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The notion of educating the "whole child" generally includes at least the abilities to (1) develop healthy personal relationships; (2) treat others with respect and dignity; (3) develop the cognitive capacity to solve problems and think creatively; (4) succeed in postsecondary education and the labor market; and (5) be a contributing citizen in a democracy. To nurture these capacities, schools should be healthy, caring spaces that create a climate of support for equitable pathways for children to reach these goals while also creating a challenging and dynamic learning environment. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is critical for the development of these capacities. In 2017, the National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development convened a 28-member Council of Distinguished Scientists to examine the relevant evidence regarding SEL across a range of disciplines. The council concluded that social and emotional competencies are essential to learning; positive development; and success in school, careers, and life. Its report cited research over the past two decades that has demonstrated the impact of SEL on a variety of child outcomes, including children's well-being, behavior, and academic outcomes. High-quality SEL programming also has been found to have a positive impact on teachers and other staff and leads to improvements in school culture and climate. This report reviews the findings from 12 independent meta-analyses covering hundreds of studies of school-based SEL programs, presents the evidence on the effects of social and emotional learning programs in PreK-12 schools, and considers the next steps for research in SEL. [This study was supported by the Whole Child Policy Table, an LPI project funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Harmony and Inspire at National University, Pure Edge, Inc., and the Wallace Foundation. For the research brief, see ED630375.]

There is a consensus among educators, parents, and policymakers that education should include a focus on supporting essential social and emotional capacities to help children navigate the world successfully. To develop these competencies, many schools adopt social and emotional learning (SEL) programs. The report on which this brief is based reviews the findings from 12 meta-analyses of school-based SEL programs. Across these studies, there is a consistent, reliable effect of tested, evidence-based SEL programs on students' social, emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes in PreK--12th grade, including the development of social and emotional skills, improved academic engagement and performance, growth of positive social behaviors, and lower rates of behavior problems and psychological distress. These findings are applicable across gender, ethnicity and race, income, and other demographic variables. [This study was supported by the Whole Child Policy Table, an LPI project funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Harmony and Inspire at National University, Pure Edge, Inc., and the Wallace Foundation. For the full report, see ED630374.]

The purpose of this brief is to introduce a developmental framework for states working to systematically integrate evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) with career and workforce development efforts. Career and workforce development is a well-known, nonpartisan strategy for preparing students for postsecondary success in schools. According to the Coalition for Career Development Center (CCD), career development is "a process that informs individuals about career opportunities, helps them identify their talent, become aware of how their talent transfers into a wide range of occupational opportunities and enables them to make effective decisions on the academic and postsecondary pathways that will enable them to pursue their career and life goals" (CCD, 2021). Adopting this definition, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) uses the term "career and workforce development" to capture the diversity of approaches and efforts employed by states to describe this process and the efforts that support it. CASEL, the Coalition for Career Development Center, and CIVIC created this developmental framework in collaboration with eight states (Delaware, Kansas, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Wisconsin) participating in the CASEL Collaborating States Initiative (CSI) SEL and Career and Workforce Development Community of Practice (CoP). This community of practice supports states advancing the integration of SEL with career and workforce development and fosters relationships in which lessons can be shared, common challenges can be discussed, and innovative ideas can be discovered. Specific strategies for the integration of SEL and career and workforce development efforts are being co-constructed through our partnership with states. [This report was prepared with the Coalition for Career Development Center (CCD) and CASEL's Collaborating States Initiative (CSI) partners.]

As interest increases in mindfulness in education programs for youth, there is a need to develop reliable measures of the quality of program implementation. This paper describes the development and psychometric properties of a measure that can be used to assess and monitor quality of implementation of mindfulness programs/curricula in typical classroom or out-of-school settings. The Teaching Mindfulness in Education Observation Scale (TMEOS) is a 28-item instrument that integrates qualitative and quantitative aspects of mindfulness instruction. Items focus on procedural adherence as well as aspects of implementation that reflect embodiment during instructional delivery (e.g., alignment with the attitudinal foundations of mindfulness). Reliability and validity data were examined and indicated that the four major scoring domains and key features showed adequate inter-rater reliability and internal consistency.We conclude that observational assessment of multiple dimension of implementation quality, including adherence and process-oriented aspects of implementation such as embodiment, can be reliably used to assess implementation quality of mindfulness programs in education settings. However, adequate preparation and training are critical. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. [This is the online version of an article published in "Mindfulness."]

