Upcoming
Michigan House of Representatives meetings related to young children:
None at this time.
Upcoming
Michigan Senate Committee meetings related to young children:
None at this time.
Committee
meetings are often added or agendas changed after the update is sent.
Check the legislature's committee
calendar for additions and changes.
Current
actions on Michigan bills related to young children:
SB
241 Child Care Licensing (Jacobs) Revises licensing and registration
requirements for child care centers. Reported in the House (11/28/07).
HB
5531 School Readiness (Gillard) Provides a supplemental increase
in the 2007-2008 appropriation for Michigan school readiness program.
Introduced in the House and referred to Appropriations (12/06/07).
Bill abstracts
provided by Voices for Michigan’s Children. See the status of
other bills at Michigan's
Children.
Have
you Heard? – Weekly additions
For Additional reports and findings please visit the MiAEYC web site:
www.miaeyc.org/News/Have_You_Heard.html
Early
Developments
Issue theme: Achievement Gap - 4th Grade
This issue includes:
Helping Boys of Color Succeed
Does English-only Fuel Achievement Gap?
Acknowledging and Reducing Stigmatization of African American Boys
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill FPG Child Development Institute
Physical
Activity to Prevent Obesity in Young Children: Cluster Randomized Controlled
Trial
Researchers studied a group of 545 nursery school children who had the recommended
adult level of exercise each week. They found that the adult level of activity
was insufficient to affect the children's body mass index but did appear to
affect their fundamental skills at physical movement. Researchers concluded
that children probably need more activity than the adult recommendations to
affect body mass index. British Medical Journal
Assessment
in a Continuous Improvement Cycle: New Jersey’s Abbott Preschool
Program
This paper presents an overview of the efforts over the last three and one
half years to develop and implement an assessment system for the New Jersey
Abbott Preschool Program. NEER
Preschool
Program Improves Cognitive Control
Findings from a study show that the play-based Tools of the Mind curriculum
taught in regular classrooms with regular teachers can improve cognitive control
(executive function) in preschool-age children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Science
In
the News– Weekly additions
For Additional reports and findings please visit the MiAEYC web site:
www.miaeyc.org/News/The_News.html
Existing
literacy tools
Legislation to create additional standardized testing to measure if third-graders
grasp basic literacy skills creates a level of redundancy more appropriate
to launching a space shuttle than educating kids. The Grand Rapids Press
Eat
Fruits and Veggies While Breastfeeding and Baby will Probably Like
Them
According to new research from the Monell Center, if you're breast feeding,
you can provide baby with a good start by eating them yourself. And, offer
your baby plenty of opportunities to taste fruits and vegetables as s/he makes
the transition to solid foods by giving repeated feeding exposures to these
healthy foods -- regardless of whether you're breast feeding or using formula. Science
Daily
Don’t
cut the safety net for Michigan’s poor children
Many of the statistics in this year's annual Kids Count in Michigan report
aren't encouraging. But they point to the absolute necessity for investment
-- yes, especially public investment -- in our children. Kalamazoo Gazette
President
Bush’s veto stalls Indian Head Start enhancements
The Senate and House of Representatives have passed, and watchful organizations
expect President Bush to sign, a reauthorization of the Head Start Act that
includes long-sought upgrades of the Indian Head Start program. Indian
Country
Toy
Safety More Than Where It’s Made
Recent headlines about the horrors of toys imported from China containing
toxins such as lead paint and the "date-rape" drug are
creating a very cautious toy-buying holiday season. How did this
happen? What do we do? Earthtimes.org
Michigan
Kids Missing the Health Mark
According to a recent report, Michigan children are not on target to meet the
goals of the Healthy People 2010 set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. More children are overweight and not getting enough exercise, but
fewer children are smoking and binge drinking. Battle Creek Enquirer
State
lags in improving quality of life for kids
The quality of life for Michigan's children continues to worsen, despite improvements
in toddler immunizations. Detroit Free Press
Beware
of candy that could be harmful
The New Mexico Department of Health is reminding parents to be cautious of
certain candies that may contain lead and can be harmful to children. Carlsbad
Current Argus
What
to get the kids? Think outside the toy box
Dangerous dolls, trains and other lead-tainted toys. Beads that metabolize
into "date-rape" drugs. It's enough to ruin Christmas for any parent
stressing over what's left to buy the tots this year. MSNBC
Groups
release guide to toxins in toys
Thirty-five percent of 1,200 children's toys, most still on the shelves at
stores, tested positive for lead. Many of these had levels far above the federal
recall standard. Some of the toys with excessive levels of lead are a Hannah
Montana card game case, a Go Diego Go backpack and Circo brand shoes. Yahoo!
News |
