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Child poverty in the U.S. is at a 20-year high, with 16 million or 21.8 percent of children living below the poverty line. Though the poverty rate for all age groups has gone up in recent years, the rate of children living in poverty is significantly higher than for other groups in our society.

While we appreciate Chairman Ryan’s efforts in addressing the significant and important issue of poverty, much of this plan fails to address the unique problem of child poverty and in fact, many of his proposals would most likely increase the number of children living in poverty by weakening or eliminating many programs that have proved effective at reducing child poverty and improving outcomes for children.

The proposals that cause us the biggest concerns are:

1. The creation of an Opportunity Grant, which would consolidate 11 safety net programs into a single grant to states to pilot strategies for service delivery and case management. By consolidating programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and rental assistance programs into a single grant, it would weaken their effectiveness at being responsive to changing needs of communities as well as make them vulnerable to later cuts by making it easier to do one, across-the-board cut that could slash millions of dollars of spending
2. The elimination of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which makes fresh produce available to 3 million school children in low-income communities. Eliminating this program would be harmful to the health and wellbeing of low-income children and would eliminate a program that successfully exposes children to healthy eating and increases their intake of fruits and vegetables.
3. The restriction of immigrant families’ access to the refundable portion of the CTC by requiring the use of a Social Security Number (SSN).
4. The block granting of Head Start
5. Significant changes to the federal role in public education
6. The consolidation of various Higher Education Programs
7. The capping of Federal Loans to Graduate Students and Parents

Past First Focus analysis on Chairman Ryan’s budget and policy proposals: 
House Budget Committee Report Understates Effect of Safety Net for Children
Those Pesky Facts in the War on Poverty
Medicaid Block Grants: A Bad Idea that Won’t Go Away

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This fact sheet was updated on August 25, 2014.

In recent months there has been an unprecedented increase in the number of children fleeing their home countries in Central America to seek refuge in surrounding countries, including the United States. This document provides an overview of who these children are, the reasons for their mass migration, the current process youth undergo once they arrive in the United States, and recent efforts by the Federal government to address the crisis. The document concludes with recommendations for the government agencies responsible for ensuring the safety and overall well-being of these vulnerable children.

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On July 7, 2014, the U.S. Department of Education announced plans to enforce a provision of the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act meant to ensure that every student is taught by a great teacher and attends a school run by great administrators. The provision requires states to develop and implement plans to ensure that no subgroup of students is taught at higher rates than other children by inexperienced, unqualified or out-of-field teachers. These plans are clearly necessary, as many states have never developed them and no state has updated their plan since 2006. Additionally, minority students are being taught at higher rates than other children by inexperienced, unqualified and out-of-field teachers nationwide. The Department’s next steps toward implementing these new plans will decide if they are more successful than previous efforts or not, but either way this is an important first step.

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The recent influx of unaccompanied children coming into the United States has increased scrutiny on laws that address the processing and legal rights of this population. This fact sheet highlights the current laws and policies under the Trafficking and Victims Protection Act of 2008 (TVPRA) that govern the rights of unaccompanied children, the importance of preserving those legal provisions, and recommendations to strengthen protections for child migrants.

The post Legal Protections for Unaccompanied Minors in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2008 appeared first on First Focus.

Children’s Budget 2014 offers a detailed guide to federal spending on children and an invaluable resource for those seeking to improve the lives of America’s youth.

Download now or request your hard copy of Children’s Budget 2014.

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