in providing universal access to pre-Kindergarten (pre-K). Two principal federal funding streams available to states that are traditionally used for child care under certain conditions may also be used for such an initiative: the Child Care and Development Fund and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant. This report summarizes what is clear and what is unclear about the extent to which each of the funding streams could be used in support of universal pre-K initiatives. Download PDF
• Apr 29, 2003  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson Side-by-Side Comparison of Child Welfare Provisions in Recent TANF Reauthorization Proposals This chart summarizes child welfare provisions in current Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) law and recent TANF reauthorization legislation and proposals. Download File
• Apr 22, 2003  |  Karen Martinson and Julie Strawn Policy Brief: Built to Last: Why Skills Matter for Long-Run Success in Welfare Reform This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF
• Apr 22, 2003  |  Karin Martinson and Julie Strawn Report: Built to Last: Why Skills Matter for Long-Run Success in Welfare Reform This report and companion policy brief argue that basic skills and educational credentials are critical for labor market success. The report and brief make the case that the current federal welfare law is too restrictive in its allowance of education and training activities and recommends that this be rectified when the welfare law is reauthorized this year. Download PDF
• Apr 08, 2003  |  Paula Roberts Truth and Consequences: Part III. Who Pays When Paternity is Disestablished? This monograph, the third in a three-part series on paternity disestablishment, addresses the fiscal consequences to the child, the parents, and the state if paternity is disestablished. Courts and state legislatures are dealing with the effect of disestablishment on past, present, and future child support obligations. Some are also addressing the circumstances under which a father who has disestablished his paternity may seek to recoup support he has provided to the child. A few states are also providing criminal penalties for those who intentionally establish the paternity of the wrong man. (Case law updated in August 2003.) Download PDF
• Apr 08, 2003  |  Nisha Patel, Mark Greenberg, and Steve Savner Side-by-Side Comparison of Work Provisions in Recent TANF Reauthorization Proposals This chart summarizes work provisions in current Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) law and recent TANF reauthorization legislation and proposals. Download PDF
• Apr 04, 2003  |  Rachel Schumacher, Kate Irish, Mark H. Greenberg Policy Brief: Untapped Potential? How States Contract Directly with Providers to Shore Up Child Care Choices This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF
• Apr 04, 2003  |  Rachel Schumacher, Kate Irish, and Mark H. Greenberg Report: Untapped Potential? How States Contract Directly with Providers to Shore Up Child Care Choices for Low-Income Families States currently have the flexibility to contract directly with providers to make child care available to low-income families. According to this first national study of state child care contracting policies, states are using contracts to increase the supply of child care in certain high-need areas, to provide child care to special populations, and to improve the quality of child care program standards and services. Although nearly half the states use contracts to shore up child care supply for low-income families, the full potential of contracting has not yet been tapped. Download PDF
• Mar 21, 2003  |  Paula Roberts Truth and Consequences: Part II. Questioning the Paternity of Marital Children This monograph, the second of a three-part series, explores the approaches that courts and legislatures are now taking on the issue of paternity disestablishment when marital children are involved. It explores the pros and cons of different approaches and suggests a path that balances some of the legitimate concerns of all parties in this difficult area. (Case law updated in August 2003.) Download PDF
• Mar 10, 2003  |  Rachel Schumacher and Tanya Rakpraja A Snapshot of Head Start Children, Families, Teachers, and Programs: 1997 and 2001 With the federal Head Start program scheduled for reauthorization by Congress in 2003, there is a need to understand what the program and the children and families it serves look like today and how they have changed since the last reauthorization in 1998. This policy brief, the first in a series of analyses of Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) data by CLASP, compares key PIR data from the most recently available program year, 2000-2001, with data from the 1996-1997 program year. Download PDF
• Mar 04, 2003  |  Paula Roberts Truth and Consequences: Part I. Disestablishing the Paternity of Non-Marital Children Since there is little federal guidance on challenging paternity acknowledgements, the issue has been left largely in the hands of state legislatures and courts. In some states, there are detailed procedures for challenging paternity acknowledgments; in other states, there is little or no statutory guidance in this area. Some states have statutory and case law to guide the process of paternity disestablishment when paternity has been adjudicated or presumed, while others offer little guidance. This document reviews the recent statutory and case law in this area and offers recommendations for bringing greater fairness and clarity to the process. (Case law updated in August 2003.) Download PDF
