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"Children Learning, Parents Earning, Communities Growing"
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Issue #48 December 2, 2019
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California Alternative Payment Programs (APPs)- Lifting families and children up is the North Star that is our compass for the work that we do
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Since 1976, community based
Alternative Payment Programs (APPs)
have been supporting working
families
with access to
child care, early education and supportive services
. For over 40 years, APPs connected income eligible working families with resources to lift families up towards self-sufficiency and help break free from the cycle of poverty for themselves and for their children. Today, these programs have evolved in their supports for the most fragile of families by linking them not only to child care and early learning programs but also to food programs, mental health, domestic violence intervention, housing, transportation and health care to name a few.
For each month in 2019, an agency was profiled to showcase their work and services being delivered within their respective county and/ or community. Review of those profiled highlighted ways that individual agencies and the case managers were working
to support the needs of families in a 24 hour/seven days per week economy,
to meet the unique cultural and linguistic needs of families with outreach and materials in understandable languages and
to serve as a reliable place families could turn to in any time of need.
During this year's numerous disasters, our agencies not only continued to be the reliable place for families to turn, but increased their supports to include access to emergency child care, diapers, collected clothing for the entire family, housing and food. As communities continue to recover, the agencies continue to serve. Lifting families and children up is the North Star that is our compass for the work that we do.
Here are the unique CAPPA Member Agencies profiled in 2019.
Click on each
of them to learn more!
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CAPPA Member Only Benefits
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CAPPA Member Benefits now available on the Members Only website:
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Just added to the Member's only website:
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CAPPA's
2019-20 Board of Directors
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Rick Richardson
Child Development Associates
Karen Marlatt
Valley Oak Children's Services
Beth Chiaro
Child Care Resource Center
LaVera Smith
Supportive Services Fresno
Martin Castro
Mexican American Opportunity Foundation
Jeffrey Moreira
Crystal Stairs, Inc.
Public Policy Co-Chair
Phillip Warner
Children's Council San Francisco
Tina Barna
Choices for Children
Abby Shull
YMCA Childcare Resource Service
Leslie Reece
Family Resource & Referral of San Joaquin County
Jeanne Fridolfs
Napa County Office of Education
Mike Michelon
Siskiyou Child Care Council
Marco Jimenez
Central Valley Children's Services Network
Michelle Graham
Children's Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County
Joie Owen
Glenn County Office of Education
Denyne Micheletti Colburn
CAPPA CEO
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ELCD/CDE, DSS & CCLD Updates
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November 6, 2019
FY 2019-20 RFA for CSPP Expansion Funds
November 5, 2019
FY 2019-20 RFA for CCTR Expansion Funds
October 14, 2019
15-day comment period is now closed.
September 17, 2019
September 9, 2019
Fiscal Year 2019-20 Two-Day Fiscal Training for Center-Based Contractors.
Additional information regarding location details and how to sign up for these trainings will be forthcoming
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Is Your Organization Hiring?
Post your job announcement here for thousands to see!
There is no charge for CAPPA members.
Non-members will be charged a fee of $75.
Please
email us
your posting!
California Health & Human Services Agency
4Cs of Alameda County
Colusa County Office of Education
Solano Family and Children's Services
International Institute Los Angeles
Children's Council San Francisco
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The CAPPA Board has made it a priority to support our field with a coordinated calendar to note upcoming statewide conferences, federal conferences of relevance, CDE and DSS stakeholder meetings and legislative and budget deadlines and hearings.
NOTE: If you would like to share your newsletter or items of interest with our field via the Monday morning e-Newsletter, then please
email us
a link. Please make sure that you have a link included to an online version or viewing.
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Become a Monday
Morning
Update Partner!
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Our Monday Morning Update supports our Early Learning & Child Care field with timely information about what is going on in California and nationally; as well as dates to be aware and upcoming events.
Our weekly (50 times per year) Monday morning distribution is to more than 4,000 federal and state local agencies, resource and referrals, contractors, legislators and their staffs', centers, parents, providers, state departments and advocates.
To help support the continuation of this resource and or advertise in the Monday Morning Update, click
HERE.
