Child Welfare
Officials in Central Florida tell 13 News reporter Stephanie Coueignoux that deadly domestic violence cases are on the rise, and many of the recent cases have involved children. The Department of Children and Families has had to find new homes for 17 children because of situations involving one spouse killing another, Coueignoux reports.
Jessica Jimenez, a New York college student who is still in foster care, says it was the support of one city organization that helped her believe she had a future.
The Battle Creek Enquirer praised Michigan legislators today for pushing a new law that would speed up the adoption approval process in the state. Currently, the editorial says, only one person is empowered to approve adoptions.
Education/Jobs
For the first time in history, student loan debt is outpacing credit card debt, reports the New York Times’ Tamar Lewin, and the pace is only going to pick up as more youths go on to college.
Maryland is poised to pass a state version of the DREAM Act, a law that would usher certain young undocumented immigrants towards citizenship if they succeeded academically, reports Yasmeen Abutaleb and Rachel Roubein of the University of Maryland’s The Diamondback. A federal version of the law failed to pass in a last-minute vote at the end of the 111th Congress.
There will be a financial aid “app” on Facebook by January 2012, reports the Huffington Post.
A website called Franchise Hound reports on a new, unstoppable tandem in dropout prevention: Taco Bell and Mark Wahlberg.
Juvenile Justice
Six of Missouri’s juvenile detention centers will likely shut down as a result of cuts imposed on the state judicial system, reports Scott Moyers of the Southeast Missourian.
