Policy and Practice Workshops by Ben Dawson

Policy and Practice Mini-Plenary Sessions and Workshops: What are the major challenges confronting children and families today? These sessions will systematically examine the feeder systems funneling children into the Cradle to Prison Pipeline and identify promising approaches to replace the prison pipeline with one towards college and productive work. Economic Inequality and Child Poverty Mini-Plenary Sessions and Workshops What Works to Reduce Poverty Monday, July 23 1:30 – 3:00p.m.

Stacey Pelika, Ph.D., Research Director, Children’s Defense Fund Elaine Cunningham, Outreach Director, CDF-Minnesota The Hon. Charniele Herring, Minority Whip, Virginia House of Delegates Shannon Hughes, Coordinator, NETWORK Education Program Ed Sivak, Founder and Director, Mississippi Economic Policy Center The American social infrastructure is an often confusing conglomeration of federal and state tax credits, tax refunds, direct payments, job training and other support programs. This session will train advocates on policies and programs designed to lift children and families from poverty such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, how to get all those eligible enrolled, and how to advocate for stronger anti-poverty investments.

The Invisible Crisis: Homeless Children in America Monday, July 23 3:30 – 5:00

Stacey Pelika, Ph.D., Research Director, Children’s Defense Fund Angela Lariviere, Founder, Youth Empowerment Project of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio Sharon McDonald, Ph.D., Director for Families and Youth, National Alliance to End Homelessness Rod Podlogar, National Director, Siemer Institute for Family Stability Kevin Ryan, President and CEO, Covenant House International There are 1.6 million homeless children, or one in 45, each year in America. The recession and slow recovery have increased the numbers of homeless children and families. In addition to those who rely on shelters or stay on the streets, a rising number of children spend the night doubled up with friends or relatives or in motels. Explore changing trends in homelessness and take action to stop the normalization of shelters and the dislocation of families.

A Downward Spiral: The Erosion of Employment Opportunities for Teens, Young Adults and Young Families Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

Stacey Pelika, Ph.D., Research Director, Children’s Defense Fund Terry Flood, Co-Founder, Executive Director and Job Counselor, Jubilee Jobs Dorothy Stoneman, Founder and President, YouthBuild USA, Inc. Andrew Sum, Ph.D., Professor of Economics and Director, Center for Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University This session will focus on the often invisible and unaddressed economic plight of young workers ages 16-29 who face an increasingly bleak job market and grave economic prospects. This age group has been the hardest hit by the recession, with employment plummeting from 67.3 percent in 2000 to 55.3 percent in 2010, the lowest employment rate since the end of World War II. Inequality in family incomes is greater among young adults than any other age group in society. Examine the high rates of unemployment and underemployment among teens and young parents and learn about promising community and state-based program and policy approaches to strengthen education and employment opportunities for teens, young adults and young families.

25 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001

p (202) 628-8787

f (202) 662-3510

www.childrensdefense.org

Child Health and Nutrition Mini-Plenary Sessions and Workshops What’s Next for Health Reform? Ensuring Affordable Health Coverage for Every Child Mini-Plenary

Elisabeth Wright Burak, Senior Program Director, Center for Children and Families, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Sharon Adams-Taylor, Associate Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators, AASA Donna Cohen Ross, Senior Policy Advisor, Centers for Medicaid and CHIP Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Amy Swanson, CEO, Voices for Ohio’s Children

Wednesday, July 25 1:30 – 3:00

Learn about the early health coverage expansion for millions of children, young adults, and families since passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 and the gains yet to come now that the Supreme Court has upheld its constitutionality. Take action to ensure that states implement coverage expansions and design simple and seamless systems for families to enroll in Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or the new health insurance exchanges. Explore promising strategies to enroll uninsured children in health coverage including the Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education, and CDF’s partnership with the American Association of School Administrators to enroll uninsured children in health coverage through local schools.

Sign Them Up! Best Practices in Child Health Enrollment

Sharon Adams-Taylor, Associate Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators Juanita Elizondo, Director of Corporate Relations, Fiesta Mart, Inc. Dawn Meyers, Director of Social Work, Clarke County School District, Athens, GA Beth Quill, Executive Director, CDF-Texas Donna Cohen Ross, Senior Policy Advisor, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

There are about 8 million uninsured children in the United States, about 4 million of whom are eligible for but not enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid. It’s time to sign them up! Hear about hands-on successful strategies that community, business, faith and school leaders can use to enroll uninsured children in health coverage. Healthy Children are Better Students: Closing the Achievement Gap through Strong Health and Nutrition Programs

Kathleen King, Executive Director, Santa Clara Family Health Foundation Charles Basch, Ph.D., Richard March Hoe Professor of Health Education, Columbia University Teachers College Eve Bolton, President, Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education Dr. Marilyn Crumpton, Medical Director, Division of School and Adolescent Health, Cincinnati Health Department Rochelle Davis, President & CEO, Healthy Schools Campaign

Monday, July 23 1:30 – 3:00

Good health and proper nutrition are essential to a child’s well-being and ability to perform in school. Low-income and minority children are more likely to be uninsured and living in food insecure households than their White peers. This session shares research linking disparities in health and nutrition to educational outcomes and emphasizes the importance of addressing health and nutrition in closing the achievement gap. Promising school-based strategies to link children with health coverage, provide on-site health services, and ensure no child goes hungry during the school day will be highlighted.

