Child Care and Early Education Legislative Network E-Update
February, 2007
In This E-update:
- Alaska, Ohio, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming
Many states create task forces when they need more information or research on a certain topic. Task forces can be established by various entities such as the Legislature, Governor, public-private partnerships, and citizen groups. The task forces mentioned below were directed to cover topics such as improving early childhood literacy, creating a statewide early learning plan, studying and defining the characteristics of quality early childhood programs, guiding the expansion of preschool programs, and conducting a statewide child care assessment.
Alaska Ready to Read Ready to Learn Task Force
In May 2005, Governor Murkowski established the Ready to Read Ready to Learn task force with the goal of improving early childhood literacy. In 2006, the Legislature allocated $750,000 to fund the work of the task force. Comprised of policy, business, civic, philanthropic, education, and government leaders, the Alaska Ready to Read Ready to Learn task force has three main objectives: to build public awareness; to share best practices; and to organize Alaska’s diverse prekindergarten providers and create a task force to develop Alaska’s Pre-K plan.
In September, 2006, the task force released a report to the public, governor, and elected officials. The report’s recommendations covered three main areas: In the Home, Out of the Home in Child Care and Early Education Programs, and Looking Ahead. To view the report, visit: http://www.akhf.org/programs/readlearn/reports/R2R_report%20_final_sep2006.pdf
Ohio School Readiness Solutions Group
Ohio’s School Readiness Solutions Group serves as an advisory body on early learning to the State Board of Education. In August, 2006, the group released a report that contained ten recommendations for creating a statewide early learning system by 2015. The recommendations covered topics such as financing, governance, licensing, professional development for early childhood providers, full-day kindergarten, and family participation.
Visit http://www.schoolreadiness.ohio.gov/ to read the final report.
South Carolina Task Force on Early Childhood Quality Standards
The 2006 South Carolina General Assembly directed South Carolina First Steps to create the South Carolina Task Force on Early Childhood Quality Standards. Members include leaders from public and private settings; gubernatorial appointees; representatives of the education, business, and advocacy communities; and members of the South Carolina General Assembly. The task force’s goal is to study and define the characteristics of quality early childhood programs, then make recommendations for how policy-makers could support and promote these programs. In January, 2007, the task force released a preliminary report to the governor and legislature. The Task Force was to submit the final report to the Governor and SC General Assembly in November, 2007. To read the preliminary report, visit: http://www.scfirststeps.org/docs/taskforceprelimreport.pdf
Vermont Pre-kindergarten Education Study Committee
In 2006, Vermont’s General Assembly created the Prekindergarten Education Study Committee to gather information about existing prekindergarten education services in Vermont, to study the research about prekindergarten education, and to make recommendations about whether prekindergarten education services should be offered at public expense and if so, how to structure the system. In January 2007, the Committee released its report which contained ten recommendations for the General Assembly to consider. They focused on the establishment, structure, regulation, and funding of prekindergarten programs.
Virginia Start Strong Council
In 2006, Governor Kaine issued an executive order to create Virginia’s Start Strong Council. The Council is comprised of legislators, educators, private providers, local government officials, community leaders, and parents. Its purpose is to guide the expansion of access to quality preschool for four year olds. In December, 2006, the Council released its initial report to Governor Kaine, and will provide its final report to the Governor by October, 2007. The initial report’s recommendations included:
· Adopt a voluntary quality rating system
· Build a high-quality workforce
· Collect and analyze retrospective data from existing preschools
· Examine and strengthen existing programs, and use them as the foundation for expansion
· Identify or create a governance structure at both the state and local levels
Washington Learns
The 2005 Legislature created Washington Learns to review of the state’s education system, from early education to post-secondary and workforce training. It issued an interim report in November, 2005, and its final report was released in November, 2006. To read the report, visit: http://www.washingtonlearns.wa.gov/FinalReport.pdf
Wisconsin 4 Year Old Kindergarten
Wisconsin’s Assembly Speaker, Representative John Gard, appointed the Task Force on 4 Year Old Kindergarten to examine the state’s 4 year old kindergarten program and make recommendations on the future of these programs in Wisconsin. The task force was directed to focus on whether evidence supports a cumulative benefit of 4 year olds participating in structured programs; reasonable costs; and how the programs should be delivered, and who should make such decisions.
The Task Force’s report included recommendations such as:
· State should clearly define a purpose for funding 4 yr old kindergarten
· Allow a direct fiscal relationship between the state and private providers
· Reimburse public school programs through the school funding formula
· Data collection and analysis
· Defined standards
· Parental involvement
Wyoming Quality Child Care Task Force
During its 2006 budget session, the Wyoming Legislature enacted Enrolled Act 53, which involved the establishment of a child care rating system with incentive payments to child care providers to encourage the delivery of quality child care services. Act 53 also required a joint task force of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services and the Wyoming Department of Family Services to conduct a statewide child care assessment to identify the quality and quantity of child care in the state. A Legislative Oversight Committee was created to oversee the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services’ efforts to complete the directives in Enrolled Act 53.
Child care and early education issues are drumming up media attention in states. At least thirty-three states (AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IA, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MS, MO, NJ, NM, NY, OK, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY) and D.C. generated media attention this past month, according to recent tracking conducted by project staff. State policymakers, including governors and legislators across the country ,are considering numerous early childhood funding options and legislation. Recent media also highlighted the latest early childhood research, business involvement with early care and education, public-private partnerships, and recent task force reports and legislative studies. Eleven states (AK, CA, FL, MO, MN, MS, NJ, OH, OR, VA and WY) drew media attention for efforts to increase funds for child care subsidies and reduce waiting lists. Six states (AK, CA, MO, MS, OH and VA) are considering funding or implementing quality rating systems, which is a way to improve early care and education quality.
Multiple states (AR, CA, CO, CT, GA, HI, IA, IN, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MS, NM, NY, OK, OH, OR, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WI and WV) plus D.C. are involved with prekindergarten and school readiness initiatives, including increasing pre-k funding to expand programs, universal pre-k (HI, NY and VA) and improving teacher quality (WV). Some state policymakers are trying to tap into other sources to fund pre-k, including state economic development money (SD), lottery dollars GA, and increasing cigarette and corporate minimum taxes (IA and OR). Media sources in two states (MA and PA) reported on proposed changes to their states' child care and early education governance structures. Three states (KS, MO and NJ) produced media examining supporting families with infants and toddlers, including providing paid family leave (NJ).
The above information represents early childhood media that NCSL project staff tracked between January 1 and February 7, 2007. The articles included in this media roundup were retrieved through our news service and are not intended to be comprehensive, but to provide examples of state activities which are attracting media attention. Please contact Caroline Smith at (303) 364-7700 ext. 1389 for more information.
Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do
This new publication from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child provides a concise framework for understanding the science of early childhood and brain development as it relates to policies and programs that could make a significant difference in the lives of children—and all of society. It includes a discussion of the 7 Core Concepts of Development and their implications for policy and practice.
For more information about the contents of this update, please contact Steffanie Clothier, Julie Poppe, or Caroline Smith at (303) 364-7700.
 Child Care and Early Education Legislative Network E-Update
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