You can also make a donation to CAPPA and CAPPA Children's Foundation
The Children's Foundation is a non-profit organization (501(c)3), Taxpayer Identification Number is
03-0521444. Your generous donation is tax deductible.
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California's budget for 2019-20 is $146 billion.
 Q: Of the $146 billion, how much is spent on supporting California's struggling working families with child care, state preschool and after school programs?
A: Of the $146 billion, less than 3.6 percent or $5.3 billion is spent on children outside of Proposition 98.
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The final actions on bills have been made. To see those vetoed, signed (Chaptered),
or are two-year bills
click here.
For all, while legislators are back in their districts, please make it a priority to educate them about your programs, families and children served, ideas for better delivery of services, etc.
While on recess, informational hearings may be scheduled throughout the state that may be of interest.
- Thursday, December 5, 2019 - ASM Select Committee on Youth Mental Health - Informational Hearing on The Impact of Gun Violence on Youth Mental Health - Elihu M. Harris State Building, Oakland @ 4pm
- Monday, December 9, 2019 - ASM Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and HUman Services - Informational Hearing on The Promise of Proposition 63 and the Future of Mental Health Funding in California - State Capitol Room 437 @ 1pm
- Tuesday, December 10, 2019 - Joint Informational Hearing on Census 2020 in Los Angeles and Orange Counties: Coming Soon to Your Community - Long Beach City Hall @ 11:15am
Click here to see calendar of field events/interests and legislative hearings and deadlines. If you would like something added to the field calendar,
click here and submit details.
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CAPPA Audit Training, in partnership with CDE- THIS WEEK!
December 4, 2019
KVIE, Sacramento
9:30am-2:00pm
CAPPA, in partnership with the CDE Audits and Investigations Division, will be delivering a training for our field focused on auditing. There will be a training from CDE on auditing changes and requirements, as well as a training from an accounting firm on how agencies should be preparing and complying with the different requirements.
Agenda:
9:30am-12:00pm:
Presentation from CDE Audits and Investigations Division
The California Department of Education's Audits and Investigations Division will provide an overview of federal and state requirements that apply to agencies administering the child development programs including cost allowability, audits, and certified public accountant selection.
12:00pm-2:00pm:
How to Prepare for an Agency Audit
Gregory Gebhardt, Nonprofit Financial Consultant, Board Member, and Chief Operations Officer of Fohrman & Fohrman, Inc.
How agencies should be preparing and complying with the different requirements. This portion of the training will cover audits and internal controls as applied to the contractors.
**Lunch will be included.**
Thank you to our event sponsor!
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Before you know it, 2020 will be here. Work is beginning to put materials together for this event. If you would like to become a partner, send your email and logo here.
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Profiled Legislator of the Week!
Assemblywoman Autumn Burke leads turkey giveaway at Lennox Academy in Inglewood
Project Gobble was a scrumptious success.
Assemblywoman Autumn Burke, D-South Bay, helped hand out roughly 800 turkeys Tuesday morning, Nov. 26, to local families at the Lennox Academy, in Inglewood, as part of the fifth annual Project Gobble. The assemblywoman, along with the Lennox Coordinating Council, led the event - sponsored by local businesses and associations - to supply the turkeys on a first-come, first-served basis at the charter school.
Francis Sanchez, who lives just a few blocks away, said the free turkey will make a big difference for her son on Thanksgiving.
"My son has always had it hard and we don't get to cook as much as we would like," Sanchez said, "so having this turkey is going to make a lot of memories for him."
Burke, who represents the northern South Bay area and southern part of the Westside, said she enjoyed the turkey giveaway and getting to meet new people.
"It's really important for me to be here," Burke said. "I love giving the turkeys away. I like the interaction in the community. It's the foundation of being good neighbors."
Burke's district stretches from Marina del Rey to Gardena, bringing with it a diverse mix of constituents - from the wealthy to those living in deep poverty. Roughly 29,000 children in Burke's 62nd Assembly District live in poverty.
"It's really important that every part of my district gets the benefits they should," Burke said.
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Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon
California Democratic leader will not seek re-election in 2020
Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon announced on Tuesday that he will not seek re-election next year in his Southern California district, saying he instead plans to spend more time with wife and young children.