Fighting Childhood Obesity

Madeleine Levin, Senior Policy Analyst, Food Research Action Center Dalila Butler, Program Coordinator, Prevention Institute Rochelle Davis, President & CEO, Healthy Schools Campaign Rebecca Kelley, Vice President, YMCA of Greater Cincinnati

Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

Experts estimate one-third of children in America are currently overweight or obese, and these rates have tripled among children ages 12-19 since 1980. Diseases once associated only with adults, like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, are on the rise at younger and younger ages. Right now our country spends $150 billion a year treating obesity-related diseases—nearly 10 percent of all medical spending. Childhood obesity has become an epidemic

that threatens our future national health, productivity, and security unless something can be done to stop and reverse the trend. This session will explore promising approaches to fight childhood obesity and promote healthy eating habits and physical activity in children’s homes, schools and in the larger community. End Child Hunger in Rich America Now Monday, July 23 3:30 – 5:00

Kelly Beckwith, Project Director for Child Nutrition, Hunger and Obesity, American Association of School Administrators Charlie Kozlesky, Senior Vice President, School & Summer Nutrition, Children’s Hunger Alliance Madeleine Levin, Senior Policy Analyst, Food Research Action Center Jessica Shelly, Food Service Director, Cincinnati Public Schools How can we ensure every child starts the school day without an empty stomach and doesn’t go to bed hungry? Almost 32 million children are fed each year in the National School Lunch Program. Less than half of those children participate in the School Breakfast program and only one in nine participate in the summer feeding program. Explore strategies to expand access to and the quality of vital food supplement programs with long track records of success, including the WIC program (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), SNAP/food stamps, the School Lunch and School Breakfast programs and summer feeding programs. These investments not only make it possible for millions of children to eat well, they also improve their overall health.

Early Childhood Development Mini-Plenary Sessions and Workshops The Case for Investing in the Early Years Mini-Plenary Monday, July 23 1:30 – 3:00

Dr. Perri Klass, National Medical Director, Reach Out and Read, and Director, Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, New York University Oleta Garrett Fitzgerald, Director, CDF Southern Regional Office and Project Lead, Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK), a W.K. Kellogg Foundation funded initiative The Hon. Holly J. Mitchell, Member, 47th District, California State Assembly, and Chair, Budget Sub-Committee on Health and Human Services Judith Van Ginkel, Ph.D., President, Every Child Succeeds and Professor of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center The Hon. Eric Griego, New Mexico State Senator, 14th District Sheena Wright, President & CEO, Abyssinian Development Corporation Some of our nation’s most respected economists agree that support for early childhood development is a sound investment policy and yields higher graduation rates, earnings and tax revenues while reducing future involvement in the criminal justice system. Through creative partnerships and innovative community development models, pediatricians, parents, early care providers, educators, government agencies and businesses are breaking down silos and coming together to provide our youngest children with the nurturing home environments, quality early care, early reading skills and other supports they need during the years of greatest brain development, and to help ensure that America’s children enter kindergarten prepared to succeed. Advocates will hear about the crucial importance of early childhood development and how to make the most effective case to expand investments in young children’s lives particularly in the face of deep proposed budget cuts to core safety net programs serving children and families.

Closing the Achievement Gap through Quality Summer and Afterschool Enrichment Programs Mini-Plenary

Ron Fairchild, CEO, Smarter Learning Group - Hampstead, Md. Dwayne Crompton, Kansas City Freedom School Initiative Lauren Gilbert, Vice President of Programs, Bell Foundation Mary Nell McPherson, Executive Director, Freedom Schools Partners Emily Raine, Manager, Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time Initiative Expanding out-of-school-time learning has the potential to significantly reduce the achievement gap between White and Black children. During the summer months, poor children often lack access to essential resources that support their academic performance and healthy development and

Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

What Somebody Else Learned in Kindergarten: CDF’s National Campaign for Full-Day K Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

