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WCCF Publication Archive (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, Prior to 2006)

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2010

Performance Bonus Funds for Children’s Health Coverage. This is a one-page WCCF background paper about the $23 million performance bonus funding Wisconsin is receiving for its success in cutting red tape and increasing enrollment of low-income children in BadgerCare Plus (December 24, 2010).

New Year Brings At Least $210 Million in New Tax Cuts: Phased-In Cuts Contribut to Structural Deficit. At least eight new or expanded state tax cuts and tax credits will go into effect at the beginning of 2011. These tax changes add up to an estimated $210 million cut in state taxes over the 2011-13 biennium. Phased-in tax cuts are easier to enact than cuts that go into full effect immediately, because the revenue impact is not felt until later down the road. But when the full cost is realized, legislators must either reduce spending or find other sources of revenue (December 2010).

Pathways Brief #3: The Current Status of Wisconsin’s Child Care Workforce.
This policy brief is the third in a series exploring career pathways and the connection to higher education. The results of a recent survey of the ECE workforce shed a light on such issues as retention and quality in early care and education, and suggest that efforts to address turnover and improve quality are on the right track. The survey reveals strengths and obstacles of the Early Care and Education profession (Fall 2010).

New Spending Figures Show Difficulty of Making Deep Cuts, Most State Spending is for Local Services, Other Popular Programs - This issue brief, based on figures released by the Wisconsin Department of Administration, examines a couple of key characteristics of our state budget that make major spending cuts particularly painful (October, 2010).

The Unique History of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten in Wisconsin. This policy brief examines the remarkable history of 4-year-old Kindergarten (4K) in Wisconsin. The paper explores key developments, starting with the inclusion of education for 4-year-olds in the 1848 Constitution and the establishment of first private kindergarten in the country in Watertown in 1856, and follows the surge in public education for 4-year-olds in the late 1800s, the decline from 1920-1970, and the resurgence from 1980-2010.  The policy brief examines the causes of the rapid growth in the last 15 years and the emergence of the community approach to 4K, and lays out several implications for the future. This is the sixth document in the Great Start Series (September 2010).

Wisconsin State and Local Government Employment Levels - This issue brief analyzes new Census Bureau data on public sector employment in Wisconsin in 2009, as well as more current Bureau of Labor Statistics data on government employment. Our analysis found that Wisconsin has 4.4 percent fewer state and local government employees per capita in 2009 than the national average, ranking 38th (September 9, 2010).

Wisconsin Schools Slip Toward Average in Spending and Class Size - This two-page paper analyzes recent trends in education in Wisconsin, including per pupil spending, state support for schools, and student-teacher ratios. Once a national leader in educational innovation, in the past few years Wisconsin has fallen closer to the national average in many measures of educational support (August 31, 2010).

The Recovery Act: Direct Benefits in Wisconsin, Six Provisions Benefit Wisconsin Residents by More Than $3 Billion -- This paper analyzes the county-by-county distribution for Wisconsinites of the funding from direct benefits in the Recovery Act, which is about to celebrate its 18-month anniversary. Six types of direct benefits provided by the Act generated more than $3 billion for Wisconsin residents between February 2009 and May 2010. Wisconsin residents have received an average of $532 in direct benefits per person (August 16, 2010).

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Medicaid Fiscal Relief – An Effective Prescription for an Ailing Economy -- This report examines the role that enhanced federal Medicaid cost-sharing has played in helping Wisconsin cope with a huge drop in employer-sponsored insurance during the recession(August 5, 2010).

2009-10 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (August 2010).

Tables for Annual, Monthly and Hourly Earnings at various percentages of
FPL (August 2010).    

New Census Data on State and Local Spending and Revenue – This two-page paper analyzes new Census Bureau data on state and local spending and taxes in fiscal year 2007-08. The paper illustrates how Wisconsin’s rankings on a wide variety of revenue and spending measures have fallen since 2000, relative to other states. For example, Wisconsin has dropped to 22nd in direct general spending per capita, down from 12th highest in 2000. Total state and local taxes per capita were $40 less per person than the national average (July 19, 2010).

Major CHIPRA Provisions – Comments, Questions and Recommendations Relating to Wisconsin Implementation  -- The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) has given states additional funding and numerous policy options that can help protect and improve access to health insurance for children.  This issue brief summarizes and comments on the more significant CHIPRA provisions and what they mean for Wisconsin. It also identifies some of the remaining questions that need to be answered before advocates and state policy makers decide which additional CHIPRA options should be priorities for implementation in Wisconsin (Updated July 8, 2010).

