February 2019

Legislative hearing examines why students miss too much school

On February 5th, ACNJ's Cynthia Rice and Peter Chen testified at the State House before the Joint Committee on Public Schools regarding chronic absenteeism. The committee also welcomed testimony from students, who explained first-hand, the complexities of why so many children miss too much school. Read more.

Governor Murphy's commitment to help working families must include a child care plan

Read ACNJ president/CEO Cecilia Zalkind's statement on Governor Phil Murphy's State of the State address.

Paid family leave bill passes in the legislature

New Jersey is one step closer to strengthening its paid family leave program, which allows working parents time to spend caring for their infant during a critical bonding period without a complete loss of wages. The bill now awaits Governor Murphy's signature to become law. Read more from nj.com.

Read ACNJ president/CEO Cecilia Zalkind's NJ Spotlight op-ed on how paid family leave helps babies, not just their parents.

ACNJ holds Census forum to make sure we #CountAllKids

On January 16th, ACNJ gathered early childhood educators, government officials and community members to discuss ways to address the undercount of young children in New Jersey for the 2020 Census. Check out materials and photos from the event.

The undercounting of kids in the 2020 Census will shortchange New Jersey billions in federal dollars. Click here to learn more about how you can be 2020 Census ready.

SAVE THE DATE: Newark Kids Count on March 28, 2019
This year, ACNJ's Newark Kids Count report will feature a special section on the city's young men of color, in partnership with My Brother's Keeper Newark. Details coming soon.

Training videos: Reducing trauma for young children in the child protection system
New Jersey's child protection system can be complicated, stressful and frightening for the children, parents and caregivers involved. ACNJ developed a series of videos on topics relating to child welfare, the need to consider a child's developing mind when making decisions and ways to potentially mitigate any stress they might experience as a result. View training videos.

2019: The year to tackle Newark's lead crisis
Lead has reentered the spotlight and new data reveal continued risks for Newark kids. Lead levels in the city's children are up for the first time since 2011. Read ACNJ policy counsel Peter Chen's update on lead.

NPR's The Takeaway also discussed Newark's lead problem last month and referenced ACNJ's Newark Kids Count special section on childhood lead exposure.

With the spotlight on Newark's lead issues, 2019 represents an opportunity for the city and state to eliminate future lead hazards for Newark's kids.

Check out highlights of ACNJ in the news

Jan. 18, 2019 - Counting Young Kids Is A Growing Concern Going Into 2020 Census | WBGO

Jan. 18, 2019 - Advocacy group raises awareness for undercounted children ahead of the census | Burlington County Times

Jan. 16, 2019 - Census May Have Missed 27,000 Young Kids In NJ, Costing Us Money | NJ101.5

Jan. 16, 2019 - Advocates push to get an accurate count for upcoming census | NJTV News

Jan. 11, 2019 - Murphy Releases More Funding For Pre-K Programs Across State | NJ Spotlight

If you have any questions about this e-newsletter, contact Eloisa Hernandez at eloisa@acnj.org or call 973.643.3876 x208