PreK to Third Grade Reform: An Approach to Early Care and Education that Delivers Results Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

experience well‐documented setbacks in academic skills, which contribute to growth in the achievement gap. High quality afterschool programs improve children’s personal, social and academic skills, yet 15 million school-aged children are on their own after school—including one million K-5th grade students. This session will discuss strategies to improve access to affordable, quality summer and afterschool programs for all children. Cathy Grace, Ed.D., Director of Early Childhood Development, Children’s Defense Fund Kristie Kauerz, Ed.D., Research Scientist and Program Director for PreK-3rd Education, University of Washington John D. Stanford, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer, Columbus City Schools Did you know in some states parents are paying tuition for their children to attend full-day kindergarten in public schools? Some children in kindergarten receive two-and-a-half hours of daily instruction, while others receive five or more. Only 10 states currently require by statute fullday kindergarten as part of the K-12 educational system and other states are rolling back kindergarten programs due to budget cuts. Even though 44 states have committed to implementing the K-12 Common Core Standards, in many of them kindergarten is a broken step, with children getting off to a very different start depending on whether and how they are making the transition from PreK to first grade. Join CDF’s national campaign for Full-Day K and learn why this grade is so pivotal. Cathy Grace, Ed.D., Director of Early Childhood Development, Children’s Defense Fund Janine G. Bacquie, Director, Division of Early Childhood Programs and Services, Montgomery County Public Schools Kristie Kauerz, Ed.D., Research Scientist and Program Director for PreK-3rd Education, University of Washington Sharon Ritchie, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Providing high quality PreK programs for four-year-olds followed by a full day of kindergarten and the deliberate alignment of standards, curriculum, assessment, leadership and teacher professional development from PreK through third grade is showing promising results in closing the achievement gap. This session will explore two examples of schools and school districts in various stages of the PreK to Third Grade Initiative and how it is paying off.

Lessons Learned from Head Start and Early Head Start: Innovations that Inform Early Childhood Care and Practice

Cathy Grace, Ed.D., Director of Early Childhood Development, Children’s Defense Fund Amanda Bryans, Director, Education and Comprehensive Services Division, Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Catherine McCarty, Vice President for Clayton Educare, Clayton Early Learning Sarah Sexton, Director, Center for the Advanced Study of Excellence Family, Infant and Preschool Program

Monday, July 23 1:30 – 3:00

Head Start and Early Head Start served more than 1 million low-income children and families in 2010. New Head Start standards will strengthen the program and accountability for services provided. Participants will learn about the best of Head Start and how local communities can partner and benefit from this unique American contribution to the early childhood field.

Focusing on the Needs of Black Male Infants and Toddlers: Building the Foundation for School Success

Cathy Grace, Ed.D., Director of Early Childhood Development, Children’s Defense Fund Lauren Hogan, Director of Public Policy, National Black Child Development Institute Iheoma U. Iruka, Ph.D., Investigator, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Rashanda Perryman, former Senior Policy Associate, Early Childhood Development, Children’s Defense Fund

Wednesday, July 25 1:30 – 3:00

Embracing Children Birth to Three: Comprehensive Services through State and Community Level Planning Monday, July 23 3:30 – 5:00

Black boys fare worse than their peers throughout their life course in education, social and economic domains. It doesn’t have to be this way. Infant and toddler early care providers can take steps early in life to close the pervasive gaps and make sure Black boys get off to a strong start. Panelists will discuss how intentional programming built around the specific needs of infant and toddler Black boys could have a positive impact on later life outcomes. Cathy Grace, Ed.D., Director of Early Childhood Development, Children’s Defense Fund Darneshia Bell, Arkansas Community Coordinator, Safe Babies Court Team Project, Zero to Three Cindy Oser, Senior Policy Analyst, Zero to Three A growing body of research has documented the crucial importance of early brain development in setting the foundation for a child’s future. Infants’ and toddlers’ physical, social-emotional, and cognitive development happen simultaneously, and meeting the needs of this population must occur across developmental domains. This session will provide an overview of the interconnectedness between early childhood programs, health and mental health care in the lives of infants and toddlers with a special focus on the needs of the most vulnerable young children—those in the child welfare system.

Parent Empowerment Mini-Plenary Sessions and Workshops Quality Home Visiting Programs: Connecting Young Children and Parents to the Help They Need

Judith Van Ginkel, Ph.D., President, Every Child Succeeds and Professor of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Nicole Barcliff, Senior Associate, Government Relations, The Pew Center on the States Stefanie Sprow, Child Welfare and Mental Health Policy Associate, Children’s Defense Fund Suzanne & Dillon Moore, Clients, Every Child Succeeds Barbara Smith, Caseworker, Every Child Succeeds

Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

Home visiting programs reduce child maltreatment and promote maternal and child health, positive child development, greater school readiness and parental involvement. They deliver support to parents where they are and on their own terms and link families to community resources. Learn about effective home visiting approaches and strategies to expand their reach across the country.

