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January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Report: Alaska ranks near bottom in overall child well-being

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Thursday, June 13, 2024   

Alaska ranks 41st in the nation in terms of overall child well-being, according to the new 2024 Kids Count Data Bookfrom the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Researchers found in 2022, 14% of the state's children lived in poverty, and 32% lived in a home where the parents lacked secure employment.

Trevor Storrs, president and CEO of the Alaska Children's Trust, said state budgets have failed to prioritize children and families.

"The biggest issue has been over the past decade, we have been doing major cuts to services," Storrs pointed out. "Our overall investment in children and families has decreased in the past decade by 15%."

Storrs encouraged voters to keep children's needs top of mind when choosing candidates for local and state offices in this fall's election. The report also found Alaska's school children are falling behind, with 76% of fourth graders not proficient in reading, 77% of eighth graders not proficient in math, and 62% of 3- and 4-year-olds not in school.

Alaska has had long-standing trouble recruiting enough teachers, especially in remote rural towns.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said reading and math skills were low even before the pandemic, and they have regressed.

"We know both those skills are critically important not only to academic success but to make sure that young people are prepared for the workforce," Boissiere asserted.

Some high notes in the report included the number of child and teen deaths improved, going from 53 per 100,000 people in 2019 to 46, in 2022. The state also made gains in the percentage of teens not in school and not working, and on families facing a high housing cost burden.


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