presidential campaigns and national policy trends cdpi fall forum sacramento, ca october 21, 2008...
TRANSCRIPT
Presidential Campaigns and National Policy Trends
CDPI Fall ForumSacramento, CAOctober 21, 2008
Eric Karolak, Ph.D.Executive DirectorEarly Care and Education Consortium
The Early Care and Education Consortium
Alliance of quality early learning program providers 7,600 center-based programs across the country Enrolling 800,000 children Deliver preK in 20+ states
An advocacy voice State and Federal, direct lobbying and advocacy
grants Birth to Five, whole child perspective Policy-making informed by real-world
implementation
Successes for Young Children Pennsylvania’s final budget increased preK, child care
subsidies, and Keystone Stars QRIS Kansas’ Early Childhood Block Grant has $11.1 million
to invest in birth-five and a separate investment for child care assistance
Massachusetts’ UPK legislation calls for addressing families with infants and toddlers
Illinois renewed commitment to their preK program, which includes 3 year olds
Missouri and Washington increased subsidy reimbursement rates
Meanwhile…
State choices Rhode Island eliminated the Comprehensive Child Care
Services Program, which provided enhanced services to low-income families
Alabama increased preK funding 68 percent, but decreased funding for child care, cutting 1,700 children out of programs
Only 2 states increased child care reimbursement rates State constraints
22 states face mid-year budget shortfalls Competing priorities – cash assistance, energy assistance
National Trends
Grim fiscal circumstances ahead Dramatic budget shortfalls threaten cuts to services,
checks on past advances Rising tension between quality, affordability, and
availability FY08 CCDBG funding adjusted for inflation is below FY02
levels. Adequately funding the cost of higher levels of quality in
state QRIS Tension with access and affordability, and across programs
Implications Looking Ahead
Protect, preserve, then expand Adjust our messaging
Economic relief, not just economic impact Family self-sufficiency, not just school readiness
Think systemically Recognize and embrace ECE’s interrelated parts Leverage across programs – diverse delivery of preK Keep a Birth - 5 focus
Birth to Five Policy Alliance: http://www.birthtofivepolicy.org/ Look downstream
Agenda for Child Care
Collective agenda for CCDBG Reauthorization Broad birth-to-five proposal, the whole picture Expanded access Reimbursement at 75th percentile or higher Licensing requirements incl. 40 hours of pre-service
training and 24 hours of on-going training Quality set aside, infant toddler set aside, provisions for
QRS A shared vision
Major national ECE organizations developed and support Review it online and endorse it! http://
www.nwlc.org/pdf/ChildCareReauthorizationVision.pdf
Agenda for Child Care
Child care develops America’s potential. Child care helps children, families, and communities prosper. Children in child care learn and develop skills they need to succeed in school and in life. Child care is a basic that helps families get ahead by giving parents the support and peace of mind they need to be productive at work. And child care helps our nation stay competitive, with a stronger work force now and in the future. When America supports child care, we encourage children, families, and our nation to reach their full potential.
Contact Us
Eric Karolak
Executive Director
Early Care and Education Consortium
www.ececonsortium.org
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