Pathways Brief # 2: Attracting, Supporting and Retaining a Qualified Workforce. This policy brief is the second in a series exploring career pathways and the connection to higher education. There are many challenges facing child care workers including low compensation, lack of professional development support, and high turnover. The recent passage of Wisconsin’s QRIS program, YoungStar is a hopeful step in the right direction toward addressing these issues (Summer 2010).

Comparing Wisconsin to Other States in the Ratio of Manufacturing to Government Jobs. This Wisconsin Budget Project brief examines how Wisconsin compares to other states in the ratio of manufacturing jobs to government jobs. Although that ratio has recently fallen below 1.0 in Wisconsin, our analysis found that no other state had a higher ratio of manufacturing jobs to government jobs in 2009 than Wisconsin, and only Indiana comes close (July 8, 2010).

TANF Emergency Fund Helps Cushion Effects of the Recession and Creates Options for State Policymakers. This issue paper examines the role of the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund (authorized by the Recovery Act) in helping Wisconsin cope with sharp increases in W-2 caseloads and higher spending for the state earned income tax credit, and in initiating a transitional jobs demonstration program (June 22, 2010).

Child Maltreatment Prevention: Where We Stand and Directions for the Future. This is a series of reports released by the Wisconsin Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) and the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families (WCCF) that detail the results of a year long survey of county prevention programs (June 2010).

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Infants and Toddlers: Crucial Years of Development. This is the fifth document in the Great Start Series and is a joint publication of WCCF and the Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health.  The report focuses on the incredible opportunities we have to shape the path of children by building strong relationships, promoting social and emotional competence, supporting attachment and self-regulation, and ensuring that all infants and toddlers have access to the foundation for life-long learning.  Infant and toddler services are often neglected in public policy discussions.  It is time for Wisconsin to translate what we know from science about the needs of infants and toddlers into effective, evidence-based policies and practices (May 2010).

Pathways Brief # 1: Credit for Prior Learning. This policy brief is the first in a series exploring career pathways and the connection to higher education. Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) is one promising approach that builds on the foundation of experience and non-credit based training that many in the ECE workforce already have. The goal of CPL is to help jumpstart child care teachers/providers to pursue a tech college AA degree (Spring 2010).

Major CHIPRA Provisions – Comments, Questions and Tentative Recommendations Relating to Wisconsin Implementation  -- The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) has given states additional funding and numerous policy options that can help protect and improve access to health insurance for children.  This issue brief summarizes and comments on the more significant CHIPRA provisions and what they mean for Wisconsin. It also identifies some of the remaining questions that need to be answered before advocates and state policy makers decide which additional CHIPRA options should be priorities for implementation in Wisconsin.  (Updated March 30, 2010).

New Census Data on State and Local Spending and Revenue – This two-page paper analyzes new Census Bureau data on state and local spending and taxes in fiscal year 2006-07. The paper illustrates how Wisconsin’s rankings on a wide variety of revenue and spending measures have fallen since 2000, relative to other states. For example, Wisconsin has dropped to 25th in total state and local spending per capita, down from 14th highest in 2000. Total state and local taxes per capita were $65 less per person than the national average (March 2010).

Do you want six simple reasons why jurisdiction over 17 year-old offenders should be changed back to juvenile court?  Then check out this short and simple Policy Brief, Returning 17-year-olds to the Juvenile Justice system: A Smart Choice for our Communities and our Youth,  which you can use to help inform others that in terms of a cost-benefit to the state, reducing victimization and recidivism, and redirecting 17 year-old offenders, there is only one logical decision.   

Immigrants and BadgerCare Plus –This short fact sheet answers questions about the eligibility of immigrants for BadgerCare Plus and Medicaid.  It was originally prepared by the Department of Health Services and was updated by WCCF to reflect the expansion of coverage to certain lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant women (February 13, 2010).

Sorting Out Which Immigrant Groups Are Eligible for BadgerCare Plus – This short paper examines which immigrant groups are and aren’t affected by Wisconsin’s implementation of the option to allow lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant immigrants to participate in BadgerCare Plus. It notes that there is still some uncertainty about whether the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will allow certain additional categories of immigrants to be covered (February 12, 2010).

