Growing Up
BLOG POSTS, PRESS RELEASES, & ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CHILDREN AT RISKVirtual Press Conference: CHILDREN AT RISK and Community Leaders on the Future of the Child Tax Credit
C@R and researchers, family policy experts, and community leaders will hold a press conference urging Congress to ensure that any revisions to the Child Tax Credit (CTC) maintain its proven support for working families. Media Contacts:Morgan Gerri,...
The Chutes & Ladders of Learning: C@R’s Annual Education Summit Recap
On Friday, June 6, CHILDREN AT RISK hosted the 2025 Education Summit: The Chutes and Ladders of Learning, bringing together educators, leaders, and advocates to examine the opportunities and challenges shaping Texas education. On Friday, June 6, CHILDREN AT RISK...
State Senator César J. Blanco Passes Bill to Help Young Adults inWest Texas Get Back to School and Work
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Taylor Sanchez Taylor.sanchez@senate.texas.gov Austin, Texas – The Texas Senate has passed Senate Bill 1143, authored by Senator César J. Blanco, to help reconnect young adults in West Texas with education, job training, and career...
2024 Annual Report
Dear Friends and Advocates, At CHILDREN AT RISK, we believe that every child deserves a fair shot at success—and we know that it takes all of us to make that happen. Whether you’re a policymaker, educator, donor, volunteer, or advocate, your partnership has helped...
Connecting Across the Lone Star State: Reflections from CHILDREN AT RISK’s Spring 2025 Texas Tour
This spring, CHILDREN AT RISK’s early childhood team had the incredible opportunity to connect with our early learning family across Texas! While virtual tours may not physically transport us to the stunning beauty of an East Texas wildflower patch or the vibrant hues...
Strengthening Quality Early Learning Environments in Harris County: ELQN’s Progress and Next Steps
May 9, 2025 Written by CHILDREN AT RISK team members Briauna Derry, Director of Media Activism; Martha Gonzales, Associate Director of ELQN; Erika Alcala, Project Coordinator Launched in October 2023, Harris County’s Early Learning Quality Network (ELQN) has made...
CHILDREN AT RISK Condemns Unlawful Deportation of U.S. Citizen Children
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CHILDREN AT RISK Condemns Unlawful Deportation of U.S. Citizen Children and Urges Immediate Federal Action Houston, TX — CHILDREN AT RISK, a non-partisan research and advocacy nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life for children,...
Partners Advocate to Fund Child Care in the 89th Texas Legislative Session
Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC) and CHILDREN AT RISK partnered to present a legislative briefing and rally that urged lawmakers to #FundChildCare in the 89th Legislative Session. On March 6, 2025, state leaders, child care advocates, and...
Advocating in Support of SB 570 & SB 991
Mandi Kimball, Chief Government Affairs Officer with CHILDREN AT RISK, testifies in support of SB 570 & SB 991 during the March 25, 2025 hearing of the Texas Senate Committee on Education K-16. My name is Mandi Kimball, Vice President of Children at Risk, and I am...
Press Conference: CHILDREN AT RISK and Immigration Advocates Gather to Call and End to Immigration Stigma and Bullying
CHILDREN AT RISK and top child advocates will discuss the growing crisis harming children and the urgent need for reform.Much has changed in the past 45 days when it comes to immigration law. Those changes reverberate across our schools and communities and are also...
March 2025 Newsletter | The Children’s Immigration Network
The Children's Immigration Network is CHILDREN AT RISK's effort to focus on children of immigrants. Our vision is for the state of Texas to offer a welcoming environment for immigrants and refugees where children of immigrants can integrate and access the resources...
Press Conference: CHILDREN AT RISK and Immigration Advocates Gather in Response to Sweeping Policy Changes
C@R and other advocates highlight the imminent harm to millions of undocumented individuals and mixed-status families as the new administration fulfills its anti-immigration campaign promises TEXAS (January 23, 2025) — On its first day in office, the Trump...
