Scorecard California shows kids still struggling, post-pandemic

BY SUZANNE POTTER, PRODUCER, PUBLIC NEWS SESERVICE

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Many of California’s 13.5 million children and teens have not bounced back after the pandemic, especially children of color, according to the just-released 2023 California County Scorecard of Children’s Well-Being. The report showcases data from all 58 counties and shows wide disparities in indicators of health, education and more.

Kelly Hardy, senior managing director of health and research at Children Now, said anti-poverty measures during COVID helped a lot, but they were just temporary.

“Thirty-eight percent are in families making less than two times the poverty level, which is around $60,000 a year for a family of four,” she said, “so, that’s a pretty low bar.”

The data show the state has more than 170,000 homeless students, and that the shortage of state-funded child care continues. The report found that in 2017, 2019 and 2021, only one in four working families had access to a space in a licensed child-care facility.

Susannah Kniffen, Children Now’s senior managing director of child welfare and government relations, said kids in foster care had alarmingly low scores for access to healthcare and academic achievement.

“These kids are facing distinct challenges that other students aren’t,” she said, “and they need a very targeted approach to their education if we’re ever going to change the numbers, which are fairly dismal.”

Vince Stewart, vice president for policy and programs at Children Now, said in terms of education, kids appear to be losing ground as they get older.

“Forty-two percent of third graders met or exceeded standards and reading, 31% of fifth graders met or exceeded standards in science, in 29% of eighth graders met or exceeded standards in math,” he said.

“And then 11th graders, it’s only 27% who are deemed ready for college-level math.”

The report does show some bright spots. California children have high rates of health insurance and a high proportion of babies are born at normal birth weight.

Disclosure: Children Now/KIDS COUNT contributes to our fund for reporting on Children’s Issues, Youth Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, visit https://www.publicnewsservice.org/dn1.php.

What to know about TurboTax before you file your taxes this year

BY SOPHIA KOVATCH, PROPUBLICA

Series: The ProPublica Free Tax Guide Free, Fact-Checked Tax Information. That’s All.

Under the Free File agreement, Americans who make less than $73,000 per year should be able to file their taxes for free with one of the tax preparation companies that partners with the IRS. But this program has been historically underutilized, with just 4% of eligible Americans filing for free in 2021.

The story of the Free File program is long and twisting, and it can seem more like a fight against free tax filing than a fight for it. One of the biggest players is Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, one of the largest tax preparation software companies in the country.

ProPublica has reported on Intuit and the Free File program since 2013. Here’s what we’ve found.

The Truth About TurboTax

In 2002, Intuit, H&R Block and other tax prep companies signed a deal with the IRS to provide free tax filing services to millions of Americans. In return, the IRS agreed it would not create its own tax filing system that could compete with the tax prep companies.

A government-run tax filing system, often known as return-free filing, is already a reality in many countries around the world. With a return-free filing system, the government fills out the tax forms with the information it already has, and taxpayers simply have to review the

On July 17, 1955, Walt Disney expanded his animated film empire by opening Disneyland in Anaheim, California—the first Disney theme park. The attraction cost $17 million to build and now brings in almost $3 billion annually. Disneyland’s success was followed by the 1971 opening of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Several other Disney resorts later opened worldwide, including Tokyo Disneyland in 1983 and Shanghai Disneyland in 2016.

To remain popular and keep guests returning for more, Disney parks have said goodbye to many old rides to introduce new and improved entertainment experiences over the years. Stacker curated a list of these Disney rides that no longer exist. Read on to revisit 16 popular Disney theme park attractions from the past.

Rainbow Caverns Mine Train (1956-1977)

Walt Disney designed Rainbow Caverns Mine Train as part of the Living Desert in Frontierland and launched the ride one year after Disneyland opened. Until 1959, the slow-moving train took visitors through an Old West mining town named Rainbow Ridge, surrounded by caverns, a desert, and mountains. The attraction was rebranded as Mine Train

Through Nature’s Wonderland in 1960, removing the mining town elements and adding over 200 faux animals. Two decades later, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a roller coaster still in operation, replaced the mine train.

Submarine Voyage (1959-1998)

Submarine Voyage replaced two short-lived boat rides on a lagoon in the Tomorrowland area of Disneyland. Submarine Voyage featured eight underwater crafts modeled after the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine. These vessels took passengers on an adventure to the North Pole, where riders encountered ancient ruins, beautiful mermaids, and a gigantic squid. The attraction was closed from 1998 until 2007, when it reopened as the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, based on the popular Disney-Pixar film.

America Sings (19741988)

When General Electric’s Carousel of Progress moved to Walt Disney World, America Sings took over Disneyland’s Carousel Theater to celebrate America’s bicentennial. This Tomorrowland attraction