Between 2014 and 2017, an interdisciplinary group of researchers examined whether a high school health class that incorporated mindfulness techniques lowered students' stress and improved their wellbeing. We received a grant from the Institute of Educational Sciences from the United States Department of Education to (1) train high school health teachers to implement the mindfulness-based curriculum and (2) study how the program impacted students. We examined changes in cognitive, social, emotional, and physical wellbeing indicators from before the course to after the course, using a quasi-experimental (intervention and control group with pre and post tests), mixed-methods (concurrent triangulation) design. Data consisted of student responses to psychometric surveys and interviews with a subsample of students. When we compared qualitative findings with quantitative outcomes, we discovered instances of different results through each method. This allowed us to provide explanations and context for certain outcomes. For example, the recent loss of a grandparent explained why one student scored high in social isolation. At other times, the two methods found two different "outcomes stories" from the same student. For example, a student reported in the interview that he was struggling with social interactions, but the psychometric indicators had him in the top quintile of social wellbeing indicators as compared to his peers. This case study discusses methodological approaches to mixed-method educational psychology research, the challenges of making sense of data from different sources, and the usefulness and limitations of mixed-methodologies for psychological outcome evaluations of student wellbeing interventions. We also discuss the process of working as a large group of researchers. This case is useful for students in psychology and education, and it is equally useful for early career researchers.

There is growing consensus among researchers and practitioners that children's socialemotional readiness makes unique contributions to their successful transition to and progress through school. However, many children still begin school ill-prepared for the behavioral demands they will encounter in the classroom. This study examines the joint contributions of social-emotional readiness and classroom experiences to children's social-emotional trajectories in elementary school. Specifically, using a sample of 1292 rural, mostly poor children in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, this study examines: (1) the contributions of children's prosocial behavior, inattention, and conduct problems to their developmental trajectories in these same domains; (2) the effects of classroom management, emotional support, and instructional support in kindergarten through third grade classrooms on children's social-emotional functioning; and (3) the interactive effects of social-emotional readiness and classroom experiences on social-emotional trajectories from kindergarten to grade 3. Data were drawn from a large-scale longitudinal study of children and families living in high-poverty, rural counties in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. This study utilized a longitudinal, non-experimental design. Children's prosocial behavior, inattention, and conduct problems were assessed in the year prior to kindergarten by parent and/or preschool teacher report, and they were assessed again each spring in kindergarten through grade 3 by teacher report. Children's prosocial behavior and conduct problems were assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and children's inattention was assessed with items from the ADHD subscale of the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale, which was based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnostic criteria. Fostering early social-emotional functioning and improving classroom experiences for children are two promising policy levers through which low-income children may be supported as they progress through school. Research suggests that achievement and behavioral gaps between higher- and lower-income children are present at school entry and in fact increase over time. It is thus important to identify the child-level and classroom-level factors that might counter this trend. Although this study is non-experimental, results contribute to the literature on the extent to which social-emotional readiness and certain classroom experiences may reduce skills gaps (i.e., encourage catch-up) among rural, mostly low-income children. Two tables and a figure are appended.

High quality AlxGa1-xAs distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) were successfully monolithically grown on on-axis Si (100) substrates via a Ge layer formed by aspect ratio trapping (ART) technique. The GaAs/ART-Ge/Si-based DBRs have reflectivity spectra comparable to those grown on conventional bulk off-cut GaAs substrates and have smooth morphology, and good periodicity and uniformity. Anitphase domain formation is significantly reduced in GaAs on ART-Ge/Si substrates, and etch pit density of the GaAs base layer on the ART-Ge substrates ranges from 10^5 to 6 x 10^6 cm^(-2). These results paved the way for future VCSEL growth and fabrication on these ART-Ge substrates and also confirm that virtual Ge substrates via ART technique are effective Si platforms for optoelectronic integrated circuits.