2025 Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Day Recap
Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Day AUSTIN, TX (January 30, 2025) – Human trafficking continues to devastate vulnerable populations in Texas, with children in foster care and the juvenile justice system disproportionately at risk. In 2022, only 332 of the 38,294...
2023-2024 Houston School Rankings
CHILDREN AT RISK Releases 2023-2024 Annual Houston School Rankings HOUSTON, TX (February 12, 2025) – Over the past 20 years, CHILDREN AT RISK has ranked Texas public schools to help parents, educators, and community members better understand how their local schools...
2023-2024 North Texas School Rankings
CHILDREN AT RISK Releases 2023-2024 Annual Texas School Rankings DALLAS, TX (February 5, 2025) – Over the past 20 years, CHILDREN AT RISK has ranked Texas public schools to help parents, educators, and community members better understand how their local schools are...
2025 Learning Events
2025 Learning Eventsconvening for change CHILDREN AT RISK is committed to hosting free events that engage the public and help them drive change for children. We aim to share research, unpack pressing policy issues, and highlight diverse community perspectives from...
Charting Success
Charting Success Evaluating the Classroom Experiences of Children of Immigrants in TexasOur children are charting a new course for America. They are at the leading edge of the nation’s growing diversity. Approximately 53% of the U.S. population under age 18 belonged...
Fall 2024 Early Childhood Texas Tour Concludes
Driving Solutions Across Texas: Fall 2024 Texas Tour RecapWritten by Lyn Lucas, Associate Director, Early Childhood Education, CHILDREN AT RISK This fall, CHILDREN AT RISK hit the road for our statewide Texas Tour, sparking critical conversations on the future of...
C@R Hosts State of Disconnection Legislative Briefing on Public Education
A State of Disconnection C@R Hosts Legislative Briefing to address challenges in public education and youth disconnectionOn Friday, November 15th, CHILDREN AT RISK hosted a Legislative Briefing at the Texas Capitol to address two critical challenges facing Texas...
C@R Hosts 89th Texas Legislative Agenda for Children
This post was written by Briauna Derry, Director of Media Activism, CHILDREN AT RISK.On November 21, CHILDREN AT RISK, in partnership with the Texas Family Leadership Council, hosted the 89th Texas Legislative Agenda for Children Summit, bringing together experts,...
Harris County Early Learning Quality Network (ELQN) Announces Next Project Phase to Invest in Early Learning Environments
Harris County Early Learning Quality Network (ELQN) Announces Next Project Phase to Invest in Early Learning Environments Expanding Child Care Quality Efforts with Release of Vendor Requests for Proposals (RFPs) Media Contact: Rashena Franklin, 713.301.4577 (Harris...
Winter 2024 Newsletter | The Children’s Immigration Network
The Children's Immigration Network is CHILDREN AT RISK's effort to focus on children of immigrants. Our vision is for the state of Texas to offer a welcoming environment for immigrants and refugees where children of immigrants can integrate and access the resources...
Chronic Absenteeism Legislative District Profiles
Welcome to CHILDREN AT RISK's Chronic Absenteeism Policy Resource hub, where you can explore the data landscape of each Texas House and Senate district.Chronic absenteeism is an early warning sign for educators. A student who is chronically absent in any year between...
RECAP | C@R Hosts 2024 STEM Summit
This post was written by Susannah Young, Associate Director of PreK-12 Education, CHILDREN AT RISK.On Thursday, October 17th, CHILDREN AT RISK (C@R), Texas Family Leadership Council, Shell, and Boardwalk Pipelines hosted the annual STEM Summit, "Innovating the STEM...
CHILDREN AT RISK Statement on the 2024 HISD Bond Election
Media Contact: Rashena Flagg 713.301.4577 IMMEDIATE RELEASE CHILDREN AT RISK is disappointed that the HISD bond proposal did not gain broader support from the Houston community. While this critical investment in education has been deferred, our commitment to...