EXCERPT FROM: Imperial Valley Press Online
By Roman Flores
The uncertainties in the state budget have trickled down to uncertainties in the Imperial County Office of Education, which could lead to a loss of jobs in the early care and education programs and major cuts in child care.

Delayed state funding and the proposed cuts in education spending could cause the reduction or elimination of services for children and their families administered under certain programs, according to an ICOE press release.

The proposed cuts could eliminate or reduce some CalWORKs programs that provide child care services for many of the county’s poorest residents, eliminate key resource and planning services for children and their families, and cause ICOE staff reduction in affected programs.

This would translate into less aid for needy families and lost jobs at ICOE.

ICOE Superintendent Anne Mallory said it has been a difficult step to consider program cuts and reductions.

“Until the budget in the state is certain we have to be very careful with our own budget,” Mallory said during an interview Saturday.

“We have developed seniority lists and we have given (layoff) notices to staff that, if these funds are indeed cut, we won’t be able to continue (to keep on),” she said.

ICOE employees have been served with notices that will take effect by Sept. 25.

After Sept. 25, should funding not become available or the state adopt the proposed reductions in education spending, those positions will be cut, according to the release.

In the absence of a signed state budget, the California state Controller’s Office has not released funding for nonmandated state programs, including those that provide subsidized child care payments and quality child care services.

As a result, child care providers participating in the CalWORKs Stage 3 and the California Alternative Payment Program will have their payments withheld until the state has a signed budget and allocates funding to ICOE.

ICOE would then be able to provide the child care reimbursements, according to the release.

In addition, the state mandated CalWORKs Stage 2 program has received a partial funding allotment from the state, allowing some distribution of funds to child care providers participating in that program.

Full text available at Imperial Valley Press Online.