Teachers are responsible for delivering academic instruction, facilitating student learning and engagement, and managing classroom behavior. Stress may interfere with performance in the classroom, however (Tsouloupas, Carson, Matthews, Grawitch, & Barber, 2010), and recent studies suggest that stress is quite common among today's educators. In light of these trends and their potential for negatively impacting students' learning, it is critical to identify factors that support educators' health, wellbeing, and effectiveness. The Prosocial Classroom Model (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009) suggests that mindfulness and other aspects of social-emotional competence may lead to more effective classroom management and protect educators from experiencing a "burnout cascade" of deteriorating classroom climate, student misbehavior, and emotional exhaustion. Mindfulness has been defined as "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally" (Kabat- Zinn, 1994, p. 4), and mindfulness training for adults has been linked with reductions in stress and improvements in wellbeing (Ospina et al., 2007). Emerging evidence from intervention studies suggests that mindfulness training is associated with improvements in teachers' classroom behavior (e.g., Flook, Goldberg, Pinger, Bonus, & Davidson, 2013; Jennings, Frank, Snowberg, Coccia, & Greenberg, 2013). In a central Pennsylvania middle school setting, the authors examined how educators' mindfulness at the beginning of the school year predicted change in educators' self-reported efficacy with respect to student engagement, classroom management, and instructional practices from fall to spring of the school year. Two tables are appended.

The present study, which takes place in a high-poverty section of a large urban area of the northeastern United States, is based upon the prosocial classroom theoretical model that emphasizes the significance of teachers' social and emotional competence (SEC) and well-being in the development and maintenance of supportive teacher-student relationships, effective classroom management, and social and emotional learning (SEL) program effectiveness. These factors, as well as teachers' classroom management and instructional skills contribute to creating a classroom climate that is conducive to learning and that promotes positive developmental behavioral and academic outcomes among students. Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) is a mindfulness-based professional development program designed to reduce stress, promote SEC and improve teachers' performance and classroom learning environments. From 8 elementary schools the authors recruited and consented 55 teachers (90.2% female, mean age = 39.41). They had relatively low attrition (7.2%) which was largely balanced across treatment and control conditions, resulting in a diverse sample of 51 teachers (53% white). All were regular lead teachers working in a self-contained classroom setting. The results reported here are from an IES-funded 4-year efficacy and replication study of CARE. The data are from the teacher self-report collected from the first year cohort of the cluster randomized controlled trial. After the teachers completed self-reports they were randomly assigned within schools to receive the CARE intervention or to a wait-list control group. After the treatment group received the CARE program, the same self-report battery was administered to both groups. A figure is appended.

School readiness is best conceptualized as a multidimensional construct that spans several skill domains. Academic and behavioral skills have been identified as important components of school readiness that uniquely predict learning and achievement. Few studies, however, have examined the effects of these skills simultaneously or explored how they interact within individuals. Person-oriented approaches show promise in furthering the understanding of variation in school readiness. The current study, which was conducted in a low-income, urban school district in Pennsylvania, had two primary aims. First, the authors examined whether teacher ratings of children's skills at the beginning of kindergarten could be used to identify school readiness profiles that differed in patterns of strengths and weaknesses across multiple domains (i.e., academic skills, learning engagement, social-emotional skills, aggression, and inattention/hyperactivity). Second, they explored the validity of profiles derived from teacher ratings by examining group differences on concurrent measures of language, executive functioning, peer relationships, and student-teacher relationships. Participants were 301 kindergarteners (64% male) from a low-income, urban setting who were also part of a broader study about the development and prevention of aggression. At the start of kindergarten, teachers in 10 elementary schools rated children on aggression. These ratings were used to recruit children either to a "high aggression" group, if they scored in the top quartile of their class on aggression, or a "low aggression" group, if they scored in the bottom quartile of their class on aggression. The current study used data from 180 "high aggression" children and 121 "low aggression" children with data on any of the 10 teacher-rated indicators of school readiness in the fall of kindergarten. On average, children were about 6 years old (M = 6.09, SD = 0.38) in the fall of kindergarten. Using teacher ratings from the fall of kindergarten, the current study identified four school readiness profiles that differed in their patterns of strengths and weakness across multiple domains of functioning. These profiles also differed on other measures of language, executive functioning, and relationships with peers and teachers, which suggests that profiles derived from teacher ratings are meaningful and valid. Future work should extend this work by exploring the predictive validity of school readiness profiles derived from teacher ratings into the early elementary school years. Results highlight the importance of considering intraindividual patterns of school readiness skills. Person-oriented approaches can aid in the identification of kindergarteners with risky school readiness profiles, as well as inform the development and delivery of individually tailored interventions to meet the specific needs of children starting school. Tables and figures are appended.