Calderon, a Democrat from Whittier, was elected in 2012 to represent California's 57th Assembly District in southeast Los Angeles County. Building on his credentials as the "first millennial" elected to the Legislature, Calderon then became the youngest majority leader in March 2016.
Calderon said in a
statement released on Tuesday that he was not seeking re-election because he wants to spend more time with his wife, Elise, and their children.
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CDE Information & Updates
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Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff Information
The CDE ELCD recognizes the challenges caused by public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) and the resulting conditions. Some PSPS events may have rendered centers, preschools, and providers unable to offer services. We want to offer some information that may be helpful to support local programs during PSPS events and as they work to return to serving California's early learning and care needs.
Licensed Facilities Operating During a Power Outage
The Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division (DSS-CCLD) has advised that early learning and care facilities may provide care during a power outage as long as they continue to meet all health and safety licensing requirements for children in care. We encourage providers to consider their own health, safety and the wellbeing of their families when deciding whether or not to offer care during a power outage. Additional technical assistance is available through the CDSS-CCLD Child Care Offices on the web at
https://bit.ly/2OsOBYM
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Reimbursement for Lost Days of Attendance
We would like to remind you about the CDE ELCD allowance for crediting attendance during program closures due to emergency conditions. Contractors should refer to the ELCD Management Bulletin (MB) 10-09 web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/mb1009.asp. This MB provides specific guidance and funding direction due to circumstances beyond the control of the agency. In addition, MB 10-09 provides instruction for the statutory authority in California Education Code (EC) Section 8271 which provides that contractors unable to operate due to circumstances beyond the control of the agency, which would include fires, flooding, power outages, and other emergency-related situations, shall not be penalized.
For questions regarding reduced days of operation or attendance for child care and development programs, please contact your ELCD consultant. A list of consultant assignments is found on the ELCD Consultant Regional Assignments web page at
Incidents at Licensed Facilities
If you operate a licensed facility, please report any incidents on the premises to the California Department of Social Services pursuant to the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 22, sections
101212(d) and 102416.2(c). These CCR sections are available on the web at https://bit.ly/2XxB1Yd and https://bit.ly/37qIvAH , respectively. All licensed facilities should follow their disaster plans on file pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 1596.95(f) and is available on the web at https://bit.ly/35f7fKq.
Families Experiencing Homelessness due to a Disaster
For information regarding Homeless Children and Youth, please refer to MB 18-04 which is located on the ELCD MB web page at
Additionally, please contact your ELCD field services consultant, as soon as possible if your agency is impacted by a PSPS.
Resources for Preparing for and Coping with Disaster
California Resource and Referral (R&R) programs provide training and technical assistance, as well as resources for early learning and care providers. Please contact your local R&R for information on available resources. A list of R&Rs is found on the CDE web page at
https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/rragencylist.asp
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FY 2019-20 Attendance and Fiscal Reporting and Reimbursement Procedures for Child Development Contractors
The FY 2019-20 Attendance and Fiscal Reporting and Reimbursement Procedures for Child Development Contractors has been posted to the Child Development fiscal information web page. The Attendance and Fiscal Reporting and Reimbursement Procedures for Child Development Contractors is a handbook that had been commonly referred to as the Greenbook. Beginning FY 2019-20, this handbook will no longer be referenced as the Greenbook and will now be referenced as the Child Development and Nutrition Fiscal Services (CDNFS) Fiscal Handbook.
The CDNFS Fiscal Handbook is a manual that aids child development contractors in their attendance and fiscal reporting and explains reimbursement procedures and the role of the CDNFS unit within the Fiscal and Administrative Services Division.
A listing of important changes is included at the beginning of the
CDNFS Fiscal Handbook
each year. Please pay special attention to these changes and contact your assigned fiscal analyst with questions. The fiscal analyst directory can be found at
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Announcement Update for the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Bidders Conferences for
California State Preschool Program (CSPP) and General Child Care and Development (CCTR)
Please join us! The ELCD will conduct 11 Request for Applications (RFA) Bidders Conferences or webinar training sessions for applicants interested in applying for
California State Preschool Program (CSPP) and General Child Care and Development (CCTR) funding. Presenters from the ELCD will discuss the following: the
overview of the CSPP and CCTR RFA instructions, fiscal and contractual portions of RFA, timeline, process and funding available. This training will also review the
new
program narrative, scoring rubric, required documents
, and answer application questions.