• Jan 29, 2003  |  Rutledge Hutson Policy Brief: A Vision for Eliminating Poverty and Family Violence: Transforming Child Welfare and TANF in El Paso County, Colorado This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF   |   Additional PDF
• Jan 15, 2003  |  Rutledge Q. Hutson A Vision for Eliminating Poverty and Family Violence: Transforming Child Welfare and TANF in El Paso County, Colorado When El Paso County, Colorado, considered how to bring the work of the child welfare and TANF agencies together, it decided to change its whole way of doing business. This paper examines how El Paso created seamless, family-centered services and offers a set of lessons that can be drawn from El Paso's experience. Download PDF   |   Additional PDF
• Dec 01, 2002  |  Rachel Schumacher, Jennifer Mezey, and Mark Greenberg Analysis of Potential Barriers to Creating Coordinated Absence Policies for Collaborations Between Head Start and CCDF and TANF-Funded Programs This report, commissioned by the Southern Institute on Children and Families, analyzes the statutory and regulatory provisions relevant to child absence policies in Head Start and in child care funded under the Child Care and Development Fund and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grants. It discusses some practical considerations for states interested in adopting coordinated absence policies. An appendix provides additional detail about current law and provides examples of current absence policy practices in the Southern states. Download PDF
• Oct 25, 2002  |  Paula Roberts If You Don't Know There's a Problem, How Can You Find a Solution? The Need for Notice and Hearing Rights in Child Support Distribution Cases Under federal law, states receive substantial federal funding to provide child support services to single-parent families who request such services. In order to know whether the support has been properly allocated, the custodial parent needs a basic notice describing what was collected, from whom, when, by what means, and how the state distributed the money. If the parent feels that a mistake has been made, the parent needs access to a hearing procedure to dispute the allocation. These fundamental due process rights are granted by the federal constitution as well as federal law and regulation. However, many states follow neither the letter nor the spirit of the law, leaving custodial parents with little or no information about how their child support payments are being handled. States that do not now offer these rights to custodial and non-custodial parents should be encouraged to do so through legislation, administrative advocacy, or court order. The information provided in this paper should enable advocates to follow one of these strategies to obtain these rights for their clients. Download PDF
• Sep 12, 2002  |  Paula Roberts New Office of Child Support Enforcement Policy on Recoupment of Child Support Overpayments In the process of distributing child support payments, mistakes can be made. Sometimes the result is that a custodial parent receives an "overpayment.\" This document discusses the Office of Child Support Enforcement's new guidance on the steps states must take in attempting to retrieve child support overpayments. Download PDF
• Jun 03, 2002  |  Nisha Patel, Mark Greenberg, Steve Savner, and Vicki Turetsky Making Ends Meet: Six Programs That Help Working Families and Employers. A Guide for Business Leaders and Policymakers This new report, originally developed for a meeting cosponsored by the Welfare to Work Partnership, provides information on six work support programs: the Earned Income Tax Credit, child care, Food Stamps, health care, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and child support. It explains how each program promotes financial security for low-income families, as well as employment retention, which benefits both working families and their employers. The guide also describes barriers to program participation for eligible workers and offers resources for business leaders and policymakers about strategies to overcome these barriers. Download PDF
• May 15, 2002  |  CLASP and Community Legal Services, Inc. Every Door Closed: Barriers Facing Parents With Criminal Records Last year, approximately 400,000 mothers and fathers finished serving prison or jail sentences. As these parents struggle to make a fresh start, they will encounter many legal barriers that will make it very difficult for them to successfully care for their children, find work, get safe housing, go to school, access public benefits, or even, for immigrants, stay in the same country as their children. This groundbreaking report, a joint publication of CLASP and Community Legal Services, Inc., of Philadelphia, documents the legal challenges these families face, illustrated by compelling stories of ex-offenders who are frustrated in their attempts to rebuild their lives and families. Download PDF   |   Additional PDF
