CAPPA: Monday Morning Update for the week of January 4, 2021

"Children Learning, Parents Earning, Communities Growing"

January 4, 2021 | Issue #1

2021 Child Care & End Child Poverty in CA Virtual Advocacy Day

We invite you to partner with those noted above for a Child Care & End Child Poverty in CA

VIRTUAL Advocacy Day!

On January, 21 2021, we're coming together as advocates--child care, food programs, safety net, and anti-poverty champions--for our “Child Care and End Child Poverty CA Advocacy Day.” Our landscape has shifted significantly. Let's raise our unified voices in support of California's kids and families. The needs are urgent and we want to provide both immediate relief and solutions to build back better. On January 21st, we'll advocate for budget proposals that keep families fed, keep child care providers open, and commit to lifting families out of poverty. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unmet need is growing exponentially, yet California is facing an unprecedented budget deficit: we need our decision makers in Sacramento to hear from the field on the impact of this pandemic, and what supports need to be improved during recovery. Don't miss this impactful day of action!

For more information, agenda and to register, Click Here!

If you would like to sign on as a partner, please let us know!

Interested in supporting this Event? Learn more about sponsorships here.

Thank you to our event sponsors:

CAPPA Virtual Audit Training, in partnership with CDE

January 15, 2021

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. During the first part of the training, there will be two trainings from CDE on Auditing Changes and Requirements, as well as a Q&A Session with CDE staff. During part 2, there will be a training from an independent auditor on how agencies should be preparing and complying with the different requirements.

Agenda:

9:30am – 10:30am

Fiscal Requirements

10:30am – 11:45am

Audit Requirements

11:45am – 12:15pm

Q&A Session with Early Learning and Support Division (ELCD), The Child Development and Nutrition Fiscal Services (CDNFS) Office and Audits & Investigations Unit

12:15pm – 1:00pm

Lunch Break

1:00pm – 2:00pm

How to Prepare for an Audit from an Independent Auditor’s Perspective

Learn more and register here.

Sponsored by:

CAPPA Welcomes New Staff!!

Please join us in welcoming Jason Zamarron to the CAPPA team.

Jason is a Sacramento native and UCLA alumnus. His interest in early learning and childcare policy stems from the years he spent volunteering at orphanages in Tijuana, Mexico. In his new role, Jason will help implement strategies targeted toward improving the lives of working families and children. He joins us from the Senate and Assembly, where he spent time this past year assisting his local representatives.

California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program

For all agencies, providers, centers and businesses, here is information for you to consider applying for a grant. Bellow are some links for more information:

Deadlines

ROUND 1

Application Opens December 30, 2020 at 6:00 AM PST
Application Closes January 8, 2021 at 11:59 PM PST
Start of Approval Notifications January 13, 2021

Applicants who submitted their application and submitted all documentation in the first round do not need to reapply; qualified applications will be automatically rolled over into the next funding round for consideration.

ROUND 2

Application Opens TBD
Application Closes TBD
Start of Approval Notifications TBD

Round 2 is the final application window for the Program. Grant awards for businesses in the second application window will be made in two decision rounds for funding.

The California State Legislature to return on January 11, 2021

To date 202 bill have been introduced. Of the 202, 119 are Assembly Bills (ABs) and 83 Senate Bills (SBs).

Below are a couple of introduced bills of interest to our field:

AB 22 (McCarty) - Transitional kindergarten: enrollment for 4-year-old children
AB 47 (Reyes) - Human services: coordinated immigration support services
AB 65 (Low) - California Universal Basic Income Program
AB 92 (Reyes) - Preschool and childcare and development services: family fees
AB 99 (Irwin) - Statewide longitudinal data system: California Cradle-to-Career Data System
SB 22 (Glazer) - Education finance: school facilities: Public Preschool, K-12, College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2022
SB 50 (Limon) - Early learning and care: California Early Learning and Care Program
SB 61 (Hurtado) - Workforce training programs: supportive service

NOTE: If there is a piece of legislation that you would like to highlight, email here. Remember the distribution of this update is roughly 6,200.

On December 10, 2020 the Assembly Budget Committee released the 2021-22 Blueprint for a Responsible Budget.