Please visit the ELCD Bidders Conferences and Webinars web page at
https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/rfa1920biddersconf.asp
for the dates, times and locations of each of the Bidders Conference training sessions. These trainings will be heldon-site in several counties across California, or through a webinar session. Most sessions will begin at 10 a.m., and end at 3 p.m. Lunch is on your own and a forty-five (45) minute lunch break will be provided.
Space is limited to two attendees per agency in each location. Information about the webinars will be sent out at a later date.
Information regarding the RFAs may be found on the CDE website at:
- CSPP RFA: please visit the ELCD Management Bulletin 19-08 web page at
- CCTR RFA: please visit the ELCD Management Bulletin 19-09 web page at
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2020 Election Information
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Information on Upcoming Initiatives
March 3, 2020 Statewide Ballot Measures
November 3, 2020 Statewide Ballot Measures
- 1856. (18-0009) - REFERENDUM TO OVERTURN A 2018 LAW THAT REPLACED MONEY BAIL SYSTEM WITH A SYSTEM BASED ON PUBLIC SAFETY RISK.
November 2020 Eligible Statewide Ballot Measures
- 1840. (17-0044, Amdt.#1) - Restricts Parole for Non-Violent Offenders. Authorizes Felony Sentences for Certain Offenses Currently Treated Only as Misdemeanors. Initiative Statute.)
- 1851. (17-0055, Amdt.#1) - Requires Certain Commercial and Industrial Real Property to be Taxed Based on Fair-Market Value. Dedicates Portion of Any Increased Revenue to Education and Local Services. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Upcoming Senate, Assembly, and Presidential Elections:
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2019-20 State Budget Update
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 2019-20 State Budget Information
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 CalWORKs Child Care Outlook
Over the past five years, spending on CalWORKs child care has increased significantly. The increase has been due to a combination of higher provider reimbursement rates and a greater number of children served. Under our Fiscal Outlook, CalWORKs child care spending continues to grow. Assuming current policies remain in place, we estimate costs in 2020-21 will be 12 percent higher than in 2019-20, with costs growing at an average annual rate of 4 percent through 2023-24. Costs could be notably higher than we project due to a number of factors, including future budget decisions impacting provider reimbursement rates and the implementation of legislation enacted last year authorizing collective bargaining among some child care providers.
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2019-20 Federal Budget Update
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Senate Approves Spending Bill to Avoid Shutdown, and Trump Signs It
Congress gave final approval on Thursday to a stopgap spending bill that would punt the threat of a government shutdown to just before Christmas, setting up a potential clash over federal spending just as the House could be weighing whether to impeach President Trump.
Hours before funding was set to lapse on Thursday, the Senate voted to postpone the spending fight, approving a measure to extend funding through Dec. 20 for all federal government departments and agencies, as well as a number of health care and community programs. That deadline sets up a potentially climactic series of votes in late December, when lawmakers could be considering impeachment articles against Mr. Trump while racing to avert a holiday season government shutdown.
Lawmakers remain divided over funding Mr. Trump's signature promise to build a wall at the southern border - the same issue that led to the pre-Christmas government shutdown nearly a year ago, which stretched into January and
became the nation's longest. By a vote of 74 to 20, the Senate agreed to the temporary measure, haunted by the consequences of the 35-day shutdown that lasted into January. The measure received
a slim bipartisan majority in the House this week, and the president signed the bill into law on Thursday.
"These are things we must do," said Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, lamenting the lack of a full-year spending package as well as other legislative priorities at a news conference on Tuesday.
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The Current Unmet Need of Child Care in California
In 2016, the California Budget Policy Center reported that over 1.2 million income eligible children in need of child care did not receive services. In 2017-18 that number surged to 2.032 with 1.804 income eligible with no access and roughly 230,000 with partial access. It has been estimated that the current number is now approaching 2.5 million.
From 2016-2019, California's babies and children with no access to care has surged by roughly 1.3 million.
