Find important information about school lunches, vaccines, and more to help your family get ready.

August is the time when parents across the country get their children ready for the new school year. It’s a good time to get the kids up to date with their immunizations, and to buy the supplies they need for school.

In the rush to get everything ready for their kids, parents might forget that they might benefit from going back to school too. The federal government offers affordable adult education classes and programs throughout the United States.

Most classes and programs are free, and are offered in locations like community centers, public schools and community colleges. Government-sponsored adult education classes include:

• GED preparation. A GED diploma is equivalent to a high school diploma and is essential for getting a better job. Several adult education programs offer prep classes to help you get a GED diploma. These programs teach basic algebra, physics, civics, and history and are ideal for people who didn’t finish high school. You can find the nearest GED testing center by typing in your ZIP code at gedtestingservice.com.
• Career and technical education. Adult education classes and programs can also help you get practical education and training through work certifications. You can take classes on plumbing, office administration, electronics, mechanics, carpentry, health and even computers. Some of these classes are developed with local employers to help students develop skills that local employers need.
• English classes. These classes are designed for adults who want to learn how to speak, read or write in English. There are courses for beginners and advanced students, but also for native speakers who would like to improve their English skills. If you enroll in these classes you might have to take a test to determine your level of proficiency. These classes offer flexible schedules to accommodate people who work and have family obligations.
• Citizenship classes. If you are a legal permanent resident and are trying to become a U.S. citizen, you might be interested in taking a citizenship prep class at your local adult school. These classes offer everything you need to know to take the history and civics tests required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. You will also have the opportunity to practice the required citizenship interview.
• Education orientation and help for disabled students. Adult education schools are staffed with counselors who can help students figure out which classes to take and which certifications may help them get a better job. They also have tools to help people with disabilities access classes and programs to take full advantage of the resources available.

Find out more information about adult education classes near you by visiting literacydirectory.org.

The start of a new school year is an important time for planning and preparation. For millions of children and teenagers, it’s time to plan new academic schedules and activities. For parents and guardians it’s a good time to plan financial support for school-aged children. There are several programs and resources available for families who qualify for federal assistance, including low cost lunches and affordable health insurance.

National School Lunch Program

Children who eat well perform better at school. That’s why the National School Lunch Program provides free, low-cost and nutritional lunches to eligible students (usually children from a family of four that makes about $29,055-$41,348 per year).

Enrollment is open year-round, so this program is especially useful if your family has had a sudden loss of income, say, due to a family member losing his or her job.

Some key facts about the program:

• It’s open for children up to 18 years of age
• It’s offered at daycare centers, public schools and private nonprofit schools enrolled in the program
• School lunches meet federal nutritional requirements, which means they limit fats and saturated fats and provide one third of the recommended dietary allowances of proteins necessary for a healthy diet
• Schools usually send application notices at the beginning of the school year. However, you can enroll at any time by filling out a form and submitting it to the school

Subsidized Health Care for Children

Health insurance is important to ensure regular check-ups and preventive care, as well as emergency treatment, for your child.

You can find affordable health care for your children through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Although each state manages its own program, it is generally open to families of four that make up to $44,100 per year.

This program offers many benefits, including:

• Doctor visits
• Prescription drugs
• Emergency care
• Dental services

You can get more information about this program by calling 1 (877) 543-7669 or visiting InsureKidsNow.gov.

Also, keep in mind that students going to college can remain on their parent’s health insurance policy until the age of 26 because of new provisions in the Affordable Health Act.

Get Your Children Vaccinated

Vaccines are important not only for the health of your child, but also for his or her classmates. Last year there were outbreaks of whooping cough and measles, which caused dozens of deaths among adults and children. Vaccinations could have helped prevent those outbreaks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have several vaccination resources including vaccination calendars that tell you which vaccines are needed and when.