Registration fees, deposits and pricey gear are pushing Sacramento families to their limits, with national data showing a sharp rise in what parents spend on kids’ sports. Local leagues and nonprofits say help is available but strained.

DPW is inviting food trucks to vend at Truck Touch on May 2 at RFK; organizers say there’s no vendor fee and operators should email [email protected].

On the same day, in two buildings a few hundred feet apart, Chicago health inspectors found over 30 mouse droppings at each — in the dry food storage area, behind the ice machine, and on electrical outlets behind cooking equipment. At a school where 98% of students are economically disadvantaged, and where the cafeteria may be the most reliable meal many children get all day, a failed inspection is not an abstraction.

Families in Lower Merion are pressing for a formal opt‑out from district‑issued Chromebooks, arguing 24/7 access is harming focus and foundational skills while the district defends its curriculum.

CCSD posted 2026–27 start and dismissal times, moving middle schools earlier and high schools later. Families should check school pages for exact bells and routing.

Gov. Katie Hobbs announced $3 million in grants and a new provider search tool to lower out‑of‑school child care costs and expand access for Arizona families.

Parents at McNair Discovery Learning Academy say classrooms have been without working air conditioning for weeks as the district works to schedule repairs.

The Chicago Park District added a searchable map, high‑demand flags and a wish list ahead of online summer camp sign‑ups next week.

USC opened an Early Head Start/Head Start site at Tom Bradley Global Awareness Magnet, adding no‑cost infant‑to‑preschool care and health supports for South L.A. families.

A LendingTree analysis finds the 18‑year cost to raise a child now averages $303,418; New Jersey, New York and Connecticut rank among the most expensive states. Child care and housing drive most of the increase.

Mākaha Elementary's Ready Keiki classroom completes pre‑K coverage across Nānākuli–Waiʻanae as Hawaiʻi unveils a five‑year early‑childhood plan to expand access and support families.

First Lady Maureen Braun announced the Imagination Library now covers all 92 Indiana counties, bringing free monthly books to every child under five.

Lottery‑backed grants are funding new infant seats in Lake Oswego and boosting ASL preschool capacity, part of a statewide push to expand early learning space.