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The High Cost of Child Care Underscores the Need for Supporting Families With Children of All Ages
Without access to affordable child care, parents may struggle to find and keep jobs or to go to school. Unfortunately, California ranks as one of the least affordable states in the nation based on the cost of child care.
Statewide, the median annual cost of care for an infant in a licensed child care center is over $15,000. In a family with two working parents earning low wages, each parent would have to work 147 hours per week
to avoid paying more than the federally recommended 7% of income on the cost of child care for their infant.
The annual cost of care in a licensed center for older children is also out of reach for many families - $10,200 for a preschool-age child and $5,800 for a school-age child. While prices may be lower with a licensed home-based provider, this option is still prohibitively expensive for families who are struggling to cover basic expenses.
Parents typically incur the highest-priced care - for infants and toddlers - at a younger age when they can least afford it. Even families with older children may struggle to find affordable care before or after the school day or when they are working nonstandard hours. Family supports such as subsidized child care and development programs can help boost families' economic security by providing stable and affordable child care. According to a Budget Center analysis of federal survey data, an estimated 2 million children from birth through age 12 were eligible for child care assistance in 2017. Across all age groups, only a small share of eligible children were enrolled in a subsidized program: 1 in 9 infants and toddlers (11.6%), 1 in 5 preschool-age children (22.1%), and 1 in 15 school-age children (6.7%).
The high cost of care coupled with the large number of children eligible for child care assistance underscores the need for additional state and federal investments in California's subsidized child care and development system. Child care assistance is critical to supporting low- and moderate-income families while parents are at work or school and is vital to helping families achieve economic security. Providing additional access to child care assistance should be a key component of state and federal budget deliberations.
Related:
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Only a fraction of California children eligible receive subsidized child care
As Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes to expand subsidized childcare in California, a new report indicates that the state still has a long way to go to reach a substantial share of its neediest children.
Only 1 in 9 children eligible for subsidized childcare and preschool programs in California were enrolled in a program that provided full-day, year-round care in 2017, according to
an analysis by the California Budget and Policy Center, a nonpartisan organization that analyzes how budget and tax policies affect low- and middle-income Californians.
To come up with the number, the center analyzed federal survey data, finding that an estimated 2 million children under 13 were eligible for subsidized care based on income guidelines, but only 228,100 participated in a program that provided care all day and all year.
That number includes children enrolled in full-day preschool programs, after-school programs for older children and vouchers for child care, but excluded about 97,000 children enrolled in half-day preschool programs without access to subsidized child care for the rest of the day.
There is some debate about how best to use state funding to meet the need - whether to place a higher priority on building more facilities and train more teachers to improve quality in state-subsidized childcare centers, or to pay for more subsidies and vouchers for families to use now with any provider they choose.
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End Child Poverty California is Partnering with the Dolores Huerta Foundation to Organize Across the State in 2020
The End Child Poverty California movement is collaborating with civil rights leader, founder, and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, Dolores Huerta, to build a grassroots army of Californians ready to end child poverty in our state for good. Thanks to the help of partners like CAPPA and dozens more, California's
End Child Poverty Plan gained incredible traction in 2019. In 2020, on-the-ground organizing will pair with an expanded digital campaign to continue to engage, educate, and move Californians to action on our child poverty crisis. Make sure you're signed on:
https://www.endchildpovertyca.org/.
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Governor Newsom Announces Early Childhood Policy Council and a Team to Develop Master Plan for Early Learning and Care
Governor Gavin Newsom announced the selection of diverse experts, practitioners and parents to guide California's efforts on early learning and care. The Governor today appointed 20 members of the state's new Early Childhood Policy Council and advisory committees, including national experts, practitioners, and parents. He also announced the creation of an Early Childhood Action Research Team to develop a Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, which includes state and national leaders in social impact, financing, policy, and equity issues.
The Governor announced that the Early Childhood Policy Council will be chaired by California's Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris.
The Governor also named 20 members to the Council today, including thought leaders from across the state in social services, child care and child trauma. The Council will elevate the needs of young children and their families as well as advise the Governor, Legislature and the Superintendent of Public Instruction on statewide early learning, care and overall development.