Parenting: The Key to Success for Young Children

Anita Brentley, Clinical Quality Assurance Specialist, Every Child Succeeds Ron Ferguson, Ph.D., Faculty Director, Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University

Wednesday, July 25 1:30 – 3:00 Maternal Depression: Helping Mothers, Helping Children Monday, July 23 3:30 – 5:00

Dr. Ron Ferguson, Director of Harvard University’s Achievement Gap Initiative, will facilitate a discussion of leading researchers and parent advocates on ways that parent behaviors and practices affect child and youth development and how parents can support and nurture their children. Marcie Jefferys, Ph.D., Policy Development Director, CDF-Minnesota Robert Ammerman, Ph.D., Scientific Director, Every Child Succeeds, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Patricia Schake, Project Director, Helping Families Raise Healthy Children, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization Undiagnosed and untreated maternal depression is not only dangerous for a mother but can have long-term harmful effects on her children. Infants and toddlers are very vulnerable to the effects of parental depression because of their total reliance on their caregivers. These risks continue to accumulate over time, making children more likely to suffer behavior and emotional problems, delayed language development, learning disorders and depression. The good news is that maternal depression is treatable, but promising policy approaches are often not fully implemented and effective programs operate on a small scale. Learn how states and communities can invest now in solutions that identify at-risk mothers and help them get the treatment they need.

Helping Fathers Build Strong Healthy Families Monday, July 23 1:30 – 3:00

Alan Farrell, Citywide Fatherhood Services Coordinator, Mayor’s Office of the City of New York - Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Kenneth Braswell, Executive Director, Fathers Incorporated Shawn Dove, Campaign Manager, Campaign for Black Male Achievement, Open Society Foundations More than 20 million children in America—one in four—live in absentee father homes. Over half of Black children are living without their fathers. Children living without their fathers are five times more likely to be poor. Learn about the importance of fathers in children’s lives and creative community and Black fatherhood initiatives to help men build strong and healthy families.

Education Mini-Plenary Sessions and Workshops Children Out of School in America: How Chronic Absenteeism Undercuts School Reforms Mini-Plenary Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

Comprehensive Community Approaches to Prepare Students for College and Productive Work Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

Building a Diverse Teacher Pipeline for America’s Schools Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

Leslie Cornfeld, Chair, New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s Interagency Task Force on Truancy, Chronic Absenteeism and School Engagement, and CDF Board Member Robert Balfanz, Ph.D., Associate Research Scientist, Center for Social Organization of Schools, and Co-Director, Everyone Graduates Center, John Hopkins University Hedy N. Chang, Director, Attendance Works Robert Balfanz’s recent landmark report The Importance of Being in School: A Report on Absenteeism in the Nation’s Schools, estimates that 5 to 7.5 million children are chronically absent, meaning they miss at least 10 percent – more than a month -- of a school year. Missing school matters: students need to attend school daily to succeed and those who are chronically absent can miss six months to over a year of school over a five year period. The prevalence and consequences of chronic absenteeism are particularly acute for children in high poverty areas. Despite the strong link between school attendance and academic success, only six states currently track chronic absences. This session will describe how chronic absenteeism is fueling the achievement gap, the dropout crisis and youth involvement in the Cradle to Prison Pipeline™. Learn about effective, comprehensive and collaborative strategies being used to get children to school and keep them there, including Mayor Bloomberg’s Interagency Task Force on Chronic Absenteeism in New York City, and the Attendance Works initiative, which works with school districts to track and address chronic absenteeism. Greg Landsman, Executive Director, The Strive Partnership, Knowledge Works Kate Shoemaker, Policy Director, Harlem Children’s Zone Michael McAfee, Ed.D., Director, Promise Neighborhoods Institute at PolicyLink Building on the success of community programs like the Harlem Children’s Zone and the Strive Partnership, the U.S. Department of Education established the Promise Neighborhoods program in 2010 to support comprehensive community systems to provide children with high quality health, social, community and educational support from birth through the transition to adulthood. Panelists will share results, opportunities and challenges experienced by the Harlem Children’s Zone, the Strive Partnership, Promise Neighborhood grantees, and other community models that work. Jeanne Middleton-Hairston, Ed.D., National Director, CDF Freedom Schools Program Terry L. Butler, Vice President, College Pathway Program, Cuyahoga Community College Sherell Fuller, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Reaching and Elementary Education, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Tambra Jackson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Instruction and Teacher Education, University of South Carolina Derek Musgrove, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History, University of Maryland

