LANSING – Michigan’s Children President & CEO Jack Kresnak issued the following statement regarding today’s release of the Kids Count in Michigan Data Book 2010:

While there is some good news in this report, it also shows us our children are suffering and need our attention now more than ever if they are to be successful in school and life.  We can’t ignore the huge role economic security, health and personal safety play in a child’s ability to learn. Children with rumbling tummies, and abused children worried about hiding fresh injuries can’t give their full attention to their lessons. These are just a few of the reasons Michigan needs to adopt a P-20 Council that Governor Snyder mentioned in his State of the State address last month.

Michigan’s Children participated in four media events highlighting the Data Book release and shared our suggestion that the cradle-to-career approach to policy-making is crucial for increasing educational success.  In Detroit media work, we were able to highlight the recommendations from young people working on the Our Life in the D project.