Voices for Utah Children Articles

  • How the 2025 Federal Reconciliation Bill Harms Utah’s Kids and Families

    Reality vs. Rhetoric As Utahns, we claim to value bold ideas and practical solutions. We believe in responsible budgets — but not at the expense of our children’s futures. The new Federal Reconciliation Bill of 2025—dubbed the “One Big Beautiful...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Moe Hickey
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Sticks and Stones: The Power of the Words We Use

    This month feels heavy. Because, well… it is. We celebrate Pride Month, a time to recognize and honor the LGBTQ+ community. But even as we celebrate, it’s impossible to ignore the challenges. This year, Utah became the first state in the country to ban...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Laneta Fitisemanu and Moana 'Ulu'ave
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • How to Get Help Paying for Child Care in Utah

    Finding and affording quality child care is a challenge for many families in Utah. Fortunately, there are several programs designed to help, and the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is the most widely available and impactful. Apply for Child Care...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Jenna Williams
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • 2025 Legislative Recap

    Was this year's legislative session good for kids? We answer this and more in our 2025 Legislative Recap! In this latest brief, we break down what happened during the legislative session, what we accomplished alongside our partners, and why staying...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Voices for Utah Children 2025 Legislative Priorities

    Looking to the 2025 Legislative Session, Voices for Utah Children remains committed to speaking out for all those Utahns who can’t vote but are greatly impacted by public policy: our kids! Despite an increasingly difficult state policy climate, we...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog
  • kid happy with arm in air

    Revitalizing a Closed School Into a Community Center

    Reimagining James Madison Elementary Ogden School District is a beautiful and vibrant community filled with dedicated leaders who aim to ensure it is a place where all its students can thrive. While the Ogden area faces notable challenges, it is also a...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Ciriac Alvarez Valle, Laneta Fitisemanu
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Just Released! 2023 Utah KIDS COUNT© Data Book

    We are excited to announce the publication of our 2023 KIDS COUNT© Data Book. This annual release provides valuable insights into the well-being of children in Utah. We invite you to take a moment to explore the data and learn more about the state of...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Martín Muñoz, Laneta Fitisemanu
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Just Released! 2024 Utah KIDS COUNT© Data Book

    Each year we provide valuable insights into the well-being of children in Utah. Please take a minute to explore the data and learn more about how Utah kids are doing in our annual KIDS COUNT© Data Book. This annual release provides valuable insights...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Martín Muñoz, Laneta Fitisemanu
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Our 2024 Legislative Agenda

    At Voices for Utah Children, we always start with this guiding question: "Is it good for all kids?" That remains our north star at the outset of the 2024 legislative session, and is reflected in our top legislative priorities. So, what’s good for all...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Jenna Williams
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Annie E. Casey Foundation Releases 34th edition of KIDS COUNT® Data Book

    Utah Shines in Child Well-Being Rankings, Yet the Strain of Inaccessible, Unaffordable Child Care Pushes Parents to the Breaking Point Utah made significant strides in overall child well-being, moving up to second place in the country from fourth last...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Laneta Fitisemanu
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Full Steam Ahead for Full-Day Kindergarten in Utah!

    Congratulations, Utah parents and educators! Together, we did it. Funding for optional full-day kindergarten is now a reality for schools statewide. The Utah Legislature passed HB477, "Full Day Kindergarten Amendments," sponsored by Rep. Robert...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Wait, Still No Optional Full-Day Kindergarten for Your Family?

    Labor Day weekend is in the past, the “heat dome” has cracked, and we are well on our way into the 2022-23 school year. Oh, and the majority of Utah families still have no choice when it comes to their child’s kindergarten program. Ensuring that all...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • NEW BRIEF: The Future of Full-Day Kindergarten in Utah

    More than 18 months ago - right before the pandemic started to truly rock our world - we released "Three Things Utah Can Do to Ensure Right-Sized Access to Full-Day Kindergarten," a wide-ranging report on the status of full-day kindergarten (FDK)...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • What Utahns Really Think About Full-Day Kindergarten

    For years, state leaders have not prioritized the expansion of full-day kindergarten opportunities for interested Utah families. This has resulted in very limited and uneven access to full-day kindergarten across the state. Some have justified their...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • American Rescue Plan: Let's Invest in Full Day Kindergarten and Pre-School Expansion!

    Beginning this Summer 2021, Utah Local Education Agencies (LEAs) will be receiving approximately $615 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER) funds from the American Rescue Plan. Now is the time to use this funding to...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN: Let's Invest in Early Education!

    Local education authorities, the state Office of Education, and the Office of Child Care have received hundreds of millions of dollars that can and should be spent to invest in what is best for Utah’s children. We must work together to put these...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Top Five Ways to Invest in Early Childhood

    “The way we [invest in Utah] is by focusing on our kids, giving them the best opportunities, the best resources at the earliest possible time...to help them to live better, happier and less trauma-filled lives, while also saving taxpayer money by...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Investing in Early Care and Education Professionals Will Strengthen Utah Child Care

    Utah leaders should be investing in child care professionals through paid training and educational opportunities, refundable tax credits for people who provide care and learning opportunities directly to young children, and other direct incentives that...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Three Things Utah Can Do to Ensure Right-Sized Access to Full-Day Kindergarten

    Parents want it. Kids benefit from it. Educators believe in it. So why don't Utah families have more access to full-day kindergarten? Our new report, "Three Things Utah Can Do to Ensure Right-Sized Access to Full-Day Kindergarten," explores the...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Increase Availability of Full-Day Kindergarten for Utah Children

    The percentage of kindergarteners enrolled in full-day programs has nearly tripled since the late 1970s, jumping from 28 percent to 77 percent nationwide between 1977 and 2013. Although full-day kindergarten enrollment in the West is the lowest in the...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Moe Hickey
    • Category: Updates & Blog
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