2009-10 WisKids Count Data Book, Jobs Count: Helping Wisconsin Families Thrive Through New Opportunities. Read the WCCF press release and view the 2009-10 WisKids Count Data Book.

Comparing the House and Senate Health Care Reform Bills – This document summarizes some of the similarities between the House and Senate health care reform bills and includes a side-by-side comparison of many of the differences, particularly with respect to the issue areas most relevant to coverage of children and families (January 29, 2010).

Building On Our Strength: Achieving Equity in Health Outcomes for Children and Families in Wisconsin. This brief examines the state’s race-based disparities in a number of key health indicators, and recommends several strategies for addressing these gaps (Winter 2010).  See the WCCF press release and read the report.

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2009

Tax Credits Chart for Low Income Families (English), December, 2009 
Tax Credits Chart for Low Income Families (Spanish), December, 2009
Tax Credits Chart for Low Income Families (Hmong), December, 2009  

Wisconsin Early Care and Education Landscape: Planning for a Coherent System.
This comprehensive report explores trends in early care and education (ECE), including access to services and the quality of programs, across several sectors: child care, 4-year-old Kindergarten, Head Start and Early Head Start, services to children with disabilities, and home visiting programs.  The report also reviews ECE systems in other states and provides options for Wisconsin to consider in planning for an effective statewide early learning system (November 2009). Also, see the Executive Summary.

Lead Poisoning and Juvenile Delinquency. Juvenile Justice professionals historically have overlooked some of the organic factors that are linked to delinquency and a host of other risk behaviors in adolescents.  One of those factors that we now know has had and can pose significant harm to children, and ultimately teens, is exposure to lead poisoning – that found in paint in older homes, toys that include lead in the paint, and other contaminant sources.  The Council has just posted a Policy Brief titled Lead Poisoning and Juvenile Delinquency which provides some basic information and links to where juvenile justice, child welfare, and early education professionals can go to learn more about how to prevent another generation of at-risk kids experiencing the same risk.  We’ve come to accept that childhood brain development plays a big role in the subsequent behavior of teens, and exposure to lead poisoning can reduce IQ, reduce a child’s attention span, slow health body growth and development, and increase the risk of aggressive behavior(s) (November 2009).

Pew Report Assessed Budget Challenges, not the Budget Solutions - A recent report by the Pew Center on the States ranked states on the basis of the magnitude of the fiscal challenges they faced this year as lawmakers crafted state budget bills.  It put Wisconsin among the 10 states facing the most fiscal peril.  This very brief paper summarizes the methodology used in that ranking and explains why it shouldn’t be misconstrued as an assessment of the budgets adopted in each state (November 13, 2009).

New Census Data on State and Local Government Employment – This two-page paper analyzes new Census Bureau data on state and local government employment and payrolls in 2008.  Our analysis examines how Wisconsin compares to other states with respect to the public workforce and payroll, and how those rankings have changed over time (November 3, 2009).

Improving Health Care for Pregnant Immigrants in Wisconsin – This paper examines the implications of lifting the 5-year bar on eligibility for certain pregnant immigrants, which has the effect of moving these women from BadgerCare Plus Prenatal to full BadgerCare Plus coverage.  It also briefly examines how the new federal CHIP law may enable the state to increase the federal share of the costs it is already incurring for births by immigrants, and how that law can ensure that all immigrant women have access to postpartum services (October 26, 2009).   

Summary of Health Care Highlights of the 2009-11 Budget – This short paper provides a synopsis of the major provisions relating to health care in the 2009-11 budget bill (October 22, 2009).

New Census Data on State and Local Spending and Revenue – This two-page paper analyzes new Census Bureau data on state and local spending and taxes in fiscal year 2006-07. The paper illustrates how Wisconsin’s rankings on a wide variety of revenue and spending measures have fallen since 2000, relative to other states. For example, Wisconsin has dropped to 25th in total state and local spending per capita, down from 14th highest in 2000. Total state and local taxes per capita were $65 less per person than the national average (October 9, 2009).

Health Care Highlights of the 2009-11 Budget – This paper provides an overview of the major provisions relating to health care in the 2009-11 budget bill and looks ahead to the challenges the state will face in 2011-13 (September 8, 2009).