The current study involved the development, implementation, and evaluation of a universal school-based intervention designed to promote health and wellbeing among educators. This study aims to further investigate the efficacy of contemplative practices as a support for teacher wellbeing. The study contributes a new perspective to the current literature by including both classroom teachers and other school personnel and by testing an innovative intervention model. CALM is an intervention program based in gentle yoga and mindfulness practices designed specifically to promote health and wellbeing among teachers and school personnel by providing a daily stress reduction practice as well as empowering participants with skills and strategies to be used outside of the program. The current research tested the feasibility and efficacy of CALM, a 16-week brief daily yoga-based program integrated into the school setting. This study involved a quasi-experimental efficacy trial involving 64 educators from two schools. This study demonstrates that a brief daily program of mindfulness and yoga practice is a feasible strategy to impact educators' social-emotional competence and wellbeing. One figure and one table are appended.

Educators are exposed to a variety of stressors, which can lead to poorer teaching performance, burnout, and increased student misbehavior (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). Although self-report measures of stress are most commonly used in education research, physiological measures of stress may also contribute to the understanding of educators' stress, as well as their responsiveness to interventions designed to reduce stress and promote well-being. Some studies show a relationship between self-reported burnout and cortisol levels. Salivary alpha amylase (sAA) research indicates that it is a highly sensitive indicator of changes caused by psychological stressors (Granger, Kivlighan, El-Sheikh, Gordis & Stroud, 2007). This study employs an innovative measurement design to facilitate the examination of associations between physiological indicators and self-reported measures related to stress and health. The authors examine associations between salivary biomarkers of teachers at the beginning of the school year and their self-reported levels of stress and burnout both concurrently and in the spring of that school year. This short-term longitudinal study was conducted in two middle schools in Central Pennsylvania over the course of one school year. Self-report and physiological data were collected at two time points: fall 2012 and spring 2013. Results show that salivary markers of stress show a modest relationship to self-reported measures in this sample but that measures of cortisol and sAA are not predictive of spring self-reported burnout or stress. Results did reveal that fall reports of high time urgency were associated with less steep awakening responses in both sAA and cortisol. Two tables and two figures are appended.

This report considers the cost-effectiveness potential for seven research-based programs funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). These programs are highlighted because they represent the bulk of the PCCD's investment in prevention programming and because there are existing longitudinal data on program outcomes from which cost-benefit estimates can be derived. For these programs, the authors provide projected economic impact calculations using data from a landmark assessment of costs and benefits performed by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) and applying those figures to data on implementation of the programs in Pennsylvania. As this report demonstrates, in addition to the positive outcomes related to the prevention and reduction of juvenile delinquency, significant fiscal cost savings may also be realized through the use of research-based prevention programs. (Contains 13 footnotes.)

Youth violence and delinquency are problems that continue to challenge many communities across the U.S. For over a decade, Pennsylvania has been a national leader in confronting youth problem behaviors in a progressive and proactive fashion, investing heavily in supporting local community prevention coalitions and the use of proven-effective models for preventing youth violence and aggression, delinquency and youth substance abuse. Since 1998, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) has invested over $60 million in implementing more than 140 effective prevention programs in more than 100 Pennsylvania communities. Community priorities are guided by local data based on a public health model of reducing known risk factors associated with violence and delinquency and promoting positive youth development. This report details Pennsylvania's approach to effectively addressing juvenile crime. It presents case studies of model prevention programs being implemented throughout the Commonwealth through PCCD funding, and describes the positive outcomes being seen in these communities. Programs Funded Through the Research-based Programs Initiative: 1998-2007 are appended. (Contains 21 figures and 6 footnotes.)

This document focuses on how states can use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to support early childhood education initiatives. It draws on CLASP's previous report, "Financing Universal Pre-Kindergarten: Possibilities and Technical Issues for States in Using Funds Under the Child Care and Development Fund and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant," and subsequent federal guidance. Federal regulations and guidance make it clear that TANF funds can be used to support or expand a broad range of child care and early education initiatives in a state. It is clear from HHS guidance that TANF funds can be used for child care and early education programs, serving both families determined by a state to be low-income or "needy" and those families who may not meet these income definitions. Thus, when looking for funding sources to increase access to high-quality early education programs, states can consider TANF. Although states do need to prioritize their use of TANF funds to meet the new work and other requirements included in the TANF reauthorization provisions of the 2006 federal budget, states may want to include the creation or expansion of early care and education programs that support families and their children in plans for their TANF programs. This document gives several examples from states that that have used TANF or Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds in 2004 to improve access to or expand the availability of early care and education programs. (Contains 13 notes.)