• May 13, 2002  |  Julie Strawn and Karin Martinson Built to Last: Why Skills Matter for Long-Run Success in Welfare Reform This review of recent research on welfare-to-work strategies shows that the most successful programs have focused on employment but made substantial use of education and training. In particular, the postsecondary education and training appear to be key to obtaining higher-paying jobs. This report has important implications for the current debate over reauthorization of the federal welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The findings suggest that Congress should encourage states to include quality education and training services in welfare-to-work programs and allow sufficient time for recipients to complete both basic education and skill training. Download PDF
• May 01, 2002  |  Paula Roberts Pursuing Justice: A Strategic Approach to Child Support Arrears in California California is one of the states with a substantial amount of accumulated child support arrears. To address this problem, the state authorized the Urban Institute to analyze the arrears caseload and assess the likelihood of collection. Based on the Urban Institute analysis, CLASP developed this options paper, which describes steps the state might take to collect that which is collectible, prevent similar problems in the future, and develop an adjustment policy for those who can never fully pay. The paper is intended to model the kind of analysis states with similar arrearage problems might undertake. It also provides information current efforts in many states to deal with low-income non-custodial parents. Download PDF
• May 01, 2002  |  Anita Mathur, Judy Reichle, Chuck Wiseley, and Julie Strawn Credentials Count: How California's Community Colleges Help Parents Move from Welfare to Self-Sufficiency This study, conducted by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office for CLASP, finds that welfare recipients who attend California's community colleges substantially increase earnings and year-round work, with those who obtain credentials benefiting the most. Download PDF
• Jan 01, 2002  |  Sara Davis New Report from OIG Raises Questions About Child Support Distribution A two-page summary of a recent report issued by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) outlining their findings and recommendations concerning the problems many families leaving TANF experience in collecting the child support payments they are entitled to as they transition from welfare to self-sufficiency. The receipt of child support at this time of transition can be crucial as a family strives to become self-sufficient. Download PDF
• Jan 01, 2002  |  Sara Davis The Need for More Aggressive Implementation of Income Withholding Orders Involving Federal Employees A two-page summary of recent report issued by the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The summary describes problems with wage withholding against delinquent federal employees who are employed by HHS as well as the recommendations developed by the OIG to ensure that the children of federal employees receive the timely child support to which they are entitled. Download PDF
• Oct 11, 2001 Written Testimony of Vicki Turetsky Vicki Turetsky is a senior Staff Attorney at CLASP. Submitted for the record in the October 11, 2001, hearing of the Social Security and Family Policy Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, which heard testimony on S. 685, the \"Strengthening Working Families Act of 2001.\" The statement urges the Senate Finance Committee to act favorably this session on the legislation, which includes child support distribution provisions. Download PDF
• May 15, 2001  |  Paula Roberts An Ounce of Prevention and A Pound of Cure: Developing State Policy on the Payment of Child Support Arrears by Low Income Parents Contains a brief description of state policies and practices that may contribute to the accumulation of unrealistically high support arrears, describes steps states might take to avoid this problem in the future, and provides a framework for deciding how much of already accumulated arrears -- if any -- states might want to forgive. Download PDF
• May 15, 2001  |  Vicki Turetsky Families Participating in the State Child Support Program This is a one-page fact sheet that highlights the importance of child support to low-income families, notes that \"welfare leavers\" are the largest group of families participating in the child support program, describes recent improvements in the program's performance, and cites research linking effective child support programs to reduced poverty, welfare caseloads, divorce rates, nonmarital and teen birth rates, and improved child outcomes such as paternal involvement and educational attainment. Download PDF
• May 15, 2001  |  Paula Roberts Recent Clarification of the Child Support Assignment and Cooperation Obligations of Parents and Children Applying for or Receiving Medicaid Briefly explains a critical distinction between the child support assignment and cooperation requirements applicable to child-only Medicaid households and those applicable to households in which both children and adults seek Medicaid coverage. Download PDF