Research indicates that children of color and low-income children thrive with mentors and teachers who demonstrate their care for them in a culturally sensitive manner. Only seven percent of public school teachers today are Black and seven percent are Latino, and less than four percent are Black or Latino males. At a time when one million teachers will retire over the next three to four years, we have an opportunity to bring needed diversity to the teaching profession and transform child outcomes in a major way. This session will discuss strategies to create a pipeline of Black and Latino teachers in rural and urban environments, including the CDF Freedom Schools® program and other models. America’s Public Schools: Still Unequal and Unjust Monday, July 23 1:30 – 3:00

Promoting College Readiness and Success Monday, July 23 3:30 – 5:00

Doris Terry Williams, Ed.D., Executive Director, The Rural School and Community Trust Lynn Jennings, Legislative Affairs Associate, The Education Trust Molly Hunter, Director, Education Justice, Education Law Center of New Jersey Sonya Douglass Horsford, Ed.D., Senior Resident Scholar of Education, Lincy Institute at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas Millions of children in America are denied the opportunity to receive a fair and high quality education. In March, the U.S. Department of Education released new information showing that children of color face harsher discipline, have more limited access to rigorous course offerings, and are more often taught by lower paid and less experienced teachers. Instead of serving as “the great equalizer,” American public education is serving as a portal to the Cradle to Prison PipelineTM for millions of poor children and children of color, stunting their lives through school dropouts, arrests, and incarceration. Learn from leading education advocates about what you can do to improve equity in the classroom and ensure a high quality public education for every child. Bryan Joffe, Project Director for Education and Youth Development, American Association of School Administrators Kathlyn Burkhardt, Ed.D., Superintendent, Erlanger-Elsmere Independent Schools, KY Karen E. Napier, Director, Education Initiatives, Metro United Way, Louisville, KY N. Jean Walker, Ph.D., Vice President for Education, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta Schools and communities send powerful implicit and explicit messages to children about life expectations beyond high school. The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) has launched, with multiple partners, the Ready by 21 initiative to build systems of support for children from birth to adulthood to ensure that all children are ready for college, work and life. Learn about how Ready by 21 engages schools, businesses, youth-serving and government agencies to increase college preparation, access, and success and transform schools into launch pads for higher learning.

Misclassification of Children in Special Education: How to Get Children the Help They Need!

Nancy Tidwell, Founder & President, National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilities Peggy McLeod, Ed.D., Education Consultant to the National Council of La Raza and former Executive Director of Student Services for Alexandria (VA) Public Schools Will Kinder, Education Policy Associate, Children’s Defense Fund

Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

As we work to level the playing field for all students, we must stop the inappropriate placement of children in special education—a longstanding problem in school districts across the country. A child’s race, gender and ethnicity significantly influence the child’s probability of being misclassified and inappropriately placed in special education programs. Learn more about the misclassification of children in special education and steps you can take on behalf of individual children and groups of children.

Child Welfare Mini-Plenary Sessions and Workshops Helping Children Who Witness Domestic Violence

Kiersten Stewart, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Futures Without Violence Kristin Shrimplin, Director, Family Violence Prevention Project, YWCA of Greater Cincinnati MaryLee Allen, Director, Child Welfare and Mental Health, Children’s Defense Fund Theresa Singleton, Director, Protection from Abuse, YWCA of Greater Cincinnati

Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

As many as 10 million children witness acts of domestic violence each year. If left untreated, negative consequences follow them to school and throughout their lives. The best way to help many of these children is to help their abused parent. Learn how to aid the silent victims and families enduring domestic violence.

Strengthening Families to Protect Children from Abuse and Neglect

MaryLee Allen, Director, Child Welfare and Mental Health, Children’s Defense Fund Patricia Valentine, Executive Deputy Director for Integrated Program Services, Allegheny County Department of Human Services Kathy Goetz Wolf, Project Director, Strengthening Families Illinois, and Founder & CEO, Be Strong Families Christine Zielinski, Litigation Supervisor, Center for Family Representation, Inc.

Monday, July 23 1:30 – 3:00

A child is abused or neglected every 47 seconds; almost 80 percent of these children are victims of neglect. Many of these maltreated children receive no services. This session will examine strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect and keep children safely at home with their families, and what advocates can do to promote needed federal reforms. Finding Permanent Families for Children in Foster Care Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

JooYeun Chang, Senior Director, Public Policy, Casey Family Programs Rita L. Soronen, President & CEO, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Home for Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Larissa L. Spell-Berger, Family Finding Program Supervisor, Children’s Home Society of North Carolina Christine Zielinski, Litigation Supervisor, Center for Family Representation More than 107,000 children in foster care are waiting for permanent adoptive families. An estimated 28,000 youth age out of care each year without being reunified with family members or adopted. Participants will learn about efforts to find permanent families for children and connect children with relatives when they first enter foster care.