2021 BUDGET: PRESERVE, RESPOND, PROTECT, RECOVER (Excerpt)

• Help Californians most adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and use an equity lens to evaluate solutions

• Implement TK-for-all 4-year-old children beginning in 2021, and increase rates for all early childhood education providers facing increased costs due to COVID-19

• Appropriate funding for wildfire prevention and mitigation activities

• Streamline program rules to reduce barriers to entry and retain current families in Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, CalFresh, IHSS, and other major programs that assist vulnerable Californians

CDE Information & Updates

Online Reporting through the Child Development Provider Accounting Reporting Information System (CPARIS)

Attention: Migrant Special Services (CMSS) and Resource and Referral Programs (CRRP) Contractors

Contractors are reminded that the deadline to submit December Quarter reports is January 20, 2021. Prior to Fiscal Year 2020-21, Attendance and Fiscal reports were submitted to the Child Development and Nutrition Fiscal Services (CDNFS) via hard copy and sent to the CDE utilizing various postal services. As of July 2020, all CMSS and CRRP contractors were instructed to continue reporting their monthly or quarterly Fiscal Reports via paper form submission, as the CPARIS system was unable to collect data for these two report types at that time.

CMSS and CRRP contracts are now available, and contactors will now report their expenditure data to CDNFS via CPARIS. The following report types are now live in CPARIS:

CCTR (9500), CSPP (8501), CMIG (9500), CHST (9529), CCIP (9529), CLPC (9529), CPKS (9529), CMSS (9500A), CRRP (2507)

Contractors who have submitted CMSS and/or CRRP reports for FY 2020-21 (July through November) via hard copy must resubmit their report via CPARIS by Wednesday, January 20^th to ensure the CPARIS database captures expenditures for the full contract period. Reports must be submitted and certified in sequential order. For example, a September quarter report must be submitted and certified before a December quarter report can be submitted and certified.

CMSS reports are available in monthly and quarterly periods. CRRP reports are only available in quarterly periods during FY 2020-21, but monthly reporting will be made available in FY 2021-22. CRRP contractors who have submitted monthly hard copy reports to CDNFS in FY 2020-21, must resubmit reports in a quarterly format. Contractors will condense July through September data on the September 2020 quarterly report and October through December data on the December 2020 quarterly report in CPARIS.

Contractors that have not yet established users in the CPARIS system must register and establish a username and password through the Centralized Authentication System (CAS), at https://www3.cde.ca.gov/cdeauthentication/registration.aspx?programabbr=CPF, prior to submitting any report in CPARIS. Please refer to the CPARIS User Manual for detailed information on reporting procedures. The User Manual can be found at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cd/documents/cparisusermanual.docx. Additionally, there is a Frequently Asked Questions Document at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cd/cparisfaqs.asp for answers to common questions regarding logging in, passwords, and user roles.

Please be aware that although CDNFS is transitioning to have all contractors submit their Attendance and Fiscal forms through the CPARIS system, at this time contractors who hold a Programs for Children with Severe Disabilities (CHAN) contract are still required to submit their reports via hard copy. The PDF form for the CHAN (1400) can be found at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cd/cdnfsforms20.asp. If for any reason you are unable to complete the e-signature for this form, please submit a hard copy by mail with original signature to your assigned fiscal analyst.

Contractors are encouraged to contact their assigned Fiscal Analysts for any additional questions they may have. The Fiscal Analyst Directory can be found at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cd/faad.asp.

Survey to Assess the Over Earnings due to School-Age Children Requiring Full-Time Care for General Childcare and Development (CCTR), California Alternative Payment Program (CAPP), Family Childcare Home Education Networks (CFCC), Migrant Childcare and Development (CMIG) and Migrant Alternative Payment Program (CMAP) Early Learning and Care Contractors

Please provide responses by Monday, January 11, 2021.

As communicated on November 23, 2020 in the “Interim Guidance on the Distribution of New Federal Funds to Support State-Subsidized Childcare and Updates on Pending Allocations” provided through the Early Learning and Care Division’s distribution list, the California Department of Education (CDE) is requesting information from CCTR, CMIG, CFCC, CAPP, and CMAP contractors. This survey is being administered by the Child Development and Nutrition Fiscal Services Unit to collect data to assess the increased costs for school age children who have been receiving full-time care in Fiscal Year 2020-21 due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

This survey is specifically for contractors that cannot absorb, in part or in full, the increased cost of care related to school-age children requiring full-time childcare.