• Apr 01, 2001  |  Rachel Schumacher, Mark Greenberg, and Joan Lombardi State Initiatives to Promote Early Learning: Next Steps in Coordinating Subsidized Child Care, Head Start, and State Prekindergarten States often struggle with two key social goals: the need to promote school readiness for children and the need to support working families given increasing labor force participation among mothers with young children. This paper describes the challenges states face in addressing these issues, responses to these challenges, and recommendations for the future. The findings of the paper are based on examinations of three states with significant experience in developing a major early education initiative and coordination of subsidized child care, Head Start, and state prekindergarten systems. The profiled state initiatives are the Georgia Prekindergarten Program, Massachusetts' Community Partnerships for Children Initiative, and Ohio's state funding of Head Start and expansion of Head Start partnerships with child care programs. Download PDF
• Mar 15, 2001  |  Vicki Turetsky Congress Should Reject \"Bounty Hunter\" Proposals Open Child Support Data This fact sheet describes proposals that would make personal financial data and law enforcement authority used by state child support agencies available to commercial child support collection agencies and other private child support collectors. While the proposal may sound innocuous on the surface, its adoption would be very detrimental to low-income families and raises serious privacy concerns. Download File
• Mar 15, 2001  |  Paula Roberts Final Regulations on Child Support Cooperation and Food Stamp Recipients Examines the provisions and final regulations that include allowing states to impose child support cooperation obligations on noncustodial parents who participate in the Food Stamp Program. It would also permit states to disqualify individuals who are behind in paying their child support from participating in the Food Stamp Program. Download PDF
• Mar 15, 2001  |  Paula Roberts Grievance Procedures for Participants in the Child Support Takes a look at the final regulations on grievance procedures that require every state to provide individual users of the child support (IV-D) system access to a complaint resolution process. This new regulation could be used as the basis for state legislation providing full due process rights to users of the IVD system. Download PDF
• Feb 15, 2001  |  Rachel Schumacher TANF and School Age Care: Opportunities and Challenges TANF and School Age Care: Opportunities and Challenges, is a slide presentation by Rachel Schumacher that outlines how federal TANF funds may be used to fund child care services particularly aimed at school age children, and describes some current state and county efforts to do so. Download PDF
• Feb 15, 2001  |  Rachel Schumacher and Mark Greenberg Using TANF for Child Care: A Technical Guide A slide presentation that outlines how federal TANF and state maintenance of effort (MOE) funds can be used to fund child care services, describes trends in use of TANF for child care in 1999 and 2000, and suggests steps toward understanding and accessing TANF funds in a state. Download PDF
• Nov 15, 2000  |  Nicole Williams Insights from New Reports on State Disbursement Units This is an overview of the reports issued by the Office of Inspector General on states' progress in establishing State Disbursement Units (SDUs). Included are some problems states encountered through the transition to an SDU as well as lessons learned in the process. Download PDF
• Nov 15, 2000  |  Paula Roberts New Studies on Child Support Cooperation Requirements This is an overview of five studies issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Inspector General (OIG), on the implementation of the PRWORA changes that deal with child support cooperation and good cause exceptions in the TANF program and a study that deals with those changes in the Medicaid program. (Copies of the OIG reports are available at http://www.dhhs.gov/progorg/oei/.) Download PDF
• Nov 15, 2000  |  Paula Roberts The Performance of the Child Support Enforcement System: Two Points of View This is a discussion of the progress reports issued by the United States Census Bureau and the Office of Child Support Enforcement that describe the state of child support enforcement efforts in this country. Download PDF
• Nov 01, 2000  |  Mark Greenberg Helping Families Keep Their Child Support: The Role of TANF Design Choices When TANF assistance is paid to a family, the family must assign its child support to the state, and, typically, the family receives little or no benefit from the support that has been paid. However, states can act to ensure that families get the benefit of child support paid by nonresident parents. This set of an overheads, from a presentation to TANF and child support administrators at a meeting of the American Public Human Services Association, explains how states can ensure that families benefit from child support. Download PDF
• Oct 15, 2000  |  Paula Roberts, with assistance from Nicole Williams Biology and Beyond: The Case for Passage of the New Uniform Parentage Act This is a description of the provisions of the new UPA that address the paternity of marital children, the paternity of non-marital children, and the need for paternity registries. Parentage in the context of assisted reproduction and surrogacy is also considered. In the conclusion is a section-by-section description of the new UPA. Download PDF
• Oct 01, 2000  |  Paula Roberts Child Support Distribution and Disbursement This is a description of the new \"family first\" distribution and disbursement rules that are designed to get more of the support collected for and to the families leaving welfare. Training materials provided by Vicki Turetsky are available for understanding the new distribution process. Download PDF