Educational Stability and Success: A Goal for Every Child in Foster Care Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children: Supporting Our Unsung Heroes Wednesday, July 25 1:30 – 3:00

Kathleen McNaught, Assistant Director, American Bar Association Center for Children and the Law Elaine Fink, Managing Attorney, Children’s Advocacy, Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio, LLC Carla Guenthner, Chief Magistrate, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division Dauntea Sledge, Media Spokesperson, Ohio Youth Advisory Board, 2011 FosterClub All-Star Many of the more than 400,000 children in foster care have multiple special needs and face unique educational challenges. The trauma of abuse, neglect and removal from their families, compounded by multiple moves from home to home and school to school, creates enormous barriers to success. This session will examine how child welfare and education agencies are working together to ensure greater educational stability and success for children. Mary Bissell, Partner, ChildFocus Dionne Simmons, Program Director, Kinship Caregiver Coalition, Center for Healthy Communities, Wright State University Connie Siskowski, Ph.D., President, American Association of Caregiving Youth More than 2.7 million children live with grandparents or other relatives without their parents present. Grandparents and other relatives are stepping in to care for children whose parents are challenged by substance abuse, mental health and other problems. Learn how you can help support these caregivers and children in your own communities. This session will also focus on the thousands of school-age children caring for adult relatives with special needs who need your support.

Community and Youth Violence Mini-Plenary Sessions and Workshops Take Action to Protect Children, Not Guns: Community Responses to Address Trauma and Violence Mini-Plenary Monday, July 23 1:30 – 3:00

How Do We Raise Strong Healthy Black Boys and Men? An Honest Conversation to Promote Hope and Healing

Toby Hoover, Executive Director, Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence Dr. Victor Garcia, Pediatric Surgeon and Founding Director, Trauma Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Co-Chair, CoreChange The Rev. Dr. Ray Hammond, Co-Founder, Boston TenPoint Coalition Roy Martin, Senior Youth Development Specialist, Boston Public Health Commission Daniel Webster, Co-Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research In 2008 and 2009, 5,740 children and teens were killed by guns, more than all the U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The leading cause of death among Black teens ages 15 to 19 in these two years was gun homicide. The number of preschoolers killed by guns in 2008 (88) and 2009 (85) was nearly double the number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2008 (41) and 2009 (48). Gun violence and trauma have tragic impacts on children, youths, young adults, families and communities across generations. Learn about the inspiring work of community leaders who are working to end gun violence, address the root causes of youth and community violence, and take action to protect children, not guns. Dr. John A. Rich, Professor and Chair, Department of Health Management and Policy, Drexel University School of Public Health and author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Trauma and Violence in the Lives of Young Black Men Dr. Theodore Corbin, Director, Healing Hurt People project, Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice, Drexel University Kenneth V. Hardy, Ph.D., Professor of Family Therapy, Drexel University and Director of the Eikenberg Institute for Relationships Roy Martin, Senior Youth Development Specialist, Boston Public Health Commission

Mini-Plenary Wednesday, July 25 1:30 – 3:00

Dismantling Structural Racism in All Child Serving Systems Wednesday, July 25 1:30 – 3:00

Preventing Youth Violence and Bullying Monday, July 23 3:30 – 5:00

Dr. John Rich, critically acclaimed author of the book Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Trauma and Violence in the Lives of Young Black Men, will facilitate an honest conversation with a distinguished panel of physicians, community leaders and survivors of violence and trauma about the challenges of growing into adulthood as a strong Black man in America. How do we confront the reality of young Black boys being fast forwarded into manhood as children? How do we teach boys and men of color to survive while preserving their confidence, sense of self and dignity? Learn about promising approaches to promote healing for boys and men of color, help them cope with trauma and toxic stress, and foster truth and reconciliation at the individual and community levels. Jaime T. Koppel, Senior Program Associate, CDF-New York Ronald Chisom, Co-Founder, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond Kimberley Richards, Ph.D., Organizer and Trainer, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond The evidence is clear: racial discrimination and overrepresentation of minority children plague our child serving systems. The same is true when youths interact with police in juvenile and criminal justice settings. This session will challenge participants to analyze the structure of power and privilege that leads to injustice and learn how to effectively address structural racism in their work. Thomas Maridada, Ph.D., Director of Education Policy, Practice and Strategic Initiatives Chandra Banks, Conflict Mediator, Cambridge Public Schools Blaine Griffin, Director of Community Relations, City of Cleveland, Ohio R. Ashley Jackson, Advocate, Southern Poverty Law Center Billie Weiss, Associate Director of the Southern California Injury Research Center at UCLA and National Co-Chair of UNITY Prevention and early intervention efforts in schools and communities can help stop violence before it starts. Learn about successful strategies to build community supports for youths, resolve conflicts in nonviolent ways, stop bullying, and keep youths engaged and learning.

