Maryland S Children

A survey that examines the conditions for Maryland's children has found improvements, including a lower childhood death rate, increased child-support collections and a lower rate of credible reports of child abuse -- but a dispiriting rise in the number of school suspensions for violent behavior.The Maryland "Kids Count" Fact Book, funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation of Baltimore, found improvement in seven of 16 "indicators" used to measure overall conditions for young people. Those indicators range from infant mortality to poverty data.

CONSIDERING ITS relative wealth, Maryland continues to do a lousy job of raising its children. Other states have more children living in poverty, yet Maryland fares worse in key areas of child welfare.It would be easier to celebrate the good news -- better prenatal care, lower infant mortality and fewer teens dying violently -- if Maryland did not have such a long way to go. In the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest "Kids Count" survey last year, Maryland ranked 32nd in child welfare, although three-fifths of the states had a higher percentage of children living in poverty.

THANKS TO THE Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count project, states have hard data to point to when they discuss the health, safety and economic well-being of their children. With the latest edition of the Maryland Kids Count Factbook, this state now has four years of data to compare.Taken together, those annual statistical portraits reveal both good news and bad -- and all of it is useful to policy makers in evaluating the effectiveness of programs designed to help children in need. The 1996 Factbook looks at 14 indicators of child well-being in each of the counties and in Baltimore City, listing the number of incidents in each category, such as the number of births to teen mothers, as well as the rate at which these events occur and the ranking of each jurisdiction in the state.

An annual survey that monitors the well-being of Maryland's children has found slight improvements in the rates of infant mortality and teen pregnancy.But the survey released last week also shows alarming increases in violence against children and the number of children living in poverty.The 1995 Maryland's Kids Count Factbook, a four-year survey funded by the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation, found improvement in 10 of 14 indicators used to measure the well-being of children in the areas of economics, health, safety and education.

Recognizing what it called Maryland's commitment to dTC education reform, the federal government yesterday snipped away some of the red tape surrounding state schools' use of $150 million in annual aid from Washington.The U.S. Department of Education made Maryland one of only seven states able to waive regulations governing a portion of federal aid, giving the state more flexibility in spending."Maryland has demonstrated its commitment to promoting flexibility, accountability and effective innovation in order to improve teaching and learning," said Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley in a letter announcing the designation to state Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick.

EVERYBODY'S favorite twister will touch down on the stage of Clemens Crossing Elementary School next week when nearly 100 students present the musical "The Wizard of Oz."The children have been practicing twice a week since January and are managing the sound, lighting, scenery and props, as well as singing, dancing and acting. Assistant Principal Tony Yount directs.Performances are at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday and June 12.Some of the major roles include Dorothy, Erin Ferguson; Scarecrow, Jennifer Weinreich; Tin Man, Daniel Bergin; Cowardly Lion, Rebecca Sachs; Wicked Witch of the West, Laura Tyler; Glinda, the Good Witch, Tierra Brown; Wizard of Oz, Evan Cooper; Toto, Erica Finkel; guard, Patrick Nairn; mayor of Munchkinland, Mark Seifter; and lead Munchkins Jackie DesRoches and Maria Martirano.

Information is power, if you know how to use it.This week, advocates for children welcomed the publication of Maryland's first ''Kids Count'' fact book. There in cold, hard numbers are the facts about children in Maryland, facts that provide ammunition for the public policy debate.County by county, the book provides telling details that add life to the larger picture, a picture that mixes good news and bad. Infant mortality -- a key indicator of any society's standard of living -- has declined to its lowest level ever in Maryland.

Teachers complain, and rightly so, that they get no respect, even for a job well done. But restoring respect goes hand in hand with establishing accountability and public perceptions of competence.Recent actions by the State Board of Education will make a big difference. In Maryland, as in many states, experienced teachers have virtually a lifetime license to teach, once they reach tenure. Renewing a state certificate is a routine matter, requiring a $10 fee every 10 years. Refusing a license renewal because of poor performance in the classroom is almost unheard of.The new regulations require a satisfactory evaluation at least three years out of five, as well as a professional development plan demonstrating a teacher's intentions to keep up-to-date in the profession.

Maryland's new lead-poisoning prevention law, due to take effect tomorrow, has been thrown into limbo as children's advocates and landlords tussle over state regulations intended to carry it out.Citing complaints from pediatricians and others, Del. Delores G. Kelley, a Baltimore Democrat, has asked for a legislative hearing on "emergency" regulations proposed last week by the Maryland Department of the Environment to carry out the law."Everything's ready to go," said Ronald Nelson, deputy environment secretary.