• Aug 15, 2000  |  Paula Roberts, with assistance from Steve Jackson Public Benefits Issues in Divorce Cases: A Manual for Lawyers and Paralegals This paper addresses the unique support and property distribution issues that must be resolved when low-income public benefits recipients or potential recipients divorce. This revised manual seeks to guide a lawyer or paralegal through the workings of the federally-funded public assistance programs as they impact low-income clients. Download PDF
• Jul 01, 2000  |  Paula Roberts Child Support Issues for Parents Who Receive Means-Tested Public Assistance This is an article that was first published in Clearinghouse Review that includes critical issues as to whether public assistance is countable as \"income,\" whether a court should impute income to a parent with no countable income, and whether minimum support awards should be established. See also 34 Clearinghouse Rev. 182 (July-August 2000). Download PDF
• Jun 15, 2000  |  Mark Greenberg, Joan Lombardi, and Rachel Schumacher The Child Care and Development Fund: An Overview Provides an explanation of the provisions of the major federal block grant available to states to provide subsidized child care to low-income families and to improve the quality of child care. Download PDF
• Jun 15, 2000  |  Vicki Turetsky What If All the Money Came Home? Takes the position that all child support should be paid to families, even if they receive TANF assistance, and that the TANF assignment requirement should be eliminated. Download PDF
• Jun 01, 2000  |  The Medical Child Support Working Group 21 Million Children's Health: Our Shared Responsibility This report contains 76 recommendations for improving medical support enforcement and access to health care coverage for children eligible to receive child support enforcement services. Read Online   |   Download File
• Mar 15, 2000  |  Vicki Turetsky Kellogg Devolution Initiative Paper -- Realistic Child Support Policies for Low-Income Fathers Identifies strategies states can use to tailor their standard child support practices to fathers with limited ability to pay. These strategies emphasize the importance of encouraging regular child support payments whenever possible, even if those payments are small. The paper covers issues such as pass-through, managing uncollectible arrearages, recognizing two-parent families, and expanding case management. Download PDF
• Dec 15, 1999  |  Mark Greenberg and Lisa Plimpton TANF Policies in Nine States: Implications for Microenterprise Initiatives Describes the policies in place in nine states, focusing on key issues likely to affect microenterprise initiatives serving TANF families. The paper summarizes the relevant TANF law and compares state policies in six areas, including work and participation requirements, time limits, treatment of income and assets, and supportive servcies. Download PDF
• Nov 15, 1999  |  Mark Greenberg Developing Policies to Support Microenterprise in the TANF Structure: A Guide to the Law Describes how states can exercise discretion within the TANF block grant structure to provide support for microenterprise. The paper discusses TANF law in eight areas, including use of TANF and state maintenance of effort (MOE) funds, TANF work and participation requirements, and treatment of income and assets. Published by the Aspen Institute. Download PDF
• Oct 15, 1999  |  Paula Roberts Kellogg Devolution Initiative Paper -- Beyond Welfare: The Case for Child Support Assurance This paper addresses the child support assurance approach that can provide a guaranteed child support payment to the family regularly and on time each month. Download PDF
• Oct 15, 1999  |  Vicki Turetsky and Susan Notar Models for Safe Child Support Enforcement Addresses approaches and issues faced by state child support programs in creating safer responses for child support enforcement when the mother is a victim of domestic violence. Download PDF
• Jul 15, 1999  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support Trends This paper takes a look at the performance and caseload trends in the child support (IV-D) program for the period 1988 through 1998. These slides show the caseload performance ratios as well as the program expenditures in the child support system. Download File   |   Download Additional
• Jul 15, 1999  |  Paula Roberts Guidance from the Federal Government on Implementation of the Child Support Related Provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 as Amended by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998 Describes the most recent changes in the Action Transmittals and proposed final regulations which have been issued through June 30, 1999, that are relevant to the child support sections of the PRWORA, BBA, and CSPIA. (*This is an update of three earlier versions of this publication, which were issued in January 1998, April 1998, and December 1998). [The latest OCSE Action Transmittals can be found at http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/poldoc.htm} Download PDF
• Apr 15, 1999  |  Paula Roberts Final TANF Regulations Regarding Child Support Assignment and Cooperation and Distribution of Support Collection Addresses two sets of the many issues of the final TANF regulations: (1) implementation of the child support cooperation requirement and (2) the assignment/distribution of child support collected for families receiving TANF-funded assistance. (These final regulations are found at 64 Federal Register 17720-17931.) Download PDF
