The lack of health care is clearly an important influence on how well children function academically (see The Best Places To Learn What Impact A Teacher & Outside Factors Have On Student Achievement). In fact, I suspect the Affordable Care Act might be the most effective school improvement strategy we’ve seen in years, much more effective than gimmicks like Race To The Top.

Given its importance, and given the lack of knowledge among the uninsured about how it could affect them (see Ezra Klein’s piece today in the Washington Post, ‘I just don’t think its possible’: How the uninsured view Obamacare), one would think that schools could play an extraordinarily effective role in getting people enrolled.

However, I haven’t heard of anyone working on such a strategy. Of course, that may be due to my own ignorance. Does anyone else know of school groups making these kinds of plans?