In order to accurately assess the need for funding as compared to current resources, responses should only include increased costs of school age children needing full-time care that cannot be absorbed by the contractor’s current Maximum Reimbursable Amount (MRA). Contractors who are able to absorb these additional costs within their current MRA do not need to respond to this survey.

Each contractor should submit only one response. Additionally, it is important that contractors submit a response for the programs in which they directly administer, as well as programs that are subcontracted to provide early learning and care services, where applicable. This will help ensure funding decisions and allocations represent all child care services. Only agencies directly contracting with CDE should submit a response; subcontractors should not submit a response.

To complete the survey, please answer all applicable questions based on the contract types that you hold and the increased cost of care cannot be absorbed within the current MRA. The link to the survey can be found at: https://surveys2.cde.ca.gov/go/cdnfsoverearnings.asp

Questions regarding this survey should be directed to your fiscal analyst. The fiscal analyst directory can be found at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cd/faad.asp.

New Contractor’s and New Program Director’s Resources

Click Here to see resources and CDE Department Contacts

CAPPA is committed to supporting our field with a coordinated calendar. Click here to see current calendar of events. If you have an event to add, email CAPPA and it will be added.

Federal News

The relief bill provides much-needed investments, including on child care, that can help provide a bridge until the Biden-Harris Administration begins and another relief package can be agreed on. That said, even though the bills include investments that are critical right now – especially since it’s been almost 9 months since the CARES Act passed – it’s not enough. Congress and the new Administration will need to act swiftly in the new year on another package that provides the equitable relief and recovery investments needed for families and communities. We will be keeping up the fight in the new year to secure those investments in child care, Head Start, paid leave, and for other key supports that help families and communities weather this crisis, including paid leave, unemployment insurance, and more. Below is some information on what is in each of these bills – this is not a full run-down of everything, so stay tuned as we and other organizations continue to dig into the bill text further!

Omnibus Spending

The Labor-HHS full-year FY 2021 spending bills includes $5.911 billion for CCDBG in ongoing funding, an increase of +$85 million over FY 2020 Enacted and $10.748 billion for Head Start, an increase of +$135 million over FY 2020 Enacted levels. As a reminder, this funding is baked into the program’s base going forward, and is NOT one-time funding.

Relief Bill

The bill includes $10 billion for child care through CCDBG, though like the CARES Act, it includes additional flexibilities to meet the needs of the current moment – including to serve providers and families who are not currently receiving CCDBG subsidies. Head Start received $250 million in additional relief investments. Relevant language for these sections of the relief bill are attached.

Our friends at CLASP have also created some helpful documents to explain the investment and recommendations about how to use the funding quickly and equitable:

Estimates of how much each state will receive from the new child care relief funding (from Kate Gallagher-Robbins & Alycia Hardy)
Recommendations for how states can use the money quickly to make an impact for families with low incomes and families of color (from Christine Johnson-Staub)

The package does not extend the requirement for employers to provide emergency paid sick leave and paid family leave. It instead allows employers and self-employed individuals to claim tax credits for voluntarily provided emergency paid leave that is provided through March 31, 2021.

There are also a number of nutrition & food assistance provisions to highlight (thank you to FRAC for this summary!). The bill:

Expands the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program for children under six-years-old, a program offering a lifeline that fills nutrition needs when child care is closed due to COVID-19. This expansion will ensure that millions of young children can access needed nutrition benefits without the hassle of difficult applications and verification requirements.
Provides emergency funding to support the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) child care providers and sponsors services and the School Nutrition Programs by replacing 55 percent of the total reimbursement funding lost for each claiming month from April 2020 to June 2020 plus half of March 2020.
Expands SNAP benefits for low income families.

The bill also provides another round of stimulus checks to families but with some key changes. The payments will be up to $600 per individual and qualified child, with no cap on household size. Adult dependents are not eligible, BUT payments are available to immigrant families, if one spouse has a valid SSN. In addition, unemployment insurance has been extended for 11 weeks with an extra $300 weekly enhancement to benefits. Read package here.

NCFN’s Transition Memo: Prioritize Child Care Infrastructure

The National Children’s Facilities Network (NCFN) shared their Biden-Harris Transition Memo. The memo offers recommendations on how to ensure that the nation’s early care and education (ECE) infrastructure promotes health, safety, and program quality. As the incoming Biden-Harris Administration and Congress turn their attention to the vast challenges affecting the ECE sector, NCFN is eager to serve as a resource on effective approaches to improving the quality of early learning environments and supporting child care businesses.

