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Title IV-B of the Social Security Act is a federal entitlement allotted to state child welfare agencies that is operated by the Children’s Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Title IV-B can serve as a flexible distributor of child welfare funds and connector to other larger programs, but there are barriers.

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As a primary setting for youth development, schools can play a key role in substance misuse prevention. From school contexts (e.g., in the classroom, after school programs) to facilitators (e.g., teachers, nurses, peer mentors), there are strategies policymakers can consider to maximize youths’ access to and participation in school-based substance misuse prevention programs.

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Prenatal substance exposure is a significant public health problem that can lead to multiple negative consequences for infants and their families. Although multifaceted care is critical for the health and well-being of both parents and their children, there are barriers to pregnant individuals receiving care for substance use.

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The stigma and punitive policies surrounding substance use disorders can pose a significant obstacle for pregnant individuals and families in seeking care for their substance use disorder - care which could prevent detrimental outcomes associated with untreated addiction for individuals and their children.

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Teacher shortages in rural schools substantially impact the success of their students. While teacher shortages are a national issue, rural districts face unique challenges, exacerbating the existing challenges of attracting and retaining qualified educators.

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Childhood Poverty in New Jersey: Impactful strategies and policies

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Education professionals in K-12 and higher education settings are at risk of leaving the profession, in part because of the stress and dissatisfaction from not being allowed to use their professional judgment to make sound educational decisions (Lewis et al., 2023).

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This month’s episode discusses mental health screenings for adolescents in the K-12 school system. We spoke to Deepa Sekhar, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics at the College of Medicine, and Executive Director, Penn State PRO Wellness; Perri Rosen, PhD, NCSP, Consulting Psychologist, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Pennsylvania Dept. of Human Services, and Steve Sharp, School Counselor in the Hempfield School District, and K-12 School Counseling Coordinator for the Hempfield School District about why having mental health screenings (or mood screenings) in K-12 schools makes a difference when helping children who might be struggling and getting them the resources that they need to succeed.

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The recent pandemic has contributed to a climbing number of teacher vacancies, though retention has long been an issue.

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School choice programs take many forms, widely varying within and across states. These myriad programs, such as charter schools, magnet schools, and voucher programs, have myriad impacts on students’ experiences and later success, and can be a tool to improve or hinder equity goals.

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While almost 70% of K-12 students in the U.S. continue to attend their neighborhood public school, an increasing number attend other types of schools.

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Participation in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs can enhance students’ skills and help them prepare for high-wage and/or in-demand careers, while simultaneously addressing critical workforce challenges (e.g., staffing shortages).

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The end of the spring semester marks the release of another episode! This month, we tackled the tough topic of mental health among college students. We talked about how COVID-19 has impacted college students seeking mental health services, the challenges for counselors and administrators working in university mental health centers, policy solutions to the crisis, and other things that have happened as a result of the pandemic like changes in technology.

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A community school is a school with intentional, coordinated partnerships with other community resources.

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Grow Your Own (GYO) teacher programs are partnerships between school districts, institutions of higher education, and community-based organizations to recruit and prepare community members to become teachers in local schools (Gist et al., 2019).

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State and local policymakers are making consequential decisions about the treatment of race and racism in schools. It is crucial to slow down, consider the evidence from research and experience, and apply that knowledge to improve teaching about race and racism.

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COVID-19 has upended the lives of nearly every individual in the United States, with prolonged school closures one of the major driving forces of disruption for youth and families.

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We spoke to Karen Grimm-Thomas, Director of External Relations at the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), and Philip Sirinides, Associate Professor of Education in the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education and Director of the Institute of State and Regional Affairs (ISRA) at Penn State Harrisburg, about the impact that the pandemic has had on childcare providers and families throughout Pennsylvania.

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The Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative Podcast is offering a new series called The Pandemic Perspective, where we examine how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and various aspects of our society, institutions, and other systems have collided, changed, and even collapsed in the last nine months.

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The emergence of COVID-19 is not just a reminder of the digital divide in our community; it also highlights the inequities in accessing technology and online educational resources.

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Stressful situations combined with increased drug and alcohol use set the stage for potentially dangerous situations, especially for youth in abusive homes. Youth who consider school a safe haven may now be confined at home with their abusers.

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COVID-19 has created new barriers for students with disabilities. Students receiving special education services toward learning or behavioral goals are already at elevated risk for falling behind in school.

