The cost of health insurance and the operation of health insurance markets are major concerns for states. This publication describes state group and individual markets, both nationally and by state, and considers the size and distribution of markets among major types of insurers. Finds that the...

This nationally representative study, the first comprehensive look at the SFSP since 1986, found that more than 4,000 local sponsors provided about 130 million meals at more than 35,000 feeding sites in fiscal year 2001. The number of children served in July 2001—2.1 million per...

About 61 percent of school districts used direct certification in the NSLP in the 2001-02 school year, the same share as in 1996. Direct certification increased the number of children certified for free meals by about 400,000 and slightly increased overall NSLP participation. Under direct...

In the past two decades, the number of states offering alternative certification routes for teachers increased from a handful to 45. Some estimates suggest that a third of any given year's newly hired teachers come through these routes. However, teacher training programs vary widely in their...

This overview of findings shows that access to outpatient mental health services improved, and consumer spending declined. Health plans relied on managed care to contain costs, and spending did not rise substantially.