Children develop key early literacy skills during the first five years of life. These skills prepare them to learn and succeed when they enter kindergarten.
While the statewide debate over the school consolidation law passed in 2007 as part of the state budget is unresolved – a citizen initiative to repeal the law will be voted on Nov. 3 – the local impacts are already profound. The 25 new school districts represent the greatest change in Maine local governance since the passage of the Sinclair Act in 1957, when the first regional government entities were formed.
The early years are a critical time when neurological connections create the foundation for future intellectual, emotional, social and physical development.
A Case for Cooperation II reviews events since the new law was passed, analyzes its strong and weak points, and makes suggestions for how the process can best move forward in the years ahead.
In Maine, we have difficulty determining the impact of race on a child’s wellbeing. Each year we are asked for data that break down the indicators by race but Maine’s small minority population makes these data unavailable.
Data from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey show a slight increase in the percentage of high school students reporting alcohol use between 2003 and 2005 from 42.2% to 43.0%. There has also been a 9.8% increase in the percentage of high school students who report driving a vehicle when they had been drinking, and a 4.1% increase in their reports of riding in a vehicle driven by someone else who had been drinking. Motor vehicle crashes have long been, and continue to be, the leading cause of death of adolescents.
The Maine Children’s Alliance advocates for sound public policies and promotes best practices to improve the lives of all Maine children, youth, and families.
331 State Street, Augusta, Maine 04330 • Phone: (207) 623-1868 • Email: outreach@mekids.org
