Maternal and Child Health

Tobacco settlement payment tops projection

0 | Apr. 25, 2013 | Children, Legislature, Tobacco

Lawmakers had expected the state to receive $55.8 million this fiscal year in tobacco settlement payments. Instead, payments from the tobacco companies topped $60.2 million.

Governor's reading plan faltering in Legislature

0 | Apr. 24, 2013 | Children, Legislature, Social Determinants of Health

Gov. Sam Brownback’s plan for improving fourth grade reading skills, highlighted in his State of the State speech at the beginning of this year’s Legislature, appears to be floundering. “I don’t know what the problem is,” said Rep. Marc Rhoades, the Newton Republican who chairs the House Appropriations Committee. “All I know is that I keep hearing it’s not going anywhere.”

Death rate for babies falls in U.S., Kansas

0 | Apr. 17, 2013 | Children, Community Health

The number of babies who died before their first birthday in the U.S. has dropped 10.5 percent since 2005, according to a new CDC report. Kansas is among the states where the infant mortality rate dropped the most, falling 15.6 percent between 2005 and 2011.

Sequester takes toll on Kansas Head Start programs

0 | Apr. 09, 2013 | Early Childhood

Across Kansas, Head Start and Early Head Start programs are bracing for a 5-percent cut in their federal funding due to budget sequestration. “We’re anticipating the loss of about 475 out of 9,500 slots statewide,” said Lori Alvarado, executive director at the Kansas Head Start Association.

Reading bill's focus shifts to first graders

0 | Mar. 26, 2013 | Early Childhood, Legislature

The Senate tentatively approved a bill that could lead to some school districts holding back first graders who fail a reading test and added amendments during floor debate that made the measure acceptable to some previous opponents.