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With temporary federal supports giving way, Kansas must do better for children in poverty
Recently, my team at Kansas Action for Children examined trends in data to see how our state’s kids and families are doing. Improvements in child poverty and food insecurity were specifically correlated with several early pandemic-era programs. Sadly, more recent data shows child poverty on the rise again. The temporarily expanded federal child tax credit, […]
Kansas child care crisis puts the state’s economic future at risk. Solving it will take everyone.
The need for accessible and affordable child care extends beyond parents and their children. It has cascading effects in our communities, from helping our local economies flourish to building a strong workforce once kids are grown. Kansas’ current infrastructure is unsustainable, and we’re seeing the stress cracks across the state. Currently, 21 Kansas counties don’t […]
Supporting working parents will help Kansas kids thrive, this Labor Day and beyond
The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. John Wilson is president of Kansas Action for Children. On this day 140 years ago, 10,000 New York workers marched — unpaid — to recognize their contributions […]
By ending Kansas’ sales tax on food, our state can live up to its ideals and help those in need
The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. John Wilson is president of Kansas Action for Children. This Saturday we celebrated Kansas Day, noting our state’s beginnings and contributions to this nation. We have much […]
Expanded child tax credit could transform lives — but we have to make it permanent
The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. John Wilson is president of Kansas Action for Children. We’re standing on the edge of a transformational moment, not just in Kansas, but in all of the […]
How Kansas kids – and their families – could benefit from the American Rescue Plan
The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. John Wilson is president of Kansas Action for Children. The American Rescue Plan is more than stimulus checks. Indeed, the legislation signed last month by President Joe […]
To make big changes in Kansas, look beyond Election Day
The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. John Wilson is president of Kansas Action for Children. All eyes are on Election Day. The local, state and national races decided Nov. 3 will shape our […]
Kansans must ask leaders to support child care
The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. John Wilson is president of Kansas Action for Children. As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across Kansas and the nation, all eyes are on the K-12 education […]