Gov. Chiles' Son Bashes Officials Over Fund 'Raid' (Lakeland Ledger) Chiles cited the fund raid as part of a trend of "sleight-of-hand leadership" in Tallahassee, describing a series of issues, ranging from high school drop out rates to infant mortality, in which he said Florida needs to dramatically improve its efforts.

Florida watchdog agency: Don't expand Medicaid experiment (Miami Herald) The Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability issued a report Thursday saying little data is available to show the privately run pilot program has improved access to medical care or its quality.

Kids need care, not pills, ex-foster children tell state panel (Miami Herald) As Florida child-welfare administrators study failures in the foster-care system believed to have led a 7-year-old boy to kill himself in April, they turned Thursday to experts they don't often consult: young adults who came of age in state care.

Can state preschool be saved? (Preschool Matters) In many respects, state-funded pre-K is at a crossroads. Some of the biggest states with the biggest gains have their backs against the wall. Unlike the federal government, they must balance their budgets each year. Yet many are confronted with multi-billion-dollar deficits only the most draconian reductions in funding can address.

A New Survey shows Recession Hurting Florida's Afterschool Programs (WCTV) Just as children in Florida’s communities need more help, afterschool program leaders across the state say they are being forced to increase fees and reduce staffing, activities and hours to cope with budget cuts and rising costs

Editorial: It makes sense (Tallahassee Democrat) The most far-reaching impact, though, will be seen in children who otherwise might have faced criminal charges for being insubordinate or throwing a pencil. DJJ representatives called the passage and signing of SB 1540 as the most important prong of a multi-pronged approach to bringing some common sense to zero-tolerance policies.

Move To Help Families May Be Hurting Others (WFTV.com) The state raised the maximum amount people can receive in unemployment benefits from $1,100 to $1,200 per month, using federal stimulus dollars.However, Eyewitness News learned that the extra money is making some families ineligible for food stamps.

DCF: Underage drinking costs Florida $3B a year (Florida Today) According to the study, the number of Florida minors who reported drinking in the past 30 days was higher than the national average at 37 percent, compared to 29 percent.

Join the Campaign (Breaking News) Help the Campaign ensure that every parent/guardian in Florida regardless of gender, race, ability, creed, orientation, or education has access to important programs and services encompassed by the 5 Promises.