A multiple quantum well (MQW) transistor vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (T-VCSEL) is designed and numerically modeled. The important physical models and parameters are discussed and validated by modeling a conventional VCSEL and comparing the results with the experiment. The quantum capture/escape process is simulated using the quantum-trap model and shows a significant effect on the electrical output of the T-VCSEL. The parameters extracted from the numerical simulation are imported into the analytic modeling to predict the frequency response and simulate the large-signal modulation up to 40 Gbps.

The term "evidence-based programs" is becoming quite common in prevention and human service work. However, many still struggle to recognize the importance of evidence-based programs and to understand what qualifies as "evidence-based." The language used may even seem to confound the issue further. The terms evidence-based, research-based, science-based, blueprint programs, model programs, promising programs, and effective programs are often used interchangeably. Different agencies and groups have adopted different criteria to determine whether or not a program is evidence-based. In this fact sheet, the authors examine definitions of, and standards and reasons for using evidence-based programs. A list of evidence-based program web sites is also included. [This fact sheet was produced by the Prevention Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development.]

During the 1990s, employment rates rose significantly for less-educated women but not less-educated men. This paper examines the situation of men age 18-24 who either lack a high school diploma or have no education beyond high school and are not institutionalized. It uses Current Population Survey employment figures to compare employment and earnings at the peaks of three business cycles: 1979, 1989, and 1999. It also examines employment-to-population ratios. It notes the average hourly wages of less-educated young men in these peak years and examines the population by ethnic group (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic). Less-educated young men fail to achieve outcomes attained in the past, with trends worsening. Even at the peak of the three business cycles, about one-fifth of all less-educated young men were unemployed, and by 1999, 22 percent were unemployed. Wages for less-educated young men declined between 1979-89, then remained flat. African American men fared significantly worse than the other groups. Various environmental and societal factors contribute to this phenomenon, including shifts in job availability for low-educated people, changes in overall occupational structure, movement of jobs out of inner cities, and high incarceration rates. Public policy responses and alternatives are presented. (SM)

The two principal federal funding streams available to states for provision of child care services are the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant structure. Noting that funds from both of these can be used for child care and early education initiatives, this report summarizes what is clear and what is unclear about the extent to which each could be used in support of universal pre-Kindergarten initiatives. The report separately analyzes each stream, summarizing the basic features, how it can be used, and the particular issues that would likely arise in efforts to use the funding in support of a universal pre-K initiative. Apart from legal issues, the report also considers potential political issues involved in using these funds for universal pre-K initiatives, and the fact that both streams are still pending reauthorization in 2003. (Contains 34 footnotes.) (Author/HTH)

States are using federal and state dollars to expand child care assistance for low-income families. Nevertheless, persistent gaps in child care supply continue, particularly among specific populations. State expansion of child care funding has slowed, and most states face major fiscal crises. Many states have moved to all- or majority-voucher systems for delivering child care assistance to low-income working families. Nearly half of the states use contracts to fill supply gaps and expand choices for families. This study examined contracting policies, interviewing child care state administrators in most of the 24 states that used contracts in 2002. Between 1998-2000, the percentage of children receiving child care subsidies through contracted providers was 10-12 percent (with great variation among states). States used contracts to create and stabilize child care availability in certain areas; provide child care to meet the needs of specific populations; extend the day and year of care for children in Head Start; and improve the quality of program standards and enhance child care services. Results indicate that contracts help states target the needs of special populations, many people prefer contracts, and contracts allow states to conduct closer provider monitoring. Recommendations for the federal government, states, and future research are offered. Three appendices include methodology, state contract program descriptions, and state contact information. (SM)