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The Adam Walsh Act and Wisconsin: One-Size-Fits-All Registration Does Not Fit Everyone . This report provides a brief update of the Adam Walsh Act and the SORNA guidelines that have been adopted to date as well as some information about how those guidelines could impact youth in Wisconsin who have been adjudicated delinquent for a sexual offense.  The research is clear that juveniles who offend sexually are much different than adult perpetrators and should be treated differently (Summer 2009).

New Opportunities to Protect and Improve BadgerCare Plus – This paper reviews the opportunities for Wisconsin to improve BadgerCare Plus and capture additional federal funding by utilizing options presented in the Children’s’ Health Program Reauthorization Act” (July 17, 2009).

Reauthorizing the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act - A Big Step Forward. You may recall that Senator Kohl co-sponsored the introduction of the re-authorized Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act in March as Senate Bill 678. Senate action on this bill is still pending, but the bill reaffirms the federal commitment to sound practices in juvenile justice and provides greater direction to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in assisting states to achieve its goals. Check out this policy brief - Reauthorizing the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act - A Big Step Forward to learn more about what reauthorization could mean for Wisconsin (July 2009).

Great Investment: The Economic Benefits of Investing in Early Learning. This policy brief explores the importance of early brain development, the extraordinary research on the positive effects of high-quality early childhood programs, the strong return on investment from early childhood interventions, and implications for public policy in Wisconsin (July 2009).

Taxation of Capital Gains in Wisconsin -- Wisconsin is one of nine states that provide a tax break for capital gains.  That tax exclusion has become a hot topic after the state Senate voted on June 17 to eliminate the tax break for such income, in lieu of creating a new oil company tax.  This issue brief provides some basic information relevant to the debate about taxing capital gains (June 22, 2009).

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Health Insurance Coverage of Childless Adults Scheduled to Begin in July – Wisconsin starts taking applications on June 15 for the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan – a basic health insurance plan for low-income childless adults. Coverage begins after July 15. This paper summarizes the plan, examines the gap in coverage it fills, and explains why the state is proceeding with the long-awaited coverage, despite the recession (June 4, 2009).

Additional Options for Closing Wisconsin’s Budget Shortfall – This short paper explains four options for generating additional revenue in the biennial budget
(May 4, 2009).

2009 Vision 2020 Report Card: Wisconsin Can Do More to Help Low-Income Families Succeed. The new grades are out! See report card and full report (May 2009).

BadgerCare Plus: Coverage of Childless Adults – The budget repair bill signed into law on February 19, 2009, contains funding to allow the state to proceed with plans to offer basic health insurance coverage for low-income adults without dependent children, beginning on July 1, 2009. We have updated this short paper, which describes the need for coverage of childless adults, provides a short summary of the new coverage, and contains links to other resources (March 3, 2009).

“Wisconsin Priorities Regarding Congressional Reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).” This policy brief summarizes the most important issues for Wisconsin in the Congressional debate this year over SCHIP  (January 9, 2009). 

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2008:

Tax Credits Chart for Low Income Families (English), December, 2008 
Tax Credits Chart for Low Income Families (Spanish), December, 2008
Tax Credits Chart for Low Income Families (Hmong), December, 2008  

Let's Start at the Very Beginning: A Very Good Place to Start (Fall 2008). Our new report outlines the importance of quality early childhood experiences in closing the achievement gap.

Great Plan for Wisconsin: A System for Early Care and Education. This short policy brief examines the ingredients in a quality early care and education system to improve the early learning options for children (November 2008).

Great Services: Components of a High-Quality Early Care and Education Program (October 2008). This short policy brief reviews the research on five components of an effective, high-quality early care and education program.

Small is Beautiful: Staff-Child Ratios and Group Size in Early Care and Education (Fall 2008) is the fourth in a WCCF series called "Quality Matters: A Policy Brief Series on Early Care and Education." This policy brief explores research on the importance of appropriate ratios and group size, reviews requirements in Wisconsin ECE settings, and offers implications for Wisconsin public policy.

Getting Ready: Curriculum Elements for Early Learning (Fall 2008) is the fifth in a WCCF series called "Quality Matters: A Policy Brief Series on Early Care and Education." This policy brief examines relevant research on curriculum, components of a well-designed curriculum, and implications for public policy.

Willing and Able, But Not Eligible (September 2008). More working adults are finding that they need to return to school to gain a credential and the skills employers are calling for. Financial aid is critical for many of these adults who are confronted with rising college costs along with the need to pay their mortgage and put food on the table. Wisconsin’s financial aid tools, however, are designed with the traditional student in mind. This new issue brief from WCCF examines Wisconsin’s financial aid eligibility gaps and makes recommendations for reform.

