EXCERPT FROM: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By Raquel Rutledge
Child care providers will have more opportunities to improve their programs and at a lower cost as the state Department of Children and Families pumps $1.5 million into training programs across much of Wisconsin.
The announcement came Monday as the department gears up to launch its quality rating program that next summer will link child care centers' quality to the amount of state subsidies they receive.
"When kids go to high-quality child care centers, they do much better in life," said Reggie Bicha, secretary of the Department of Children and Families. "It's that simple."
The funding will be made available immediately and is meant to help providers prepare for the new rating system, Bicha said.
The rating system was of one of several reforms that grew out of a series of reports in the Journal Sentinel that detailed widespread fraud and abuse within the child care subsidy program. A crackdown by authorities on questionable providers is expected to save $45 million this year alone, state officials said in May.
The money announced Monday will be distributed through agencies and other entities that will provide the training, including the University of Wisconsin, the state's technical college system and the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association.
The programs will be available to providers who receive taxpayer-financed payments from the Wisconsin Shares program throughout 12 counties, including Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Dane and Waukesha.
Supporting Families Together Association, a Madison-based agency that provides child and family support services, received nearly $500,000 to go toward training and technical assistance for child care providers.
Lilly Irvin-Vitela, executive director of the group, said providers can sign up for classes and request technical assistance and will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.
A class that might normally cost about $240 will be offered for $50, Irvin-Vitela said. And classes and help will be offered in areas that typically don't have any.
"I'm so glad that we're taking investments in these professionals seriously," she said. "Our kids deserve it."
Some child care providers expressed skepticism at the rating program and concern about the how the funding will be distributed.
"We'd all love to improve teachers' education," said Sue Sthokal, a West Allis child care provider who has been in business 22 years. "I just hope it's a fair system for everyone. Not the rich get richer."
Gershia Coggs runs a consulting business for child care providers and said trust between providers and the state needs to be restored. State regulators cut public funding in the last year to more than 180 child care providers suspected of scamming the program out of millions of dollars. Some providers felt they were treated unfairly.
"I think the program will be fantastic as long as we build trust among the state, child care providers and the agencies providing the training," she said.
Coggs said providers desperately need training on how to run a business as well as on curriculum that is developmentally appropriate for children.