This document is comprised of presentation slides for overhead projection summarizing federal funding for child care since the 1996 changes in welfare and child care laws, and the status of reauthorization. The first slide provides a presentation overview; the remaining sheets cover the following: (1) two main sources of federal funds for low-income child care assistance; (2) the role of TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) in child care spending; (3) federal CCDF (Child Care and Development Fund) allocations and TANF used for child care (1997-2001) (4) federal and state child care spending, 1996-2001 CCDF and TANF (and predecessor programs); (5) results of increased child care funding; (6) what's changed since 2001; (7) state budget situations February 2003; (8) examples of cuts and proposed cuts; (9) reauthorization context; (10) proposals last year; (11) action this year so far; (11) four goals for child care funding; (12) how much will it cost to maintain current services?; (13) considerations when looking at any funding proposal; (14) the substantial funding increase needed to accomplish child care goals; (15) how the budget surplus has rapidly dissipated over the last 2 years; (16) where did the surplus go?; (17) the administration's tax proposals; (18) considerations when looking at any tax proposals; and (19) considerations for child care advocates. (HTH)

This publication on reauthorization recommendations for the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) comprises three documents. The first is a short summary of reauthorization recommendations for Title I and II. Title I recommendations are to eliminate sequential eligibility; promote greater access to training; improve adjustment of performance measures; require that performance measures take into account job quality and better capture earnings changes; address needs of those with limited English skills; encourage programs to combine adult education, English as a second language (ESL), and job training services; promote informed consumer choice by creating a process for fixing problems with the provider certification system; and clarify how WIA should take into account federal student aid received. Title II recommendations are to improve effectiveness of services by focusing funds on high quality programs; address needs of those with limited English skills; encourage programs to combine adult education, ESL, and job training services; and strengthen links to postsecondary education and job training. The second document, written by Nisha Patel and Julie Strawn, is a discussion of the rationale for each recommendation. The third document, written by Nisha Patel and Mark Greenberg, is a summary and side-by-side comparison of Title I provisions in current law and these WIA reauthorization proposals: eight-page plan released by the Bush Administration in February 2003 and the bill (H.R. 1261) passed on May 8, 2003. (YLB)

This document is comprised of three Center for Law and Policy articles dealing with reauthorization of funding for the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The first article compares the U.S. House and Senate bills for reauthorization, asserting that in a broad array of areas, the Senate bill provides states with more flexibility and resources to help parents succeed in the labor force. The article then details 13 important ways in which the Senate bill reflects a better approach to welfare reform than the House bill. The second article examines the slowing trend in states' use of TANF funds since September 2001. The article notes that by the end of FY 2000, states redirected more TANF funds to their child care subsidy programs than were available through the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). Since September 2001, however, a few states have pulled back TANF funds, and overall, states used slightly less for child care; the trend is likely to continue as the economy has worsened. These two articles contain references in the form of footnotes. The third article is a compilation of overhead slides for a presentation to the Welfare Reform Task Force at the National Conference of State Legislators. The slides pertain to work participation and child care funding issues in TANF reauthorization. In brief, the slides emphasize that rigid and prescriptive work requirements combined with little or no new child care funding will hurt state efforts, and that more flexible and outcome-oriented work provisions, along with increased child care funding comprise a better approach to welfare reform. (HTH)

The Southern Institute has commissioned the Center for Law and Social Policy to examine whether federal law prevents states from adopting coordinated child absence policies for their Head Start and CCDF/TANF-funded (Child Care and Development Fund/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) child care collaborative projects. The issue relates to one of a set of policies that must be examined by state policymakers when designing such collaborations. This report first analyzes the statutory and regulatory provisions relevant to child absence policies in Head Start and in child care funded under the CCDF and TANF bock block grants. Next, the report discusses some practical considerations for states interested in adopting coordinated absence policies. The principal conclusions are as follows: (1) a Head Start grantee's funding for a slot is not reduced when a child is absent, but four consecutive unexcused absences oblige the grantee to examine the family's circumstances; (2) for CCDF- or TANF-funded child care, a state may, but need not, limit provider payments to those days in which a child is in attendance; (3) nothing in federal law prevents a state from implementing a child care payment structure in which a provider is paid so long as a slot is available, in which the provider is obligated to inform the state of excessive unexcused absences, and the state may review eligibility if a child's absences exceed a specified reasonable number. The report's appendix provides additional detail about current law and examples of current absence policy practices in Southern U.S. states. (Contains 35 footnotes.) (Author/HTH)

