Top of Our List

Half-Time in America: Time to Reclaim Disconnected Youth

February 16, 2012
By Roberto Viramontes and Lindsay Torrico

If you caught Clint Eastwood’s Super Bowl commercial, perhaps you got shivers going up your spine as Eastwood spoke about tough economic times and American perseverance: “Its half time in America too, people are out of work and they’re hurting…and they’re wondering what they’re going to do to make a comeback.”

It's a sentiment that resonates with a lot of Americans, but perhaps especially with young people who are not connected to education, training programs or the workforce.

Top 15 Website Resources in 2011

January 11, 2012
By Bruce Lesley

As we enter the new year, we have looked back to review the issues or topics that captured our website vistors’ attention throughout the year. Below we have identified the 15 most popular resources on the First Focus Campaign for Children website in 2011. Here they are:

  • The State Flexibility Act Harms Children, Disrupts Coverage, and Ends CHIP as We Know It by Lisa Shapiro (June 1, 2011 - fact sheet)

ESEA Reauthorization and Our Teachers: Diminishing the Teacher Profession Only hurts our Most Deserving Students

December 19, 2011
By Roberto Viramontes

As we wait for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to make it out of Congress in 2012 (don’t hold your breath), the First Focus Campaign for Children is advocating to keep the current definition of Highly Qualified Teachers (fully-certified, fully-prepared) in ESEA. In doing so, we will provide diverse learners and our most deserving students with educators that are both fully prepared and highly effective. Research indicates that teacher quality is the most important school based factor impacting student achievement.

It Makes Sense: A Comprehensive Strategies Model within ESEA to Improve Student Achievement

December 19, 2011
By Roberto Viramontes

The challenge of educating our students must not fall on schools alone; the whole community must be engaged. First Focus Campaign for Children works to create policy incentives for closer and strategic collaboration between schools and community entities.