http://www.clasp.org/highlights/highlights.xml Featured Highlights from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 04:59:19 -0500 info@clasp.org webmaster@clasp.org 40 Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0029 On May 21, after two weeks of hearings and dozens of votes on amendments, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S.744) by a bipartisan vote of 13-5. Although the word "poverty" does not appear in the title of the bill, it was at the core of some of the committee's most contentious debates and will likely remain a focus when the bill reaches the Senate floor in June. http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0029 Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0028 A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine examining the impact of expanded Medicaid coverage has gained national attention. Despite what opponents of Medicaid expansion are saying, the study does show significant improvements in mental health and financial security. http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0028 Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0441 Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius unveiled the Administration's newly proposed draft child care regulations. With this first revision to the regulations since 1998, the federal government seeks to improve quality and increase accountability in child care programs funded by Child Care and Development Block Grants (CCDBG). http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0441 Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=poverty_and_opportunity&id=0076 This week, the Academic Pediatric Association (APA) Task Force on Childhood Poverty declared that childhood poverty is "the most important problem facing children in the US today" and issued a Strategic Road Map for addressing it as a public health issue. The APA Task Force commits to raising the voice of pediatricians to build public support for policies that will both reduce childhood poverty and address the negative effects of poverty on children's physical and mental health and development http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=poverty_and_opportunity&id=0076 Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0440 On Monday, CLASP was proud to visit the White House with our partners from the Strong Start for Children Campaign to deliver 30,000 letters and pictures to Cecilia Munoz, Director of President Obama's Domestic Policy Council. Children and advocates delivered these messages to thank President Obama for proposing his early learning initiative. http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0440 Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0439 In an average month in 2012, 6.2 million children lived with unemployed parents, and 12.1 million children were affected by an unemployed or underemployed parent. A recent report from the Urban Institute and First Focus analyzes unemployment from the perspective of children, looking at the impact a parent's job loss can have on children and how many children around the country have been affected by this. http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0439 Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0027 This week, both the Senate and House Agriculture Committees will mark up their versions of a Farm Bill that includes provisions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Despite the program's effectiveness--helping over 47 million people afford nutritionally adequate meals and make ends meet--and a long history of bipartisan support, SNAP continues to face threats of deep cuts. http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0027 Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/postsecondary/in_focus?id=0096 In its newest round of Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grants, the Department of Labor took a significant step toward transparency for students by requiring state-consortium applicants to develop an online Employment Results Scorecard. Originally enacted as part of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, the TAACCCT grant program awards funds to institutions to expand and improve education and training programs that can be completed in two years or less. TAAACT-funded programs support displaced and other at-risk workers in their pursuit of skills and credentials in "high-wage, high-skill" employment. http://www.clasp.org/postsecondary/in_focus?id=0096 Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0438 A new series of handouts from the Office of Head Start's National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness highlights the importance of home language in children's development, and how this can be supported in the home, classroom, and community. http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0438 Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0437 The Department of Education has released the details of its third round of Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) funding. The 2013 competitive grant program is focused on expanding access to high-quality early learning opportunities. http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0437 Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/postsecondary/in_focus?id=0095 In preparation for possible comprehensive tax legislation, the House and Senate tax-writing committees have been reviewing options for reform. CLASP recently participated in briefings for members of the House Ways and Means Committee on reform of family tax benefits and of tax-based student aid. We also submitted written comments to both the House and Senate tax-writing committees, urging policymakers to consider key reforms to tax-based aid. http://www.clasp.org/postsecondary/in_focus?id=0095 Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0436 As the early childhood community rallies around President Obama's recent budget proposal to expand access to high-quality early learning for young children, a critical foundation of that proposal -- pre-kindergarten -- continues to erode. The State of Preschool 2012 released by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) this week reports that nationally, investments by states in pre-kindergarten programs have declined dramatically http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0436 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0435 With our partners from the Strong Start for Children - Building America's Future campaign, CLASP will be collecting thank you notes from across the country and delivering them to the White House. Please join us in thanking President Obama for making investments in young children a priority! http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0435 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0026 Last week, the bipartisan Senate "Gang of 8" introduced S. 744 the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013. If enacted, this bill would be the largest scale change to immigration laws in over 25 years. One of the major hallmarks of the bill is that it provides a path to citizenship for aspiring citizens, many of whom have lived and worked in this country for many years. http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0026 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=work_life_and_job_quality On April 28, we will observe Workers' Memorial Day to remember the men and women who have suffered and died on the job from workplace injuries and diseases. Forty-two years ago, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, with the goal of improving workplace safety and protecting workers from hazards on the job. Although there have been vast improvements since the law's enactment, there is still much work to be done in guaranteeing every worker the right to a safe job. http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=work_life_and_job_quality Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0434 The U.S. Census Bureau has released its most recent edition of Who's Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 2011. This periodic report uses Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) data from the 2008 panel to examine the characteristics of children and their families in different types of child care arrangements. http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0434 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0025 Because of the federal EITC program's proven anti-poverty success, many states have adopted similar state-level Earned Income Tax Credits added onto the federal EITC. Low-income families and individuals who are eligible for the federal EITC are also eligible for the additional state EITC. Currently, 26 states provide a state EITC, 23 of which provide a refundable or partially refundable EITC. In facing tough budget decisions, however, many states have turned to the EITC as a place to cut costs while other states are pushing for improvements to their state programs. http://www.clasp.org/issues/pages?type=work_supports&id=0025 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0433 The Office of Head Start has recently announced the results of the first round of the Head Start Designation Renewal System (DRS). Of the Head Start grantees required to re-compete for their funding in the first round of DRS, 80 maintained their funding, 25 will be replaced by new programs and 14 grantees will have their grants split between new and existing providers. http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=child_care_and_early_education&id=0433 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/postsecondary/in_focus?id=0093 In February of this year, the Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success at CLASP released a major report entitled, Reforming Student Aid: How to Simplify Tax Aid and Use Performance Metrics to Improve College Choices and Completion. The report describes college affordability and completion challenges and provides detailed policy options for Congress and the Obama Administration on making federal aid more effective, more efficient, and simpler for students and parents to use. We produced a five-part chart series to highlight major figures from the report and have compiled them into a single InFocus posting to celebrate Tax Day! http://www.clasp.org/postsecondary/in_focus?id=0093 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.clasp.org/admin/site/publications/files/CLASP-Comments-on-Education-and-Family-Tax-Benefits-4-15-2013.pdf CLASP submits comments on family and education tax credits to the Education and Family Benefits Working Group, House Committee on Ways and Means as part of the committee's work to review possible changes to the federal income tax system. http://www.clasp.org/admin/site/publications/files/CLASP-Comments-on-Education-and-Family-Tax-Benefits-4-15-2013.pdf