If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Barcliff at nbarcliff@lisc.org or Angie Garling at agarling@liifund.org .

Child Care Relief Funding in the Year-End Stimulus Deal: A State-by-State Estimate

Our country’s existing and long-term child care crisis—inequitable access for communities of color, poverty-level wages for early educators, and unaffordable care for far too many families— has been exacerbated by the devastating, inequitable impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, which has pushed the child care and early learning sector to the brink of collapse. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 provides $10 billion in much-needed direct pandemic related relief for the child care sector. These funds can be used to support providers facing reduced enrollment and increased costs of serving children safely, reduce family co-payments, pay staff salaries, provide care for the children of essential workers regardless of income, support costs related to reopening, and more. The legislation encourages lead agencies to delink provider payments from attendance.

This new infusion of federal dollars comes on top of the $3.5 billion of much-needed relief for child care provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act in the spring. This additional funding, while an important and long-overdue down payment to support the fragile child care sector, still falls far short of the more than $50 billion the sector needs to survive the pandemic. 1 Without this additional support, our nation runs the risk of exacerbating the child care crisis that existed long before the pandemic, making it harder for parents to work, leaving children without critical supports for their health and wellbeing, and jeopardizing the livelihoods of early childhood educators—disproportionately women of color and immigrant women.

California is estimated to receive $1,005,065,505. Click here to read full report.

The National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance (ECQA Center) released a new brief, The New Normal: What Is the Impact on Provider Costs?. The brief explains how the Provider Cost of Quality Calculator can help states, territories, and Tribes understand the costs of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mitigation practices in early care and education (ECE) settings and design financial supports that help them stay open (or reopen) to serve children and their families.

The need to maintain healthy environments and to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 requires additional staff and supplies and incurs additional costs. Using the Provider Cost of Quality Calculator can help states, territories, and Tribes understand these costs.

The Provider Cost of Quality Calculator is a free web-based tool that calculates the cost of care based on site-level provider data. It may be used to estimate the costs of COVID-19 supplies and additional staff time; test differential subsidy rates, grants, and other financial supports; and gauge the impact of the supports on different types of ECE programs, including family child care.

The Provider Cost of Quality Calculator has resources that explain how to use it. For additional information and support, please visit ECQA Center Website or email QualityAssuranceCenter@ecetta.info.

Federal Funds Information for States

Promoting Sustainability of Child Care Programs during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Considerations for States in Allocating Financial Resources

As policymakers consider responses to the child care financial crisis, they must ensure that their decisions reflect the unique financial needs and structures of child care programs. Guidance and technical assistance are needed to support state policymakers in allocating financial resources to promote short- and long-term sustainability of child care programs.

Click here to read report.

Most reviewed federal bills:

1.S.3548 [116th]CARES Act

2.H.R.133 [116th]United States-Mexico Economic Partnership Act

3.H.R.748 [116th]CARES Act

4.H.R.6395 [116th]National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021

5.H.J.Res.110 [116th]Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021

6.H.R.6800 [116th]The Heroes Act

7.H.R.1044 [116th]Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020

8.S.2736 [115th]Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018

9.H.Res.1271 [116th]Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 133) to promote economic partnership and cooperation between the United States and Mexico; providing for disposition of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1520) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the publication of a list of licensed biological products, and for other purposes; and for other purposes.

10.H.R.6201 [116th]Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Upcoming Partner Events

‌

January –

Evidence Says Webinar Series – Program Leadership – January 21, 2:00 pm PST

Click here to learn more

February –

The Leadership Challenge Workshop – February 2 & 3, 9 & 10, 2021

Click here to learn more.

Interesting Reads

California's Child Care Providers Largely on Their Own to Struggle Through Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough for California’s child care providers. Some saw their enrollment numbers plummet — along with their revenue — as families decided to keep children home. Others decided they couldn't risk exposing themselves or their families to the virus and decided to shut down. The California Department of Social Services estimates more than 2,400 providers have permanently closed. Thousands more have weathered temporary closures.

For those that choose to remain open, it's been rough going. Many saw their workloads increase as they opened their homes to kids who would normally be in school — more kids means more food and supplies. Providers are also required to take additional safety measures to protect against the virus. That all adds up to increased costs for providers, who get little, if any, help from the state.

