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We love giving awards to decision makers who have stepped up for kids. This year during Children's Advocacy Week, in addition to the usual Champions for Children awards given to legislators who prioritized kids during last year’s General Assembly, we also gave 2020 Census Champions awards to those in state government who went above and beyond to promote a fair and complete 2020 Census count of the commonwealth. Going into 2020, I thought the [...]
In June, Kentucky Youth Advocates co-released the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2020 KIDS COUNT Data Book, which tracks child well-being across states. The Data Book is perhaps best known for its state rankings that generate newspaper headlines, but another hallmark is its unflinching portrayal of how child well-being differs by race and ethnicity. The Casey Foundation and Kentucky Youth Advocates know that data for the child population as a whole frequently (in fact, almost always) [...]
Kentucky Youth Advocates is excited to announce our second Statistics in Schools Sweepstakes, a free and easy way for Kentucky teachers to help their school win $500 by using the U.S. Census Bureau’s Statistics in Schools (SIS) materials during the Bureau’s SIS Week (March 2-6, 2020). Four $500 checks will be given to winning schools – one for a Preschool/Kindergarten program, one for grades 1-5, one for grades 6-8, and one for grades 9-12. [...]
Happy New [School] Year to all of Kentucky’s educators! Here’s your first pop quiz of the year: Do you wish Head Start could serve all eligible children? Would you like smaller class sizes? Have you ever yearned for more school funding? If you answered YES to any of the above questions, you’re going to want to read these 4 things your school needs to know about the 2020 census this school year: 1. Children are [...]
Kentucky Youth Advocates is excited to announce the Statistics in Schools Sweepstakes, a free and easy way for Kentucky teachers to help their school win $500 by using the U.S. Census Bureau’s Statistics in Schools materials during Constitution Week (September 16-20, 2019). Four $500 checks will be given to winning schools – one for a Preschool/Kindergarten program, one for grades 1-5, one for grades 6-8, and one for grades 9-12. PLUS, an additional $500 [...]
The Annie E. Casey Foundation published the first KIDS COUNT Data Book in 1990 to provide a comprehensive picture of American children and their families that was comparable across states. With the release of the 30th edition last month, we’re looking back to see how Kentucky’s current youth are faring compared to those in 1990 (approximately one generation ago). Reviewing a variety of key indicators of child well-being we see areas where Kentucky has [...]
The U.S. Census Bureau is currently conducting a test in preparation for the 2020 Census next year. Your household might be asked to participate in this test, or a participant may turn to you for more information about it. Here is what you should know about the 2019 Census Test: 1. This is just a test – the actual decennial census takes place in 2020. 2. 480,000 households are receiving a questionnaire – half will [...]
Last month we reviewed the latest data on youth suicides, which show suicide as a growing cause of death for Kentucky youth ages 10-14. As we reflect on Mental Health Month we want to provide suicide prevention resources all of us can use throughout the year to stop these tragic deaths. Every single one of us need to know the risk factors and warning signs of suicide and how to tell the difference between normal [...]
In honor of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, we’ve been reviewing the latest data, resources, and efforts to reduce youth suicide in Kentucky. This week’s blog post looks at what we can learn from the data, with next week’s post focused on prevention resources and actions taking place in Kentucky. The last time we blogged on youth suicide, we looked specifically at the deaths of teens ages 15-19. However, it will likely shock you [...]
Though Census Day is officially April 1, 2020, most people will receive their first invitation to complete the decennial census next March. This means we have only 12 months left to make sure our state is fully prepared to ensure each Kentucky resident is counted once, only once, and in the right place. If you’ve been reading our blogs on the census you know that mission is easier said than done. While the proverbial clock [...]