Protecting children is sometimes easier said than done when it comes to the touchy issues of abuse, neglect, medical care and support.But Maryland's children and their families have the support of Advocates for Children and Youth, a nonprofit organization that works to improve education, health, family support and prevention services for children of all ages.Amy Blank, a public policy specialist for the 3-year-old advocacy organization, told members of the Carroll County Children's Council at a meeting in Westminster on Wednesday that preventing the problems children face should be dealt with at all levels of the community.

Towson woman critical after being hit by car A Towson woman was reported in critical condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center yesterday after she was struck by a car in front of her home, county police said. The woman was hit while adjusting the driver's side mirror of her car, which had been struck by another vehicle earlier and whose driver failed to stop, according to police. Officer Keith Weber said Terwanda Owens, 19, of the 8600 block of Oakleigh Road was standing in the roadway in front of her home next to her Chevrolet Malibu at about 5:10 p.m. when she was struck by a 1999 Mitsubishi Galant driven by a woman who stopped and whose name was not released.

Maryland has made great strides in reducing lead paint poisoning among children and in improving the outdoor air they breathe, but more needs to be done to keep track of other environmental hazards and their links to kids' health, according to a report released yesterday by state health and environment officials. While pointing to previously reported decreases in the number of children with lead poisoning and an equally significant drop in ozone levels in Maryland, officials said they plan to better keep track of issues such as pesticide levels in children, their exposure to pharmaceuticals in water and where serious asthma cases are most concentrated.

Child welfare decisions aren't based on race The Maryland Department of Human Resources does not use and does not condone using race as a determining factor in deciding a proper course for abused or neglected children ("Keeping families whole," editorial, Sept. 2). We never have and we never will. The issue of disproportionate representation of children of color in the child welfare system is not unique to Maryland. Like many other states, Maryland is looking at practices to address this issue.

DHR is working to be transparent Nothing matters more to me as secretary of the Department of Human Resources than providing the best possible outcomes for Maryland's children and families. Every decision I make is aimed at achieving that goal. Since becoming secretary, I have engaged public and private entities, legislators, advocates, Maryland's judiciary, law enforcement, health departments and the media in my action plan for improving child welfare in Maryland. That includes operating in a transparent, inclusive manner that brings more people into the tent than ever before.

Maryland is one of the nation's wealthiest states, yet its infant mortality rate increased 11 percent between 2000 to 2004 and ranked as the nation's ninth worst, according to the 2007 Kids Count Databook, a report released yesterday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. "Maryland's current rate of 8.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births is nearly 23 percent higher than the national rate," says the report, also noting that the number of low birth-weight babies increased by 8 percent and was more than 15 percent higher than the national rate.

Focus on teaching basic writing skills Hear, hear to state Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden for his angry outburst at the city school system for adopting the Studio Course reading curriculum, and for threatening to make everyone diagram sentences ("School course set for review," Dec. 10). It's about time someone got angry about how students write. In the last five years, with the proliferation of e-mail, students' ability to write has gone to the dogs. I teach college, and I'm telling you that students' writing is just downright lousy (and I don't just mean undergraduates either)

Hiring freeze worsens woes of child welfare The Sun recently reported on a legislative audit of Maryland's foster care system that identifies lapses in documentation that may indicate neglectful care of children in state custody ("Audit finds lapses in Maryland's foster care," Aug. 23). While the article identified social workers' caseload size as a serious obstacle to ensuring that children in our state's custody receive the quality care they deserve, it is troubling that the article did not mention the state hiring freeze that has been in place since last October.

Yes: It's only fair Basic, secular education support for all Maryland's children should be so fundamental to the public good as to be beyond debate. Public, taxpayer-funded education aid to all children in fully accredited schools of any variety is only good. Good for the children and good for our society. Most states provide some aid to all schoolchildren, and the Supreme Court has ruled that the practice is constitutionally sound. As an administrator for schools in poor neighborhoods as well as those in more fortunate surroundings, I see children whose families struggle and children in designer clothes.

Maryland's child poverty rate dropped dramatically in 1998, giving the state the lowest rate in the nation, according to U.S. Census estimates. Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend will announce that figure today as she unveils the first state report to measure conditions for Maryland's children -- a report with statistics that will be used to determine which counties are using effective strategies to improve education, lower crime and combat teen-age...

CONSIDERING ITS relative wealth, Maryland continues to do a lousy job of raising its children. Other states have more children living in poverty, yet Maryland fares worse in key areas of child welfare.It would be easier to celebrate the good news -- better prenatal care, lower infant mortality and fewer teens dying violently -- if Maryland did not have such a long way to go. In the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest "Kids Count" survey last year, Maryland ranked 32nd in child welfare, although three-fifths of the states had a higher percentage of children living in poverty.