• Mar 15, 1999 Child Support Assurance Bibliography Download PDF
• Mar 15, 1999  |  Paula Roberts Final Federal Regulations on IV-D Case Closure Discusses in detail revised regulations issued by OCSE on March 10, 1999, that will make it easier to close IV-D cases. Also discussed is the relationship between case closure and child support cooperation. Download PDF
• Mar 15, 1999  |  Paula Roberts Final Regulations on Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity Lists the variety of changes states must make in their voluntary paternity acknowledgment programs. Also listed are the serious concerns about the operation of the program. Download PDF
• Mar 01, 1999  |  Jodie Levin-Epstein Seeking Safe Haven: How Two States Have Approached the Minor Parent Living Arrangement Rule Illinois and Vermont implemented a minor parent living arrangement policy prior to the 1996 law. Both have policies designed to protect those for whom the living arrangement rule might prove problematic due to abuse at home or other causes. This in-depth exploration is designed to assist those who work on the policy or with teen parents to gain insights into the nuances of implementation from the perspective of two states with experience. Download PDF
• Feb 15, 1999  |  Paula Roberts Child Support and Children Receiving SSI Provides a summary, a synopsis, and a critique of the newly released GAO report entitled Supplemental Security Income: Increase Receipt and Reporting of Child Support Could Reduce Payments, GAO/HEHS-99-11 Download PDF
• Feb 15, 1999  |  Paula Roberts Money Available for Feasiblity Studies and Demonstration Projects Describes an announcement that $250,000 per year for the next three years is now available from the federal government for CSA feasibility studies as well as implementation of CSA demonstration projects. Download PDF
• Feb 15, 1999  |  Paula Roberts Setting Support When the Noncustodial Parent is Low Income Describes policies that would make it feasible for low-income parents to establish paternity/reenter their children's lives, if implemented. Download PDF
• Dec 15, 1998  |  Vicki Turetsky You Get What You Pay For: How Federal and State Investment Decisions Affect Child Support Performance Concludes that most state child support programs are substantially underfunded and understaffed, and that performance may improve with increased investment. The data confirm the direct connection between performance and resource levels. The data also suggest that the current federal financing structure may encourage some states to underinvest in the program in order to maximize state revenues. State-by-state tables included. Download PDF
• Oct 01, 1998  |  Paula Roberts and Mark Greenberg New Policy Clarification Affecting Child Support Assignment and Distribution for Recipients of TANF-funded Assistance Explains the background for and policy articulated in a recent Action Transmittal, 98-24, from the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE). The Action Transmittal provides an important clarification about the rules affecting distribution of current child support for families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assistance in a form other than direct monetary payments. Finally, this memo summarizes the consequences of receiving TANF cash and non-cash assistance in light of the new Action Transmittal. Download File
• Sep 08, 1998  |  Paula Roberts Federal Guidance on Alternative Penalties Related to Automation Failures A brief summary of the alternative penalties and the qualifications from the latest child support automated systems legislation entitled \"The Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998\"(CSPIA), which established a system of fiscal penalties for states that fail to meet their FSA and/or PRWORA automation requirements. Also describes how the new penalty system will function pursuant to the Action Transmittal 98-22 issued by the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement. Download PDF
• Sep 02, 1998  |  Paula Roberts New GAO Study About Child Support for Families Leaving Welfare A summary of the findings from the released GAO study that examines the possibility that families leaving welfare will actually obtain child support income to either supplement their wages or replace the public benefits lost when the family reaches its TANF time limit. The study suggests that unless there is major improvement in the child support program the majority of families leaving welfare due to time limits will not receive substantial amounts of child support. Download PDF
• Aug 01, 1998  |  Vicki Turetsky State Child Support Cooperation and Good Cause: A Preliminary Look at State Policies It takes a look at each states' general requirement to cooperate or to cooperate in good faith as a condition of TANF elibility. Download PDF
• Jul 01, 1998  |  Paula Roberts and Vicki Turetsky New Federal Child Support Legislation on Computer Penalties, Incentive Payments, Medical Support and Other Topics Describes the changes in the new law called the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998 (CSPIA). Some of these changes will fundamentally affect the operation and financing of state child support programs. Other topics include fiscal sanctions for failure to meet the IV-D program automation requirements; administrative enforcement, and Data Collection. Download PDF