Enslaved in America: Child Sex Trafficking and the Criminalization of its Victims Rather than Perpetrators Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

Jessi Leigh Swenson, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Human Rights Project for Girls Kathleen King, Senior Policy Associate, Child Health, Children’s Defense Fund Kiersten Stewart, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Futures Without Violence Yali Lincroft, Child & Family Policy Consultant, First Focus Campaign for Children Every year, as many as 300,000 children between the ages of 11 and 17 are at risk of being sold for sex as part of the child sex trafficking industry in America. Most are girls lured, tricked or coerced by pimps into the sex trade. Too often they are treated not as victims, but as criminals. Learn more about the domestic sex trafficking of girls, the role of the internet, and how to stop this modern enslavement.

Juvenile Justice and Mass Incarceration Mini-Plenary Sessions and Workshops Ending Zero Tolerance School Discipline Policies and the Criminalization of Children at Increasingly Younger Ages Mini-Plenary Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

Profiting from Mass Incarceration: The Privatization of Prisons Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

Elaine Jones, Former Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. Russlynn Ali, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education Judith Browne-Dianis, Co-Director, The Advancement Project Janet Connors, Community Fellow and Trainer, Center for Restorative Justice at Suffolk University and Leadership Team Member, Mothers for Justice and Equality Ricardo Martinez, Co-Director, Padres y Jóvenes Unidos The U.S. Department of Education projected that there were more than 3.3 million out-of-school suspensions and 128,570 expulsions in 2006. Zero tolerance school discipline policies are a key feeder system into the Cradle to Prison Pipeline™, increasing the use of suspension and expulsion for students who do not pose a threat to school safety, disconnecting students from school and criminalizing children at increasingly younger ages. How can 6-, 7- and 8-year-old children be arrested and handcuffed on school grounds for nonviolent offenses without a huge community outcry? This session will address the role of zero tolerance school discipline policies in fueling the drop out crisis and profile compelling organizing strategies that have engaged youths and parents directly affected by harsh discipline policies in successful campaigns to modify school policies and procedures, to institute restorative justice models, and to create positive learning environments for all children. Alex Friedmann, Associate Director, Human Rights Center, Associate Editor, Prison Legal News Tracy Velazquez, Executive Director, Justice Policy Institute Zach Schiller, Research Director, Policy Matters Ohio America is the world’s biggest jailer and our prison population has exploded from 300,000 to more than two million in a few short decades. Over the past 15 years, the number of all prisoners in the United States increased by 49.6 percent, while private prison populations increased by 353.7 percent. With combined revenues of $2.9 billion in 2010, the two largest private prison companies—Corrections Corporation of America and the GEO Group—reap profits from public dollars while aggressively expanding their reach. The Corrections Corporations of America (CCA) has proposed to 48 governors that they contract with CCA to run their prisons for 20 years with a 90% guaranteed occupancy rate. Learn about the role these two corporations, aided by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), play in fueling the Cradle to Prison Pipeline and mass incarceration of Black males and what you can do to stop the rampant growth of incarceration and privatized prisons.

Promoting Fair and Developmentally Appropriate Sentencing for Youths Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

Innovations in Juvenile Justice System Reform, Diversion, and Reentry: Moving Children Out of the Pipeline Monday, July 23 1:30 – 3:00

Erin Davies, Public Policy Attorney, Children’s Law Center, Inc. Gregory Johnson, Field Organizer, Campaign for Youth Justice Jody Kent Lavy, Director & National Coordinator, Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth Kim McGill, Director, Youth Justice Coalition In the 1990s policymakers across the country expanded laws sending more children to adult court, imposed mandatory sentencing laws, and lowered the age at which children could be prosecuted as adults. Today approximately 200,000 children and youths are tried, sentenced, or incarcerated as adults every year. More than 2,500 people have been sentenced to die in prison with no opportunity for parole for acts they committed as children, and the vast majority of these individuals are people of color. New research reveals that children who have committed serious crimes are capable of becoming productive members of society because their brains are still developing. As the Supreme Court found in Graham v. Florida, “juvenile offenders cannot with reliability be classified among the worst offenders.” Learn about action you can take to promote fair and developmentally appropriate sentencing policies and rehabilitative services for incarcerated youths, end the holding of children in adult jails and challenge death in prison sentences for juveniles. Corryne Deliberto, Senior Domestic Policy Advisor, World Vision Dennis Atherton, JDAI Technical Advisor, Annie E. Casey Foundation James Bell, Founder and Executive Director, W. Haywood Burns Institute Pili Robinson, Director of Consulting, Missouri Youth Services Institute Wilfredo Lopez, Domestic Violence and Restorative Justice Facilitator, Homeboy Industries Every night approximately 87,000 youth are housed in juvenile facilities and 10,000 youth are held in adult jails and prisons. Children of color constitute about two-thirds of youths in the juvenile justice system. This session will examine juvenile justice reform strategies including front end diversion programs to prevent children from entering the juvenile justice system; approaches such as the “Missouri Miracle” that have significantly reduced recidivism through a focus on rehabilitation of youths in detention facilities; and promising reentry programs to facilitate children’s return to community.