Early Childhood Policy Council Members
- Nadine Burke Harris
- Mayra E. Alvarez, 38
- Kim Pattillo Brownson
- Yvette Sanchez Fuentes
- Maria "Lupe" Jaime
- Kimberley Johnson
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Alicia Lieberman
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Dean Tagawa
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Cheryl Polk
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Carola Oliva-Olson
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Stephanie Myers
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Sarah Neville-Morgan
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Scott Moore
Early Childhood Policy Council, Parent Subcommittee Members
- Lissete Frausto
- Mary Ignatius
- Yenni Rivera
Early Childhood Policy Council, Workforce Subcommittee Members
- Miren Algorri
- Virginia Eigen
- Tonia McMillian
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Why Child Care Is So Ridiculously Expensive
One side effect of
"the end of babies"-or, less dramatically, the steady decline in fertility rates around the world-is that today's parents spend more time and money on the few kids they do have.
In the United States, per-child spending doubled from the 1970s to the 2000s, according to
a 2013 paper by Sabino Kornich of the University of Sydney and Frank Furstenberg of the University of Pennsylvania. Parents spent more on education, toys, and games. But nothing grew faster than per-child spending on child care, which increased by a factor of 21-or approximately 2,000 percent-in those 40 years.
Although wrapping your head around 2,000 percent growth
might be difficult, the underlying cause isn't so mysterious. As more women entered the labor force in the late 20th century, the work of caring for infants moved from the unpaid world of stay-at-home parents to the world of salaried labor. The 1970s and '80s-the two decades when the female labor participation rate grew the fastest-also saw the greatest acceleration in child-care spending, according to Kornich and Furstenberg. Raising young children is work-and it always has been work-but the rise of dual-earner households has forced more families to recognize this work with their wallets.
But child-care spending is unlike other spending. By some measures, it's getting more expensive faster than almost every other consumer good or service that the government tracks. The Census Bureau has found that child-care expenditures rose more than
40 percent from 1990 to 2011, during a period when middle-class wages stagnated. Since the 1990s, child-care costs have grown
twice as fast as overall inflation. In California, the cost of a typical day-care center is now equal to
almost half of the median income of a single mother.
Pick whatever source and statistic you like, because they all point to the same conclusion: Child care in America has become ludicrously expensive. The average cost of a full-time child-care program in the U.S. is now
$16,000 a year-and more,
in some states, than tuition at a flagship university.
What the hell is going on? And what should we do about it?
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Even in countries that are not the world's richest, high levels of child poverty are shameful and frequently lead to bad outcomes for a society. In the United States, although child poverty has dropped by half over the past 50 years, the current level remains a serious problem.
Certain factors and circumstances may help keep children out of poverty, while others may push them into poverty. For example, refundable tax credits helped prevent millions of families with children from falling into poverty, while medical care costs and health insurance premiums resulted in more families with children falling into poverty. (
Here at
15 states where poverty is worse than you think.)
24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2018 American Community Survey. Childhood poverty refers to the share of children under the age of 18 living in households with incomes below the
poverty threshold
. The poverty threshold varies by family size and composition. In 2018, the Census Bureau poverty threshold for a family of three with one child under 18 years old was
$20,212
.
Click to see how many children live in poverty in your state.
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"By age 3 we know about 50% of what we will eventually know as an adult," said Prof. Charlie Trautmann, psychology.
Trautmann is a part of the Early Childhood Development Project led by Prof. John Hopcroft, IBM Professor of Engineering and Applied Mathematics, whose aim is to better the standard of early childhood care across the United States.
The project focuses primarily on translating existing research on early childhood development and making it accessible to those who most need it - parents, caregivers and policymakers.
According to Hopcroft, the importance of early childhood brain development is often underestimated by adults. In fact, the first few years of a child's life encapsulate important milestones in learning and brain development.
To illustrate this, Trautmann proposed two analogies: "At age 1, children learn how to walk, and walking is an incredibly complex task. For an engineer to create a machine that walks is one of the most difficult tasks out there, and we just learn it instinctively in one year."
"We're learning to talk at age 2, think of trying to create an artificial intelligence machine that can listen and respond and it's a very difficult task, and children instinctively learn it in the first two year of life, and many of them speak multiple languages," he continued.