More Than Fun and Games: Quality Out of School Time for All Kids Makes a Difference in School (Summer, 2008)

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Risking Their Futures: Why trying nonviolent 17-year-olds as adults is bad policy for Wisconsin (August 2008).  WCCF analyzed 1,000 17-year olds for over six years to track their recidivism rates after an adult conviction.  Overall 70 percent of the youth committed new crimes, and 80 percent of the youth who were jailed committed new crimes.

Reexamining (Part of) Wisconsin's Approach to Assisting the Unemployed: Are We Due for Changes in W-2? (July/August 2008). The launch of the new Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, which now administers W-2, suggests an appropriate time to reexamine the program's effectiveness and consider policy changes that could improve outcomes for low-income families and their kids.

Wisconsin Children in Immigrant Families (June 2008). New neighbors find success, face challenges. WCCF report highlights well-being of Wisconsin children in immigrant families.

Aiding Success: Workforce and Financial Aid Trends Call for Increased Funding of Wisconsin Higher Education Grants for Technical College Students (June 2008). The Technical Colleges are a critical component of the state’s workforce development efforts. And for many working parents the flexible occupational programs offered there are a sure route to greater economic security for their families. Financial aid for these students, however, has not kept pace with increased costs and increased demand for aid awards. In this issue brief WCCF researchers examine recent trends and offer alternative funding approaches to financial aid for technical college students.

Parents as Partners in Early Education (Spring 2008) is the third in a WCCF series called "Quality Matters: A Policy Brief Series on Early Care and Education." This policy brief explores the importance of parent involvement in early education. It examines research on the importance of parents' engagement in their child's education from an early age, Wisconsin approaches to promote parent engagement, and public policy implications. Options for state policy considerations include increasing requirements and incentives for parent engagement in child care and preschool programs, expanding the Strengthening Families model, and expanding research-based home visiting programs tied to early care and education programs.

BadgerCare Plus:  Who’s Eligible, for What, and What Will It Cost? – This WCCF paper describes who is eligible for BadgerCare Plus, what they are eligible for, and what they will pay in premiums and co-pays (April 2008).

Pulling Apart (April 2008). By income data, Wisconsin is one of the most equal states in the nation, but income inequality continues to grow here as it does in the nation as a whole. This report from WCCF and the Center on Wisconsin Strategy takes a look at income growth over a number of decades for different income groups, and puts Wisconsin's trends in a regional context. A number of policy recommendations are then offered for making sure Wisconsin remains one of the most equal states in the country.

The Tarnished American Dream? A Prescription for Sustainable Homeownership in Wisconsin (March 2008). Homeownership has long been considered a key step toward financial security, with important benefits for both the homeowner and the rest of the community. Unfortunately, the dream of homeownership is becoming a nightmare for many families, as the number of foreclosures balloons nationwide. This article explores the impact of the current turmoil in the housing market, and considers strategies for addressing the problem.

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Census Bureau Issues New Figures on State and Local Finances – This
2-page report by the Wisconsin Budget Project analyzes recently-released data from the U.S. Census Bureau on state and local government finances in 2006.  The new data show that Wisconsin is slightly below average in per capita state and local spending and is virtually the same as national average in per capita state and local taxes.  The report looks at these and other ways to rank revenue collections and spending relative to other states.

Catalog of Tax Reform Options – This catalog presents an inventory of options for reforming the state’s tax system and finding a balanced approach for filling the state deficit, which is now expected to surpass $5 billion over the next two and a half years.  The catalog, which is a joint effort of the Institute for Wisconsin’s Future and WCCF, presents a wide range of alternatives for enhancing state revenue.

Expanding Access to Health Care in Wisconsin: An Outline of the New BadgerCare Plus Law – This document outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the BadgerCare Plus initiative, explains how it increases eligibility, summarizes how it improves enrollment of children and parents who were already eligible, describes the financing and other program elements, and reviews the ongoing work and challenges that lie ahead (Feb. 12, 2008).

Miscellaneous Options for Increasing State Tax Revenue – As the state considers what to do about a deep budget deficit, we are often asked what the options are for increasing revenue.  This short paper simply lists some hypothetical options, with estimates of the annual revenue that could be gained. (February 21, 2008)

Estate Tax Could Protect Vulnerable Familes from Budget Cuts
(February 20, 2008).

Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes to Fund Programs for Families
(Februrary 20, 2008).

2008 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (February 2008)    

Tables for Annual, Monthly and Hourly Earnings at various percentages of FPL(February 2008)    

"Unintended Consequences: The Effects of Medicaid Documentation Requirements in Wisconsin (Updated Summary - January 28, 2008)." This short paper summarizes and updates the data in our October 2007 analysis of the effects of federal documentation requirements for Medicaid on program participation in Wisconsin.

“Clearing up the Confusion Surrounding CMS Approval of BadgerCare Plus” -- This paper examines federal policy changes restricting the use of CHIP and Medicaid funds and their effect on the BadgerCare Plus initiative (January 10, 2008).

Indexing the Minimum Wage (January 2008). Take a look at this issue brief covering indexing of the minimum wage and what that could mean for the thousands of Wisconsin families that depend on it and the businesses that employ them. Also check out these FAQs on the minimum wage.

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2007:

Financial Aid Leads to Economic Security (December 2007). By thoughtfully redesigning our financial aid system for higher education, we can create tools that will better serve both workers in need of enhanced skills and the employers in need of a better-skilled workforce. Read this recent WisKids Journal article on financial aid.

Brain Development and Early Learning (Winter 2007) is the first in a series called "Quality Matters: A Policy Brief Series on Early Care and Education." This policy brief focuses on research on early brain development and the implications for public policy, making the case for a new public policy that invests more in young children's development and education.

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WisKids Count Data Book, Safer, Happier, Healthier (Fall 2007) includes statewide and county-by-county data on statistics related to child abuse and neglect in Wisconsin as well as an essay highlighting the long-term impact and social costs of child maltreatment.

Making the Grade: Making the Case for Well-educated, Well-trained Teaching Staff in Early Care and Education (Fall 2007) is the second in a series called "Quality Matters: A Policy Brief Series on Early Care and Education."  This policy brief focuses on the strong research base confirming the importance of qualified teachers, efforts across the country to improve staff qualifications in early childhood programs, and policy options for Wisconsin to consider.

Bridges, Pathways, and Leadership (July 2007). In this report, staff examine the growing skilled worker shortage along with the challenges low-skilled working adults face as they attempt to retool their skillls and increase their employability. A number of specific program and policy steps are offered that could lead to greater educational and employment outcomes for our growing population of low-skilled workers. Click here for the full report, and here to access only the executive summary.

Boom(ers) and Bust: The Aging of Wisconsin's Population and Tax System
(April 23, 2007). As Wisconsin's population grows older, and as the growing elderly population gains political might, new strains will be laced on the state's already fragile tax/revenue system. This paper examines the emerging situation and considers ways of coping with it.

Brain Development and Early Learning (March 2007) is the first in a series called "Quality Matters: A Policy Brief Series on Early Care and Education." This policy brief focuses on research on early brain development and the implications for public policy.

The Badger Care Plus Plan: Who Would Be Affected? (March 16, 2007). This brief summary includes a matrix showing the new groups who could get health care coverage from the proposed BadgerCare Plus plan in the biennial budget bill, and the number of people in each of those categories who might benefit.

Data and Analysis, Early Care and Education in Wisconsin: 2007 provides data and analysis on Wisconsin children and on Wisconsin early care and education trends, including a look at access to and quality of programs, an analysis of Wisconsin's strengths, comparisons with other states, and a state-level funding chart.

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2006:

School's Out! Out of School Time Key to Children's Success  – report that highlights the importance of After-School for healthy child development (Fall 2006). 

"WCCF Comments on Interim Federal Rules for Citizenship and Identity Documentation," Charity Eleson's letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (August 10, 2006).

Early Education Matters: Lessons Learned (2006) - report that highlights the work of the Early Education Matters project.

Mind the Gap: Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Education Demands Commitment (May 2006).

Toward A Better Design: New Economy Challenges Require a Better W-2 Program in the Bay Area (April 2006) , a report from the Bay Area Task Force, a cooperative effort of the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families and the Bay Area Workforce Development Board.

Rethinking the Juvenile in Juvenile Justice (March 2006) a WCCF publication about the intersection between brain research and juvenile justiceFull Text or Executive Summary

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Publications Prior to March 2006:

Please refer to individual project publication pages to find publications issued prior to March 2006

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