With the end of COVID-19 nowhere in sight, Iowa child care providers and families face many unknowns heading into the fall. State Representative Tracy Ehlert returns to the podcast to talk about her experience as an early childhood educator — and how she and her colleagues are trying to navigate the uncharted waters of keeping kids safe, engaged and learning during a once-in-a-generation pandemic.

What will school in the fall look like? It’s a question Iowa families, educators and administrators are asking. But with only six weeks until classes begin, the answer is still unclear. Late last month, the state’s education and public health departments issued their back-to-school guidance — strikingly brief and ambiguous — that leaves school districts largely on their own in keeping students, faculty and staff safe.

Mike Beranek, president of the Iowa State Education Association, digs into challenges school districts face, how the state guidance falls short — and ideas for a more robust back-to-school plan in the fall.

State legislators return to Des Moines after session abruptly halted in March due to Covid-19. Much has changed during the two-month recess, with many Iowans struggling to weather a public health crisis and economic downturn. Will our elected leaders prioritize kids and their families as they make decisions in the days ahead — or will our youngest Iowans be left out of the conversation?

The Center's Mary Nelle Trefz and Sheila Hansen along with IPP's Peter Fisher join Anne to map a path forward for the legislature, one that ensures our children, families and communities aren't left behind.

We’re witnessing an unprecedented moment in American history: the Census coinciding with a global pandemic. The enormous task of counting every person in the country is off to a rocky start, with the U.S. Census Bureau having to postpone or cancel much of its outreach efforts due to Covid. What’s more, we know the Census is prone to missing folks, especially babies and young children, leading to an undercount. The implications are severe: when we don’t count kids, they miss out on federal funding for vital programs like children’s health insurance, education and child care — for an entire decade.

Deborah Stein with the Partnership for America’s Children joins Anne to discuss how advocates and communities are working together to ensure all kids are counted in the 2020 Census. Then, Anne and Stephen take a quick dive into Iowa-specific Census data, including self-response rates, compared to where we were as a state 10 years ago.

SHOW NOTES

“Count All Kids” campaign: https://countallkids.org/

“Count All Kids” outreach materials: https://thesocialpresskit.com/countallkids

U.S. Census Bureau self-response data: https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html

Census Hard to Count maps: https://www.censushardtocountmaps2020.us/

CFPC infographic on Iowa self-response rates: https://www.cfpciowa.org/en/advocacy/census_2020/

Already facing challenges, homeless youth now must navigate Covid-19 without a place to call home. But advocates and organizations are working hard to make sure they’re not alone. Andrea Dencklau (Youth Policy Institute of Iowa) and Elizabeth Patten (Iowa Youth Homeless Centers) join Anne to walk through youth homelessness in our state: its causes, who it affects, what policymakers can do to help — and how coronavirus has changed (but not hampered) efforts to support these courageous youth.

SHOW NOTES

Learn more about the Youth Policy Institute of Iowa (http://ypii.org/) and Iowa Homeless Youth Centers (https://www.yss.org/locations/iowa-homeless-youth-centers/)

Iowa’s Department of Human Services (DHS) exists to help Iowans achieve healthy, safe and stable lives. But with the arrival of Covid-19, the state’s largest department is facing uncharted territory — and whose role is critical, now more than ever, in keeping Iowa's children safe.

Anne is joined by Janee Harvey, child welfare bureau chief, to discuss how DHS is responding to the crisis and exciting changes on the horizon for foster care in Iowa.

Direct care workers—nursing assistants, home health aides and personal care aides—fill essential roles in our communities, supporting hospitals, nursing homes, hospice homes and Iowans needing in-home care. In the wake of Covid-19, these professionals now find themselves on the front lines of the fight against the pandemic in Iowa. But with many risking their own health and safety to care for others, where is the support they need to make it through this crisis?

Di Findley, executive director of Iowa CareGivers, talks with Anne about policy solutions the direct care professionals her organization represents need to meet and overcome the challenges ahead.

SHOW NOTES

Learn more about Iowa CareGivers: https://www.iowacaregivers.org/

With more Iowans facing food insecurity and unemployment, the state's food pantries are scrambling to meet the increased need. The Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC), an interfaith organization of more than 125 congregations, is leading a united effort to ensure Iowans in or around the state's largest city can put food on the table during this crisis. Listen in as Anne talks with DMARC CEO Matt Unger about the organization's food pantry network and how state and federal lawmakers can support their important work.

SHOW NOTES

If you're able, donate to DMARC here: https://www.dmarcunited.org/donate/donate-online/

Food is a fundamental human need, one that many Iowans struggled to meet, even before the COVID-19 crisis. Now, after nearly 60,000 Iowans applied for unemployment insurance last week — and with economy on the cusp of a recession — food security is now top concern for many.

Like many food banks across the state, the Coralville Community Food Pantry is on the front lines supporting Iowans — one bag of food at a time. Executive Director John Boller talks about the short- and long-term challenges facing the community, and how his organization is stepping up to meet Iowans' most basic needs.

SHOW NOTES

Financially support the Coralville Community Food Pantry: https://www.coralvillefoodpantry.org/give-1

Iowa child care providers are facing a nearly impossible decision: whether or not to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Home- and center-based providers alike are weighing the health risks of staying open — and the financial risks of shutting down.

Melissa Juhl, the Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral Regional Director at Mid-Sioux Opportunity, joins the podcast to share how she's working with providers during the crisis, as well as steps the state can take to help these small business owners stay afloat.