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|  | News Items Posted On: March 10, 2006
Showing stories 1 - 7 of 7.
MN - Pawlenty proposes pre-K funding
Submitted by emohan. Posted on Friday, March 10 @ 14:42:26 EST by emohan
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Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Tuesday announced a $10 million legislative package aimed at enhancing early childhood education programs and improving kindergarten readiness curriculum offered by child care providers.
His proposal also would re-establish a screening program that helps identify children who aren't ready for kindergarten and offers some training and incentives for caregivers who want to introduce more early education into their child care services.
"We should be able to say there are some basic social skills and early educational skills we want children to know before kindergarten," Pawlenty said. "If government is going to put a lot of money into child care, let's not put it into babysitting. Let's put it into care plus learning."
The money for his initiative would come from a bonus the state received for its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which is funded through federal welfare dollars.
Full text available at the St. Paul Pioneer Press
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Federal Plan for Changes in Child Care Draws Protest
Submitted by emohan. Posted on Friday, March 10 @ 14:07:13 EST by emohan
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A Bush administration plan to reorganize programs for low-income families has brought protests by service agencies around the country, which fear it signals a waning in the federal commitment to child care assistance for working mothers.
Some 240 agencies and advocacy groups have signed a letter to the secretary of health and human services, Michael O. Leavitt, asking him not to downgrade the Child Care Bureau, a unit created by the Clinton administration to oversee subsidies for low-income mothers and improve the quality of child care.
The proposed change, the letter says, "minimizes the importance of child care assistance in supporting working families, particularly low-income parents."
The letter was delivered yesterday to the Department of Health and Human Services and to Congressional leaders, said Helen Blank of the National Women's Law Center, which collected the signatures. Signers included the Child Welfare League of America, the Y.W.C.A. and Easter Seals.
The apparent downgrading of the Child Care Bureau has also stirred concern in Congress, where Democrats and Republicans are discussing an appeal to the administration.
The plan, which requires no Congressional approval, was made known to lawmakers in a letter from Mr. Leavitt on Feb. 22. Among other changes to improve "efficiency and effectiveness," he wrote, the bureau, which now stands alone, is to be folded into the Office of Family Assistance, which oversees the drive to put welfare mothers into jobs.
All sides agree that child care subsidies are needed to help welfare recipients, the poorest of the poor, go to work. But by law, federal aid is also given more widely to mothers in low-paying jobs, who may be struggling to stay off welfare in the first place.
"Child care assistance is critical for low-income working families as well as those transitioning off welfare," said Joan Lombardi, who in 1995 became the first chief of the bureau and now heads the Children's Project, a research and advocacy group in Washington. "This is a step backward for working families."
Full text available at the New York Times
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IL - Governor expected to sign contract with child-care workers
Submitted by emohan. Posted on Friday, March 10 @ 13:28:55 EST by emohan
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Rod Blagojevich (bluh-GOY'-uh-vitch) is expected to sign a contract today for 49-thousand child care workers.
The workers are represented by the Service Employees International Union.
Last year, the governor ordered the state to negotiate with the workers even though they are not state employees. They care for about 200-thousand children from families whose child-care costs are covered by state and federal funds.
The contract provides workers with an average 35 percent increase in their daily rates over the three years of the deal.
Under the agreement, workers can get rate increases for taking training courses. The deal also includes health care coverage in the final year of the pact.
Full text available at wqad.com
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WY - Senate weakens child care legislation
Submitted by emohan. Posted on Friday, March 10 @ 13:25:33 EST by emohan
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The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill designed to promote access to quality child care in Wyoming.
But only $1 million remains for the program after $13 million was cut by the House and the Senate didn't restore any of the original $14 million.
The bill now heads into a conference committee, where members of the House and Senate will try to agree on the many changes that were made to the bill in the Senate.
"This bill today died the death of a thousand deaths," said Sen. Bill Vasey, D-Rawlins, referring to the many amendments. Others remained optimistic. "I'm certainly disappointed, but at the same time recognize the bill and the effort are still alive for this session," said Sen. Mike Massie, D-Laramie. "We still have a few days to try and make changes in the bill."
But Sen. Rae Lynn Job, D-Rock Springs, worried that all the amendments had set the bill up for failure in conference committee.
The bill would set up a rating system for day care providers while providing funding for professional development, better employee pay and technical assistance at such centers.
Full text available at the Billings Gazette
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VT - Child-care provider sessions scheduled
Submitted by emohan. Posted on Friday, March 10 @ 13:22:07 EST by emohan
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Rutland area child-care providers will receive an opportunity to improve the quality of their day care programs thanks to a grant awarded to the Rutland County Early Childhood Council.
The $8,000 Building Bright Futures state grant is funding Exploring Family Resources, a community-based project that focuses on the importance of quality child-care programs.
The Rutland County Early Childhood Council is working in partnership with the Rutland Workforce Investment Board, Child Care Support Services and Rutland County Head Start to present a six-part learning series for child-care providers, kinship-care providers and families.
The three three-hour interactive sessions beginning this month have been designed for registered and licensed providers. In addition, three three-hour interactive learning sessions have been set up for parents and kinship-care providers.
"We're hoping that those who are registered increase their quality and develop marketing strategies, said Melissa Ballard of the Rutland Workforce Investment Board. "Also, by having workshops catered for kinship care (relatives, friends) we're hoping to educate those folks about how to become registered and how to make it a full-time job for them."
Full text available at the Rutland Herald
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IA - New shots proposed for kids in child care
Submitted by emohan. Posted on Friday, March 10 @ 13:18:01 EST by emohan
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Youngsters enrolling in child care centers in Iowa could soon be required to take shots to ward off pneumococcal disease - bacterial infections that can be life-threatening.
While many young children are routinely vaccinated for the disease, stopping it at the doorsteps of child care centers would help prevent its spread, said supporters of the proposed immunization requirement.
This would not be the first time the state has required any type of vaccination before a child goes to a child care center. Children have to get other vaccinations, such as measles, rubella and whooping cough, before they enroll in child care.
Under the bill, child care centers are not supposed to admit children without the vaccination, Ragan said, but there are no penalties for parents.
Full text available at the Des Moines Register
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PA - Gov. brings check for pre-K program at QV
Submitted by emohan. Posted on Friday, March 10 @ 13:13:09 EST by emohan
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Gov. Ed Rendell announced the investment of $101,000 to help Quaker Valley School District better prepare pre-kindergarten students for a lifetime of learning.
Rendell visited Edgeworth Elementary School on Monday morning and was welcomed by school and area community officials.
He said the money, released through the state's historic Early Childhood Capital Investment Fund, will help the district expand and renovate Edgeworth Elementary School, which will house the district's early childhood education program.
"Pennsylvania is making unprecendented investments in early childhood education," Rendell said.
"The fund is helping school districts meet their facility needs, so they can expand quality early childhood education programs.
"Studies have shown that investments in early childhood education pay long-term dividends, not only for our students but for the entire commonwealth."
Full text available at the Sewickley Herald
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