This document is intended to provide business leaders, policymakers, and others with information about the operation and value of six work support programs designed to help low-income parents obtain the assistance needed to enter a job, retain employment, and better provide for their families' needs. The six programs profiled are as follows: the Earned Income Tax Credit; child care; Food Stamps; health care; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and child support. The document begins with a discussion of the lack of a single national structure or location where low-earning parents can access work support programs. Next, principal differences between the six programs with respect to the following dimensions are summarized: who funds the benefit; who administers the benefit; who is eligible for the benefit; length of eligibility; and whether the benefit is an entitlement or its availability is limited by funding. The remainder of the document presents profiles of each program. Each profile contains information on the following topics: the program's history, current size/scope, and differences in the program's administration and structure in individual states; the program's impacts on financial security and job retention; and program participation. The names and addresses of 16 organizations offering publications on the 6 work support programs profiled are appended. (Contains 86 references.) (MN)

This study explores the association between levels of depression, perceptions of mastery, social support, and parenting beliefs of mothers enrolled in an Early Head Start program, and how these relations differ for adolescent and adult mothers. The results reveal that contrary to previous research, adolescent and adult mothers did not differ on psychosocial measures upon enrollment into the Early Head Start program. This supports the notion that it may not be adolescent motherhood that places individuals at increased risk for psychosocial dysfunction, rather individual characteristics affect psychological well-being. The authors suggest that future research should attempt to understand what role motherhood plays in low income mothers psychological well-being. (Contains 12 references.) (GCP)

This report and policy brief synthesizes findings from five reports on the experiences of low-income parents, child care providers, and state child care systems in Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Texas, and Washington. In recent years, there has been increased national funding for child care but deteriorating economic conditions that could jeopardize programmatic gains. The number of families and children receiving subsidy assistance has increased substantially since 1996, as has the number needing assistance, and demand is outstripping supply. Low-income families with subsidies are more likely to access formal and regulated child care than their unsubsidized peers, but low payment rates and insufficient supply of necessary and appropriate child care may limit their ability to access a broad range of care. Although most subsidized children receive care in licensed settings, there is little information about the quality of these settings, and even less information about the quality of license-exempt and informal child care settings. Recent increases in funding may have helped low-income families afford higher quality care. Recommendations for federal policymakers in the areas of funding, quality, administrative barriers, access to a broad array of care, and data collection are presented. An appendix includes executive summaries of the five reports. (SM)

The 1996 welfare law created two block grants, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). Since then, employment has increased among low-income mothers, and the number of families receiving welfare has declined. Currently, each state receives a block grant of TANF funds, which they are free to allocate to other needs. The single biggest redirection of TANF funds in 2000 was to child care. The principal source of federal funding for low-income child assistance has been CCDF, but nationally the federal funds redirected from TANF exceeded federal CCDF funds as a source of child care funding. States have become increasingly dependent on TANF as a means to address child care needs. This report discusses the impact of TANF funding on state child care subsidy programs based on a survey of all state TANF agencies about transfer and spending of TANF funds for child care; CCDF administrators were also interviewed in states that available funds showed had at least 20 percent of TANF funds transferred to CCDF. The report addresses the regulations governing TANF allocations and demonstrates trends over time of states transferring TANF funds to CCDF. Findings of key child care policy expansions and improvements made possible by TANF transfers are summarized, as are characteristics of states where TANF funds were directly spent on child care, and the themes of state administrators' concerns regarding TANF fund allocations. The report concludes with recommendations for increased CCDF funding without restricting access to TANF funds for child care. Two appendices summarize data gathered in the study on "the use of TANF for child care in FFY 1999 and 2000: transfers to CCDF and direct spending on child care" and state by state summaries of the "impact and use of transferred TANF funds in high-transfer states through FFY 2000." (Contains 14 endnotes.) (JPB)

This paper describes the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), the principal source of federal funding for child care subsidies for low income families and the principal source of federal funding for initiatives to improve the quality of child care in the states. Each state qualifies to receive an amount of federal funds under the CCDF each year and can receive additional federal funds by spending state dollars for child care subsidies and quality initiatives. Federal law established requirements that states must meet to receive CCDF funds, but states have very broad discretion in many of the basic design features of their low income subsidy programs and quality initiatives. It is estimated that about 1.5 million children receive CCDF-funded child care subsidies each month. To be eligible, a child must be under 13 years of age (or older if physically or mentally incapable of self-care). The child must reside with a family in which income does not exceed 85% of the state's median income for a family of the same size. To be eligible, a child must also reside with a parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who are working or attending job training; or a child must receive, or need to receive, protective services and resides with a parent(s) or guardian(s) who are not working or receiving job training. Other requirements are also specified. (SLD)