State budget crisis hits children’s health
insurance programs

The budget crisis that has plagued states in recent years is taking its toll on healthcare programs for children. For the first time in the six-year history of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the number of children enrolled in the program has declined, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The foundation’s survey showed that although there was an increase in program enrollment in many states, the gains were offset by an enrollment decline in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Most of the decline (99 percent) occurred in Maryland, New York and Texas. Annual enrollment in the SCHIP program increased by 4.2 percent in 2003—less than half the 9.7 percent increase in 2002, the report said.

SCHIP, a popular program financed jointly by federal and state governments and administered by the states, until now has been untouched by the ongoing state fiscal crisis. In 2003, however, states instituted policies to cut health program spending, including SCHIP. Many states reduced their spending on SCHIP outreach, instituted enrollment caps, increased premiums and enrollment fees, reduced eligibility, intensified eligibility verification and changed enrollment procedures to limit program growth.

Kaiser credits some SCHIP enrollment declines to the proper transfer of children to Medicaid when they are eligible but also attributes the decline to changes in state policy that have forced children off the rolls.

As states have cut back on programs, “hundreds of thousands of children have lost access to affordable healthcare,” says AFT president Edward J. McElroy. “It is unforgivable that in a country as prosperous as the United States, nearly 9 million children do not have access to affordable healthcare. We hope that we can soon work with an administration in Washington that will make affordable healthcare for all a top priority.”

Teens getting ‘mixed messages’ on ethics

Nearly one-third of teens surveyed believe people have to “bend the rules to succeed,” according to a new Junior Achievement/Deloitte & Touche USA LLP poll. The change represents a surprising increase from a similar poll conducted last year. Only 20 percent of teens gave the same answer a year ago.

In addition, more than eight out of 10 (83 percent) teens turn to their friends for help in making ethical decisions, followed by parents (68 percent), teachers (27 percent), Internet (24 percent) and clergy (14 percent).

More encouraging is the percentage of teens who think people who practice good business ethics are more successful than people who don’t, which jumped to 62 percent in 2004 from 56 percent in 2003.

“These poll results indicate that teens are getting mixed messages, so we continue to believe that ethics education must begin early, during formative years,” says James H. Quigley, CEO of Deloitte & Touche.

The poll of 624 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 was conducted in July as part of the “Excellence through Ethics” curriculum, a $1 million initiative of Junior Achievement and Deloitte to promote business ethics among today’s young people.

For more information about “Excellence through Ethics,” visit www.ja.org/ethics.

Local actor makes good on school TV network

Sure, he’s been on a few TV shows, made a little name for himself in standup comedy and landed some movie roles. That’s all small change compared to last spring, when Bill Cosby really grabbed the brass ring: The Philly actor landed a gig as the new creative consultant/on-air personality for the Philadelphia school district’s local access TV network.

What made the district take the huge gamble and hire Cosby for cable channel 52? After all, the guy may have several Emmies and Grammies, a Ph.D. in education and a prestigious Kennedy Center Award, but we’re talking about an actor with virtually no experience in school local access TV! Well, sometimes you just have to go with your gut when you hire, school district officials explain.

Cosby has a well-deserved reputation “for his heart and humor and has a gift for speaking to children in ways that they understand and respond to,” said James Nevels of the district’s School Reform Commission. Cosby already has a few interesting ideas in the hopper, including segments on the importance of doing homework, school violence and health matters.

And if school district CEO Paul Vallas had any doubts that Cosby was a not-ready-for-not-prime-time player, he hid them well. In fact, he seemed downright overjoyed that the actor would graciously clear his schedule to make room for the volunteer position. “Thanks to Dr. Cosby, we will not just transform PSTV into an even better educational tool, but we will be able to communicate important messages about values such as community commitment, parental responsibility and personal integrity,” he predicted.

Hey, anything can happen!

Which teachers motivate students? Teens tell all

A recent Gallup Youth Survey asked a nationwide panel of 13- to 17-year-olds whether they worked harder for some teachers than others. Seventy-six percent said yes. In answer to a related question—whether some classes make them feel more involved in learning than others—78 percent said yes.

When asked why, the most common response teens gave was simply that they like some teachers better than others. But some of the young people offered more specific reasons. One in eight reported working to the level of the teacher’s expectation. Another 12 percent said they work harder for teachers who care.

According to Gallup, teenagers respond best to teachers who can be highly creative, build strong relationships and tailor their teaching to the needs of each student. One 17-year-old said that he works harder for some teachers “because some teachers work harder for me.”