California launches largest free school lunch program in U.S.
When classrooms in California reopen for the fall term, all 6.2 million public school students will have the option to eat school meals for free, regardless of their family’s income.
Child well-being
Botswana reduces mother-baby HIV transmission rates from 40% to below 1% since 1999
Botswana has became the first high-burden country to receive the WHO’s silver tier award for its efforts to cut child transmission rates.
California becomes first U.S. state to move back school start times
In 2019, California legislators passed a first-of-its-kind law requiring that all public high schools begin classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m. and that middle schools start no earlier than 8 a.m. The law officially went into effect on July 1.
Many U.S. states now allow mental health absences for students
At least nine states now allow students to take mental health days. Other states using less expensive solutions like in-class mediation, mindfulness exercises, and social-emotional training.
Joe Biden issues executive order to fight conversion therapy & LGBTQ fostering discrimination
The executive order tells the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue rules that ban the use of federal funds for programs that offer conversion therapy.
In historic shift, far fewer teens face adult U.S. courts
Data reported to the FBI each year by thousands of police departments across the country shows the percentage of youths taken into custody who were referred to adult courts dropped from 8% in 2010 to 2% in 2019.
Same-sex partners in Croatia can now legally adopt children
Zagreb’s Administrative Court ruled on April 21 that same-sex couples should not face discrimination in state adoption, according to the Rainbow Families Association (RFA).
Morocco extends paid paternity leave
The new measure aims to offer Morocco’s working-class a paid parental leave of 15 days, up from the current three-day leave.
Landmark study finds first biomarker to detect babies at risk of SIDS
A team of researchers in Australia have now identified a blood biomarker linked to brain arousal that could potentially be used to identify infants most at risk of SIDS.
Colorado passes bill offering 10 hours per week of free universal preschool
By the fall of 2023, all 4-year-old children in Colorado will be able to attend preschool at no cost to their families.