• Jan 01, 1998  |  Vicki Turetsky and Andrea Wilson Child Support Caseload Data: Recent Trends CLASP conducted a state-by-state analysis of key program trends in the child support (IV-D) program for the period 1991 through 1995. The study looked at key performance indicators, caseload trends, program expenditures, and staffing ratios. This paper analyzes child support caseload trends during the five-year period. Preliminary 1996 data are also included if available. The analysis is based on data reported by state child support programs to the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) and published in annual reports to Congress. (The full report can be ordered for $7.00 by contacting CLASP.) Download PDF
• Jan 01, 1998  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support Performance Data: A Five-Year Baseline Examines a variety of performance measures state by state between 1991-1995. Each state's performance is measured against its own performance over time. Among the national findings are that the child support program did not make significant headway during this period although there were small performance gains in paternity establishment and collections in 1995 and 1996. (The full report can be ordered for $7.00 by contacting CLASP.) Download PDF
• Nov 01, 1997  |  Paula Roberts Coordination Between the Child Support and Children's Health Insurance Programs in Order to Obtain Health Insurance Coverage for Children Under the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) recently enacted by Congress, states will be able to make health insurance coverage available to a large number of uninsured children. Once they have designed their approach and established their eligibility criteria, states will conduct CHIP outreach/enrollment efforts. Not only does the state's child support enforcement program have records about which children do not have coverage through private insurance or Medicaid, but it also has financial information about parents which would be useful in screening for CHIP eligibility. This document will explain how the child support and CHIP programs can work together. Read Online
• Nov 01, 1997  |  Vicki Turetsky Implementing the Family Violence Option: Lessons from Child Support "Good Cause" Policies In the past, less than one percent of custodial parents receiving AFDC nationwide have claimed good cause. Yet we know that roughly twenty percent of women on welfare are current domestic violence victims, and sixty percent have had violent relationships in their past adult lives. What gives? How can the state's integrate the Family Violence Option (FVO) procedures with the child support cooperation and good cause requirements? What lessons surfaced when the good cause exception was administered and how can the state's learn from this? This document can answer those questions and more. Read Online
• Oct 01, 1997  |  Vicki Turetsky Questions and Answers about State Child Support Computers Congress required states to implement statewide systems by October 1, 1997. How many states made the deadline? What is the sanction for missing the deadline? What is the review process for certification? How much have the state vs. the federal government spent on computer systems? This document will answer these questions and more. Read Online
• Aug 01, 1997  |  Paula Roberts California Child Support Assurance Legislation Outline describes recently enacted welfare reform legislation in California that authorized the creation of up to three (3) Child Support Assurance (CSA) demonstration projects. In these projects, eligible children in families participating in the state's welfare program (CalWORKS ) whose custodial parent has earnings and a child support order would have the option to receive a guaranteed monthly child support payment in lieu of welfare. One of the demonstration projects must be substantially like the New York Child Assistance Program (CAP). The other two can use the CAP model or take a different approach. Below is an outline of the legislation. (AB 1542, art. 5 sections 18241-18247) Read Online
• Aug 01, 1997  |  Jessica Sager and Paula Roberts Keeping Up: State Approaches to Automatic Adjustments in Child Support Orders Under recently passed federal legislation states are still required to have a process for review and modification of IVD orders at least once every three years--without the need for the parents to show a substantial change in circumstances--if one of the parents so requests. States can opt to conduct this review and adjustment on an individual case-by-case basis using their state child support guidelines as they did under prior law. This document is intended to help states decide how to proceed. It builds on work originally done in the 1980's by the National Center on Women and Family Law and updates the analysis through the Summer of 1997. Jessica Sager, a second year student at Yale University Law School, compiled the case law on a state-by-state basis so that officials and advocates can determine what the law in regard to automatic adjustments in their state is. She also provided copies of some statutory approaches, and a current bibliography of readings on the subject. Read Online
