Source: Debra J. Ackerman and W. Steven Barnett, National Institute for Early Education Research, Policy Brief, issue 20, March 2009

From the summary:
Public support for the education and care of 3- and 4-year-olds has increased, but has this helped or hurt the provision of care for infants (children up to 12 months old) and toddlers (1- and 2-year-olds)? This policy brief examines trends in supply and demand in the infant/toddler care market, reviews state and federal policies for infant/toddler care, and recommends policy changes that could ensure new preschool policies benefit infant/toddler care and avoid unintended negative consequences.

Source: Dale Epstein, John Pruette, Kathleen Priestley, Aaron Lieberman, National Institute for Early Education Research, 2009

Presentation on policies, implementation strategies and monitoring of quality standards in prekindergarten at the national, state, district and program levels.

Source: New York City Labor Market Information Service, May 2009

Home health care services is one of ten industry groups being profiled by the New York City Labor Market Information Service (NYCLMIS) for the public workforce development system in 2009. The NYCLMIS identified the ten groups in an earlier report, Gauging Employment Prospects in New York City, 2009. In that report, we found that home health care services compared well with the rest of the local labor market on several measures including employment trends and performance during the two previous recessions in New York City.

This profile is meant to help account managers with business development and job placement, career advisors with job counseling, and education and training professionals plan and refine their curriculum and placement activities in the industry. Jobseekers can also use this information to help make career decisions. Icons appear throughout this profile to highlight findings and recommendations of special interest to these audiences.

Source: EBRI Issue Brief, no. 127, June 17, 2009

What are the major sources of funding of public-sector pension plans in the United States?

Unlike private-sector defined benefit plans, public-sector pension plans are not funded entirely by employers. They are financed by workers as well as employers, according a study by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Public pension revenue relies on three sources: earnings from investments, government (employer) contributions, and worker contributions. Public pension plans depend largely on investment earnings, because they are generally financed on a "funded" basis rather than a pay-as-you-go basis.

Source: Ilana Boivie, National Institute on Retirement Security, June 29, 2009

The Federal Reserve released welcome data its June 2009 Flow of Funds report indicating that the economic situation may be stabilizing. Disposable personal income rose by $142 billion in the first quarter 2009 and by $358 billion since the first quarter of 2008.

But even so, the road to recovery will be a long one. Fed data also indicate that household net worth plummeted 16% in the last year. The massive financial losses will present significant challenges for retirees and near-retirees. Many will not have time to recover losses to their retirement savings accounts and housing values.

Source: The Food Research and Action Center, July 1, 2009

By 2015, the United States should be a place where all children have the adequate and nutritious food they need to build healthy bodies and strong minds. Achieving that goal will require the nation to strengthen policies so that families and schools and other service providers that care for children are better able to provide food reliably and efficiently. Parents or other caregivers must be able to purchase and prepare adequate, healthy meals for the family. Schools, child care centers and homes, and afterschool and summer sites -- the places where children are learning, playing, developing and being cared for -- must meet children's nutritional needs when they are in those settings. And children should be treated with respect when help is given, and in ways that do not identify a child's socio-economic status or carry any stigma.

Source: David M. Cutler, Judy Feder, Center for American Progress, June 29, 2009

From the summary:
Financing issues are among the most difficult problems in health care. Because of the deteriorating federal budget, health care reform needs to be budget-neutral over the course of the next decade. After that interval, health reform needs to reduce projected deficits, or the budgetary situation will become untenable. To make this happen, health care reform needs to insure that all Americans have health insurance coverage.