Hopcroft said there has been "tremendous" research done on early childhood development in the 25 years, but most of them are "hard to read" because of their dense vernacular. The problem in this, Trautmann said, is that there is a disconnect in the communication of the research to parents and the public.
"I would like to see a level playing field for all children," Hopcroft said, adding that his ultimate goal is to "educate the general population of the importance of early childhood so that maybe eventually sometime our nation will fund quality childcare."
Hopcroft noted that the U.S. is far behind other nations in investment in early childhood, citing both
China and
Scandinavia as regions that have seen success in educating and funding programs for early childhood. He said that early childhood is not just important on an individual level but should be a matter of national importance.
"The leading nations are not going to be the ones that have energy and material resources, which is what it was in the past. In the future, it's going to be talent, and if we don't start to focus on the talent of all of our children, we aren't going to be the leading nation," Hopcroft said.
In order to move forward with the goal of educating the public and influencing policy, Hopcroft said there needs to be a "marketing plan" for the importance of early childhood development.
Link to read full
article.
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The Learning Curve: Newsom's Universal Pre-K Dreams Are Still Far Off
On the campaign trail, Gov. Gavin Newsom hailed universal preschool as one of his top priorities, so that every California child would have the skills needed to succeed in kindergarten.
Less than a year into Newsom's term, a variety of early childhood support programs have been outlined in the state budget. There's more money for child care, and subsidized slots for preschools have increased, as well as opportunities for teacher training.
Still, universal preschool is a long way off, and it remains uncertain whether the governor can achieve such a lofty goal.
Several legislative efforts to bolster preschool and child care services died this year, with money being the paramount roadblock.
Three measures pushed by Assemblyman Kevin McCarty were intended to tackle the lack of money and preschool availability from several angles.
McCarty had hoped to set aside $500 million to build new preschools - that's because the state currently doesn't have enough preschools for everyone to attend, even if it wanted to fund a universal system.
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California is poised to confront high proportions of underqualified teachers in low-income schools
The most inexperienced and least qualified teachers continue to teach in schools with the highest-needs students in California - even tho
ugh those students require the most expert teachers, and research has shown that the effectiveness of classroom teachers is
the biggest in-school factor contributing to students' achievement.
The state lacks comprehensive data, but
the most recent report from the California Department of Education found that districts with the most low-income students had 25 percent more inexperienced and underqualified teachers and teachers with a temporary intern credential than districts with the lowest numbers of low-income children.
The disparity has widened amid the ongoing teacher shortage, when districts have hired thousands of teachers with substandard credentials. It has persisted because there has been little state pressure on districts to take action in the new era of local control, and no leverage by Washington, under the Every Student Succeeds Act, to force states to hold districts accountable for inequitable staffing patterns.
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Even if you have people living with you who are not on your lease - or say, your affordable housing application - you should still make sure they are counted during the 2020 Census, says Ditas Katague, director of the California Complete Count office.
"No enforcement agency, federal, local, or anything, can get that data," she assures Californians. "It's safe."
Last week, Katague visited Los Angeles county, the hardest-to-count area in the United States and also a region in the state with census tracts where the most African Americans live. She was on a stop that was part of a statewide push to encourage all Californians to respond to next year's census forms.
She sat with California Black Media writer Charlene Muhammad to talk more about the state's $187.3 million investment to get an accurate count of all Californians.
Katague also shared details about what her office has been doing so far to achieve it, and she gave some insights on why it has been so hard for census workers to get the African-American count right in the past.
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California's moms get stronger support for workplace lactation
Katie Woody's firstborn, Oliver, struggled from birth to latch onto her breast, so she had little choice but to pump her milk and feed it to him from a bottle.
After a three-month maternity leave, Woody returned to her job as a sous-chef for a meal delivery service in Los Angeles, expecting to have access to the sole office in the rented building to pump her breast milk - an agreement she had made with the building manager. But a male shift supervisor who occupied the office would not let her use it.
Instead, she pumped in her car, covering the windows as best she could. "But the stress of the situation was too much," she said, so she stopped giving her son breast milk a few months after her return to work. That upset her, because Oliver, now 2, had health problems, and she wanted to give him the best nutrition possible.
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