Children's hospitals object to proposed funding reductions (USA Today) At issue are proposed reductions in federal "disproportionate share hospital" payments that reimburse hospitals for care they provide to the uninsured and those enrolled in Medicaid, a federal health insurance program for low-income Americans.

Family values means asking prospective adoptive parents about guns (Tampabay.com) Under a pending piece of legislation, adoption agencies would be forbidden from asking those prospective parents if they have guns in the house.

Florida panel wants tougher rules on drugs for foster kids (Florida Times-Union) The panel called for several measures to toughen accountability in the dispensing of psychotropic drugs and making sure the medications aren't the only part of a child's therapy.

First Ever Bipartisan Early Childhood Caucus Meets (WFSU) A bipartisan group of lawmakers met with children's advocates Tuesday to discuss needs and challenges in the run-up to the next legislative session. Florida Public Radio's Margie Menzel reports.

Afterschool program recognized by First Lady (Examiner.com) The Epic Theatre Ensemble's Shakespeare Remix program, which works with teens in seven City high schools, won the national Coming Up Taller prize at a ceremony recognizing outstanding after school arts programs.

Life terms for youths on Supreme Court docket (Pensacola News Journal) At issue is whether the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment prohibits a state from sentencing someone under 18 to life-without-parole for a crime other than homicide.

Florida leads nation in locking up kids in adult jails (St. Petersburg Times) This week, as the U.S. Supreme Court heard appeals in two Florida juvenile cases, scholars took note that the state leads the nation in locking up kids for life who committed crimes in which no one died. That isn't Florida's only distinction. The state sends more children to adult jails and prisons, period.

Florida to judge "effectiveness" of teacher preparation programs (Orlando Sentinel) A draft overview of the state's plans says it will tie teacher and principals' "student achievement data" back to their preparation programs. It sounds like FCAT scores -- already the linchpin in so many reform efforts -- might now play a role in how some university programs are rated.

We have to be concerned about our graduation requirements" (Orlando Sentinel) Not surprisingly, students who score below grade-level on a 10th-grade tests aren't well prepared to tackle college classes. So they end up taking remedial, non-credit courses when they enroll in one of Florida's community colleges -- and that's expensive for them and the state.

Degreed teachers make all the difference (Promise 3 Front Burner) Alexionok, a former bank president accustomed to demystifying intricate investment and financial data, made a compelling case based on research and best practices that investing in pre-k teachers with a bachelor's degree actually saves more than $1-billion over ten years.