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Youth living in poverty are more impacted by the digital divide. This divide may widen as many schools transition to online learning.

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All students deserve an appropriate and effective education, including English Learners (ELs) [1] and dual language learners (DLLs) [2], collectively referred to as linguistically diverse students.

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Improve Access to Items Needed to Reduce Harm Associated with Opioid Misuse.

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Trauma-informed care (TIC) refers to strategies that agencies, programs, and service providers can use to understand, identify, and respond to individuals who may have experienced trauma.

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We gathered the following information to respond to general interests related to substance use treatment, abstinence, and prevention.

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Collaborations with academic partners help governments assess outcomes

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Youth Aging Out of Foster Care: Eliminating Barriers for College Success

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Pre-K in Indiana: Preparing Our Children For Success

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Early Childhood Education: Investing in Missouri’s Children

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The Science of Early Brain Development: A Foundation for the Success of Our Children and the State Economy

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Need-Based Versus Merit-Based Higher Education Financial Aid

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STEM Education and Afterschool Programs: Presenting Evidence-Based, Unbiased Research to Examine the Family Impact of Policies and Programs

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Mississippi Education Policy: The Road Ahead

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Strengthening Elementary Education

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Youth at Risk: Part 1

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Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: The Importance of Play in Early Childhood and the Transition to School

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Getting To and Through College: Strategies for Improving College Attendance and Completion Rates in Texas

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The Legacy of Literacy

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School Suspension in North Carolina: Research and Policy Options

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Illinois Social and Emotional Learning Standards: Celebrating Success and Moving Forward

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Connecting Business to Innovative Strategies for Poverty Reduction: Economic Benefits of Early Childhood Investments

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Evidence-Informed Policymaking: Increasing Outcomes and Accountability for Children, Youth and Families

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The Middle Grades: Gateway to Dropout Prevention

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New Mexico Dropout Rate: Contributing Factors and Implications for Policy

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Maximizing the Value of P-12 Educational Resources in Indiana

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Home Visitation Programs as an Early Intervention Strategy

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Policy Issues in Special Education Finance

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Georgia Policy Opportunities: The Economic Impact of the Early Care and Education Industry

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New Findings About an Innovative Performance-Based Scholarship Program for Low-Income Parents Attending Louisiana Community Colleges

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Truancy and Dropout Prevention Policies: Strategies for Virginia’s Youth

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Dropout Prevention: Strategies for Improving High School Graduation Rates

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Options for a Responsive and Accountable Early Childhood Education System in Minnesota

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Meeting the Challenge of Moving Youth into the Workforce: Reducing Dropouts and Increasing Educational Attainment

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Early Childhood Development: The Economic, Social, and Psychological Impact of Education and Care

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School’s Out: After-School Programs and Policies that Work

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Early Childhood Education: Universal Pre-K and Other Alternatives

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Early Childhood Education and Care: An Economic Development Strategy for Michigan

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Growing Indiana’s Human Capital: Assuring Positive Futures for Youth

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Child Advocacy in Hard Times

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A Policymaker’s Guide to School Finance: Approaches to Use and Questions to Ask

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Across the Challenging Terrain: Welfare Reform and Adolescents

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Federal Education Policies and Students with Special Needs: Challenges and Opportunities for Children in the District

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From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development

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Early Childhood Care and Education: What Are States Doing?

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Enhancing the Educational Experience: Policy Alternatives

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Child Care and Education

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Helping Poor Kids Succeed: Welfare, Tax and Early Intervention Policies

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Middle School Violence: Keeping Students Safe?h3>

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Do School-Based Mental Health Services Make Sense?

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Raising the Next Generation: Public and Private Parenting Initiatives

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Out-of-School Time Activities: Can Programs Help Families and Can Families Help Programs?

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Healthy Environments for Young Children

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Saving Our Schools: Would Vouchers Create New Solutions or New Problems?

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Enhancing Educational Performance: Three Policy Alternatives

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The Child Care Crisis in the District of Columbia: Can (or Should) Businesses Fill the Gap?

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Keeping our Kids Safe: Preventing Injury in DC Public Schools

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Strengthening Families: Parenting Programs and Policies in the District

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Transitioning from Welfare-to-Work in the District: A Family-Centered Perspective

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Helping Families and Schools Get It Done: Mentoring Interventions in the District

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Caring for our Children: Meeting the Needs of Low-Income, Working Families in the District

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Can Government Promote Competent Parenting?