Child care workers are considered essential. And in the beginning of the pandemic, the state initially allocated $100 million to expand child care, and pay for protective equipment and cleaning supplies for providers. But that money has been spent, and additional support from the federal government has not materialized.

Read the rest of the article here.

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COVID-19 Weekly Zoom Calls:

Our commitment to you is to have scheduled at least once per week a call wherein we can all connect. As questions arise, forward them to CAPPA so that we can address them on these calls. Look for a weekly email to register. Recording and Q&A will also be posted on the Member's Only page.

Best Practices

CAPPA has been working on Best Practices and policies to support you during this challenging time.

Visit the Member's Only website to view today!

Sample of webinars available on the Member's only website:

HR Webinar on Telecommuting, Best Practices for Program Integrity (Fraud Prevention), Provider Reimbursements, Adults & Trauma, Enrollment

Visit the CAPPA Member's Only website for more information on this webinar series and other benefits available to CAPPA Members.

CAPPA's 2020-21 Board of Directors

President

Rick Richardson

Child Development Associates

Vice President

Michelle Graham

Children's Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County

Treasurer

Beth Chiaro

Child Care Resource Center

Secretary

LaVera Smith

Supportive Services Fresno

Past President & Public Policy Advisor

Martin Castro

Mexican American Opportunity Foundation

Public Policy Chair

Gina Fromer

Children's Council of San Francisco

Members-at-Large

Karen Marlatt

Valley Oak Children's Services

Tina Barna

Catalyst Community

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

Joie Owen

Glenn County Office of Education

Tracey Strack

Child Action, Inc.

Kendall Hirai

Crystal Stairs, Inc.

Denyne Micheletti Colburn

CAPPA CEO

The representation of the CAPPA board spreads across all agency types and sizes, and represents voices from nearly every region in California

Click Here to see.

ELCD/CDE, DSS & CCLD Updates

December 31, 2020

Online Reporting through the Child Development Provider Accounting Reporting Information System (CPARIS)

December 28, 2020

Survey to Assess the Over Earnings due to School-Age Children Requiring Full-Time Care

December 10, 2020

CSPP Age Eligibility – Management Bulletin 15-08 RESCINDED

December 9, 2020

Management Bulletin 20-19a: Guidance on Family Fees for FY 2020-21

December 11, 2020

Notice of Emergency Action for ORD #0520-03 California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Reporting and Resource Limits California Department of Social Services

Job Openings

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!

Assistant Teacher 1

Assistant Teacher 2

Account Clerk

Colusa County Office of Education

Program Administrator/ Coordinator - Statewide Preschool Development Grant Program - Remote CA

Child Care Resource Center (CCRC)

-Child Care Coordinator – (Resource & Referral Department)

-Child Care Subsidy Coordinator – (Client Services / Case Management Department)

Child Action, Inc. Sacramento

-APP Case Specialist

Teacher – Part-Time or Full-time

Davis Street Family Resource Center, Alameda County

-Family Services Specialist

- Family Navigator II, Help Me Grow Call Center

Solano Family and Children's Services

-Child Care Intake Specialist

-Child Care Case Manager

-Bilingual Resource & Referral Specialist

Changing Tides Family Services

Visit the employment page on their website to fill out an application

-Area Manager

-ECE/CDTeacher- Preschool

Colusa County Office of Education

-Teacher Assistant (Part Time)

-Teacher (Full Time and Part Time)

International Institute Los Angeles

Multiple Career Opportunities: Child Care Services Manager, Supervisor and More!

Child Development Resources of Ventura County

Training and Documentation Specialist

NoHo Software

-Special Event Teacher (Hayward & Southern Alameda County) (Part-time)

4Cs of Alameda County

Child Care Subsidy Coordinator

The Resource Connection

Field Communications

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.

Of Interest

Commentary: Home matters, especially for families and children living in poverty

Stark, devastating pleas show child poverty and covid colliding to create ‘an unimaginable time’ for country’s youngest

California's Child Care Providers Largely on Their Own to Struggle Through Pandemic

Child care facilities can be safe and are essential, says new study

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Morning Update Partner!

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 6,200 federal and state local agencies, resource and referrals, contractors, legislators and their staffs', centers, parents, providers, state departments and advocates.

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