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Calculators are useful tools in elementary mathematics classes, if students already have some basic skills, new research has found. The findings shed light on the debate about whether and when calculators should be used in the classroom.

Alabama's 2007 infant mortality rate of 10.0 deaths per 1,000 live births was considerably higher than the 2006 infant mortality rate of 9.0. The infant mortality rate for white infants increased from 6.7 to 8.0, the highest rate in more than a decade. For black infants, the rate increased from 14.3 to 14.6. For Hispanic infants, who may be of any race, the rate was up slightly from 7.2 to 7.3.

AP - The number of measles cases in the U.S. is at its highest level since 1997, and nearly half of those involve children whose parents rejected vaccination, government health officials reported Thursday.

More than 60,000 of Kentucky's estimated 93,000 uninsured children are eligible for KCHIP, the state's version of SCHIP, but are not enrolled, according to a report released on Monday by Kentucky Voices for health, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. KCHIP is available to children of families with annual incomes less than 200% of the federal poverty level.

"The Impact of Literacy Enhancement on Asthma-Related Outcomes AmongUnderserved Children" (.pdf), Journal of the National Medical Association: The study looks at whether improving literacy among children with low rates of literacy would influence asthma-related health outcomes. Researcher Lawrence Robinson of the

HealthDay - THURSDAY, Aug. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Some parents' refusal to vaccinate children seems to be behind the highest rate of measles cases reported since 1996, federal officials said Thursday.

AP - Measles cases in the U.S. are at the highest level in more than a decade, with nearly half of those involving children whose parents rejected vaccination, health officials reported Thursday.