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June 2008
In this Update:
Upcoming Events
- NCSL's 2008 Legislative Summit
Recent State Actions
- Minnesota House File 1812 (Sec. 13)
What's New
- Legislative Caucuses, Committees, and Councils on Early Childhood Issues
- Federal Home Visiting Grant
- Guide for Partnering with the Private and Philanthropic Sectors
- Pennsylvania's Pre-K Counts Program Shows First-Year Results
- Massachusetts Department of Early Care and Education Case Study
Upcoming Events
2008 Legislative Summit
NCSL's annual meeting, the 2008 NCSL Legislative Summit is to be held from July 22-26 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The meeting includes plenaries, issue sessions and specific sessions of importance to NCSL standing committees, tours and social events. We have two sessions on early care and education at this meeting that we hope you will attend. . For more information about the Legislative Summitt, please visit the Legislative Summit home page.
Expanding the Vision of Child Development in Child Care and Early Learning (Working Lunch)
Wednesday, July 23, 2008, 12:00- 1:15 p.m.
States have invested more than $1 billion in new appropriations to promote child development and early learning this year. Learn about new state policies to advance child development for infants and toddlers that draw on effective models and practices. Speakers will include Danielle Ewen of the Center on Law and Social Policy and Lanier Degrella, the Statewide Infant Toddler Project Manager for the Child Care Services Association in North Carolina.
The Sandbox Investment: The Impact of Pre-K
Thursday, July 24, 2008, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
The movement toward expansion of Pre-K is well underway, but the full impact has yet to be discovered. Greg Toppo from USA Today will interview David Kirp, author of The Sandbox Investment, about the current and future direction of Pre-K in the states, how early learning is figuring into the Presidential elections, and the impact of national interest on state work. Participants will also learn how states can capitalize on what works and what doesn't in Pre-K programs.
Other Related Sessions:
Substance Abuse and Child Welfare Pre-Conference
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 7:30 a.m- 12 noon
Legislators will learn about national trends and current efforts in providing services to families affected by substance use disorders who are involved in the child welfare system and family courts. Information on systems level policy, practice models and efforts at collaboration that integrates evidence-based practices within substance abuse treatment, child welfare and the courts to lead to positive outcomes for families will be discussed. Registration is required. For more information and how to register, please visit http://www.ncsl.org/print/cyf/CWprecon08.pdf.
America's Autism Challenge
Friday, July 25, 2008 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Autism continues to capture headlines as an estimated 1 in every 150 American children receive the diagnosis. This dramatic increase means state legislatures are faced with the challenge of serving the needs of a fast growing population, including early identification and intervention, treatment, and the long-term impact on health and special education programs. This session is a joint collaboration between the Health, Education and Children and Families Programs.
Science and Technology in Public Policy
Thursday, July 24, 2008, 4:15 – 5:45
Most current public policy issues require at least a basic understanding of science and technology. Often, however, legislators do not get science-based resources that are useful for decision making. A new NCSL project is strengthening links between state lawmakers and the research community. Legislators and the research community will discuss information needs, identify interest and plan future NCSL work. Because early learning issues have been informed by neuroscience and child development research, this exploratory session may be of interest as NCSL considers how to connect science to policy.
Recent State Action
States passed a variety of bills in the 2008 legislative session. Please feel free to go to our legislation database to search state legislation by visiting http://www.ncsl.org/programs/cyf/ECELD.cfm. Below is a summary of Minnesota's new law that creates an early childhood advisory council,
Minnesota HF 1812 (Sec 13)
The Minnesota legislature has created a State Advisory Council on Early Education and Care as required by the Federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 200. The adopted language, in HF 1812, recognizes this process, and adds to the council's duties and membership. The provision requires that four legislators - two Representatives and two Senators are included in the membership of the Council in addition to representatives from state departments overseeing early childhood programs, and from Head Start, school districts and local ECE providers, and two parents with children under the age of six. Parental involvement in the Council is paid for by transferring $12,500 from the Pre-K Allowances and $12,500 from the administrative costs of the Child Care Development Fund, unless other funds become available. Minnesota's legislation is an example of how one state has involved legislators in the Early Childhood Advisory Council even though it was not required by the Head Start federal mandate. Click here for the full bill text
What's New
Legislative Caucuses, Committees, and Councils on Early Childhood Issues
Legislators have been very involved in recent years in early care and education issues through entities such as a legislative children's caucus, a legislative committee on early learning or through legislative participation in a Governor-led council or Commission such as an early learning council. We are doing research to identify all of these types of entities in which legislators are involved in child care and early learning issues. Please let us know if you have created such an entity. Please send us information about what you are doing in your states to: Steffanie Clothier or Qiana Flores.
In addition, we are interested in offering our support as those groups consider the issues important to your states or as they explore possible priorities. If you would like NCSL staff to come to your state to speak to your caucus, committee or Council, we would be happy to talk about trends in states, specific policy areas you are exploring or to help you identify an expert to offer specific research. In the past, we have offered presentations on child care quality, school readiness, prekindergarten, home visiting, and governance, among other issues. We have resources that will allow us to travel to you to provide this support. Please contact Steffanie Clothier or Jennifer Stedron if you are interested in a presentation or other support.
Federal Home Visiting Grant We know that many of you have been interested in or have worked on bills or appropriations involving home visiting programs. We received an announcement about a multi-year federal grant opportunity for states on home visiting titled "Supporting Evidence-Based Home Visitation Programs to Prevent Child Maltreatment." We thought we would pass the announcement on in the event you would want to encourage your state to apply. We would be happy to work with your legislature on any of these issues. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/pdf/HHS-2008-ACF-ACYF-CA-0130.pdf Please contact Steffanie Clothier if you have questions.
Guide for Partnering with the Private and Philanthropic Sectors
The NGA Center for Best Practices is pleased to announce the release of a new report, Partnering with the Private and Philanthropic Sectors: A Governor's Guide to Investing in Early Childhood. In recent years, several governors have partnered with private and philanthropic leaders to maximize funding and achieve positive outcomes for young children. This guide describes the nature and activities of such early childhood public-private partnerships and aims to help governors and state policymakers navigate the decisions they will make if they wish to pursue such partnerships in their own state. Read the full report
Pennsylvania's Pre-K Counts Program Shows First-Year Results
An overwhelming majority of children who benefited from the inaugural year of Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts programs are ending the school year with age appropriate skills and behaviors or emerging skills and behaviors, according to year-end assessments. The data shows a 58 percent increase in the number of children meeting targets for early language and literacy skills. First-year reports on children's progress also show nearly 70 percent of Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts children have achieved age-appropriate skills and behaviors after participating in the program. Another 25 percent demonstrate emerging age-appropriate skills and behaviors. Click here to view the press release.
Massachusetts Department of Early Care and Education Case Study
Strategies for Children and the Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy have released a new report titled A Case Study of the Massachusetts Department of Early Care and Education, which provides an explanation of the history, successes, and political and logistical challenges of the creation and formation of the EEC. The report suggests a number of lessons learned for other states that may be thinking of creating new departments or consolidating agencies in a similar way. Click here to view the report.
This e-update is an informational service for state legislators and legislative staff who are part of NCSL's Child Care and Early Education Legislative Network. Contact Stephen Fagan or call (303) 856-1374 for more information about the content of this update, to submit information about your, or to SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE.
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