• May 01, 1997  |  Mark Greenberg, Paula Roberts, Steve Savner, and Vicki Turetsky Child Support Assurance: A New Opportunity in the Block Grant Structure In recent years, there has been increased interest in the idea of providing families which have a child support order with a guaranteed, minimum monthly child support payment. The basic idea is that when a family has cooperated in establishing the child a noncustodial parent, government should assure that at least a minimum payment is provided to the family each month if the noncustodial parent does not pay sufficient support to reach the assurance level. This document briefly outlines how such a system might look, and how such a system could be developed consistent with applicable requirements of the new federal structure. Read Online
• May 01, 1997  |  Tina Marie Perry and Leslie Anne Argenta Child Support Assurance: Overcoming Political Barriers Provides a general overview of the concept of CSA and discusses strategy for selling CSA to legislators. Read Online
• May 01, 1997  |  Paula Roberts Pursuing Child Support: More Violence? Victims of domestic violence often seek public assistance in order to escape from and/or remain free of this violence. However, in order to be eligible for public assistance, a mother must assign her child support rights to the state. Unless she can claim an exemption, she must also cooperate with the estate in establishing paternity (if that is an issue), obtaining a support order, and enforcing that order. Unfortunately, the pursuit of child support can and often does engender more violence. The result will largely depend on what policies states adopt in the next year. To help advocates develop positions on the issues, this paper begins by describing the child support assignment and cooperation requirements that domestic violence victims had to face under the Aid for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. Then it delineates the provisions contained in the recently enacted Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996--federal legislation which abolishes AFDC and creates a new program called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Finally, it offers some suggestions for how to approach the issues raised by the new law. Download PDF
• Apr 01, 1997  |  Paula Roberts Improving Health Care Coverage in the Child Support System In America today, there are approximately ten (10) million children who lack health insurance. This publication looks at the steps the child support system could take, within the confines of existing law, to provide and enforce health insurance coverage for more children than it now does. It also looks at strategies to expand the availability of health insurance coverage for children. Read Online
• Jan 01, 1997  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support Administrative Processes: A Summary of Requirements in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 Summarizes new administrative processes that state child support agencies must have to comply with the new federal law. Includes a set of charts with implementation dates for the new law. Download PDF
• Nov 01, 1996  |  Paula Roberts Family Law Issues and the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 A series of short issue papers, with succinct recommendations for implementing the new law. Topics include cooperation, distribution, fees, paternity establishment, enforcement remedies, administrative process, modification, new-hire reporting, case registries, and collection and disbursement activities. Read Online
• Nov 01, 1996  |  Paula Roberts Implementing Child Support Cooperation Policies Under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 Describes the cooperation provisions in the new law, analyses the interrelationship between TANF and child support programs, and makes detailed recommendations on how states can design more effective information-gathering and cooperation policies. Includes model procedures and a summary of recent state statutes. Read Online
• Oct 01, 1996  |  Vicki Turetsky Analysis of Child Support-Related Provisions in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 Provides a detailed summary of the child support provisions included in new child support legislation. A two-page \"key features\" synopsis is also available. Read Online
• Sep 01, 1996  |  Steve Savner Creating a Work-Based Welfare System Under TANF Reviews the essential components of a work-based system for those who will be successful in finding unsubsidized employment at low-wages and for those who are unable to locate unsubsidized employment despite a good faith effort to do so. Read Online
• Aug 01, 1996  |  Paula Roberts A Guide to Establishing Paternity for Nonmarital Children: Implementing the Provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996 Helps parents, state officials, community groups, judges, legislators, and policy makers examine their options and design and implement a paternity establishment system which recognizes the realities, meets the requirements of federal law, and reflects wise policy choices. Read Online
• Aug 01, 1996  |  Vicki Turetsky Child Support Computer Systems: A Summary of Current and Proposed Federal Requirements Provides a non-technical analysis of new and ongoing computerization requirements for policymakers, administrators, and advocates trying to understand the basics of computer certification and funding. Includes a chart of computer requirements included in recent child support legislation. Read Online