Meeting the Educational Needs of Youth in Detention

Angelica Salazar, Children’s Defense Fund David Domenici, Co-Founder, See Forever Foundation David Sapp, Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California Lia Venchi, Teacher, Stadium View School

Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

Children in the juvenile justice system disproportionately struggle with learning disabilities; nearly half function below grade level. The quality of education in juvenile justice facilities varies dramatically within and between states. Discuss the great educational challenges facing detained youth and best practices for ensuring children truly benefit from this “last-chance opportunity” to get back on track.

Reaching Children of Incarcerated Parents

Ann Adalist-Estrin, Director, National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated The Rev. Mark V. Scott, Associate Pastor, Azusa Christian Community Yali Lincroft, Child & Family Policy Consultant, First Focus Campaign for Children

Monday, July 23 3:30 – 5:00

More than 1.7 million children have a parent in prison, and about 45 percent of these children are Black. Black children are more than seven times as likely and Hispanic children more than two and a half times as likely as White children to have a parent in prison. More than 800,000 parents of minor children are in prison. About eight percent are mothers. How are children affected by the incarceration of their parents? How are entire communities affected by intergenerational incarceration? This session will focus on effective strategies for addressing the unique needs of children of incarcerated parents.

Dismantling the Cradle to Prison Pipeline: Successful State and Community Efforts Tuesday, July 24 10:45 – 12:15

Don’t Forget the Girls! Wednesday, July 25 1:30 – 3:00

Avery Irons, Director of Youth Justice Programs, CDF-New York Barbara Best, Director of Foundation Relations and Special Projects, Children’s Defense Fund Mary Joseph, Director, CDF-Louisiana Portia Ballard Espy, Chief Administrative Officer, CDF Southern Regional Office The Rev. Emma Jordan Simpson, Executive Director, CDF-New York

The Cradle to Prison Pipeline is a national crisis that leaves a Black boy born in 2001 with a one in three chance of going to prison in his lifetime and a Latino boy a one in six risk of the same fate. The pipeline is fueled by racial disparities, pervasive poverty, trauma, inadequate health and mental health care, gaps in early childhood development, disparate educational opportunities, chronic abuse and neglect, and overburdened and ineffective juvenile justice systems. Learn how CDF-led coalitions in New York, Massachusetts, California and Mississippi have organized to take action on specific pipeline impact points, such as closing costly and ineffective youth prisons and promoting alternatives to zero tolerance school discipline policies. Joffe Wright, Student, Albany State University K. Shakira Washington, Human Rights Project for Girls Kathy Szafran, President & CEO, Crittenton Services, Inc. Winifred Green, President, Southern Coalition for Educational Equity, and Board Member, Children's Defense Fund Girls are the fastest growing population in the juvenile justice system and face increasing risk of entering the Cradle to Prison Pipeline and adult prisons. A Black girl born in 2001 has a one in seventeen lifetime chance of going to prison and a Latina girl a one in forty-five risk of the same fate. The majority of girls in the system have histories of abuse, an estimated 70 percent have been exposed to trauma, and as many as three-quarters have a diagnosed mental health disorder. Increasingly, girls from the child welfare and juvenile systems and girls who have run away are being pulled into sex trafficking. Join a vibrant discussion about what’s happening to girls at risk and what you can do to keep them out of the prison pipeline.

Tough Immigration Laws: Tough on Children

Carlos Amador, Project Coordinator, Dream Resource Center, UCLA Kent Wong, Director, Center for Labor Research and Education, UCLA Sofia Campos, Graduate, UCLA

Tuesday, July 24 4:30 – 6:00

Alabama has passed the toughest immigration enforcement law in the country. Now children born in the U.S.A., American citizens, are living in fear. Some children are afraid to go to school. In Alabama, 85 percent of the children of undocumented immigrants live in ‘mixed status’ families, often meaning the children are citizens but one or more of the parents are not. The result is that thousands of Alabama parents and children now live in constant fear of separation. In the first six months of 2011, more than 46,000 mothers and fathers of U.S.-citizen children were deported. There are at least 5,100 children currently living in foster care whose parents have been either detained or deported. These deportations destroy families and endanger the children who are separated from their families. This session will focus attention on the devastating impact of harsh immigration laws and deportations on immigrant and citizen children and their families and what you can do to take action against fear, repression, and profiling and protect and care for all children.