"Children Learning, Parents Earning, Communities Growing"
November 23, 2020 | Issue #47
During this season of thanks, we extend to you our sincere gratitude for your membership, support and the trust you have bestowed upon us.  We’re truly inspired by your commitment to making a difference in the lives of so many children and families during these unprecedented and challenging times. We want you to know that CAPPA is here to support you.  We are here to provide you, and the families and children you serve, a voice in advocacy, a training and technical assistance resource, real time information, and a link to network and grow. We encourage you to get even more involved and to take advantage of what we can deliver.  But most importantly of all, we look forward to partnering with you and all organizations in unifying our strength in numbers and protecting the most valuable of services for working families and the child care and early learning infrastructures needed by our children.

So during this season of thanks, WE THANK YOU.

The CAPPA and Children's Foundation Board of Directors & Staff.
The Early Childhood Policy Council (ECPC) has wrapped up its meeting schedule for 2020.
Click here to see past meeting materials & information.

Observations and concerns from CAPPA's CEO: The initial intent and expressed collaboration committed towards development of a Master Plan for Early Learning and Care (MPELC) was met great enthusiasm. However, since release on November 20, 2019 of the announcement from Governor Newsom of the composition and desired outcomes of the ECPC, our world has changed dramatically due to COVID-19.

Since March 2020, child care and early learning is now viewed with a much different lens than a year ago. It has been concerning that the conversations of the ECPC has not shifted to incorporate this new world. Does it mean that this new world we live in should take over the entire conversation of the ECPC? No. However, the issues that are now being faced by family child care providers and centers, working families and essential workers, and our earliest learners deserve at a bare minimum a standalone conversation.

To stay focused on the desired outcomes from a year ago without taking into account the real here and now challenges, is concerning.

What are some of the questions California is facing that warrant a conversation:

  • WIth thousands of family child care providers and centers having closed, will there be the capacity to carry out the vision of the ECPC when the economy begins to reopen?
  • Families that qualify for a child care subsidy are very low-income. Why not eliminate all family fees until such time as a family is no longer income eligible for a child care subsidy?
  • WIth schools unable to open in any real way, how are family child care providers and centers supported in a meaningful and stable way that gets them needed supplies, supports stable funding and values their contribution to supporting the distance learning needs of the children?
  • The subsidized reimbursement rates to family child care providers and centers is nearly six years old and does not adequately cover the true cost of providing child care. Is there a commitment to increase the subsidy rates for the providers that values their profession of a child care and early learning provider first and foremost?
  • During COVID, there has been a heavy reliance of essential and working families to access and use family friend and neighbor (FFN) care that best supports the family need for off hour and weekend care in California's 24 hour/seven days per week economy. However, FFN care providers are only reimbursed at roughly $3.00 per hour. How is this needed type of care specifically going to be valued in the Master Plan?
  • California's minimum wage is again set to go up in January. How do we support our child care and early learning providers who could earn a great deal more money working at a minimum wage job elsewhere?

There is good intention and good will to achieve a Master Plan that truly lifts up the needs of the whole family, whole child and values the profession of providing child care and early learning. The concerns being expressed here is that there appears to have been put in place a process a year ago to meet some benchmarks. And that with all of the chaos created via this pandemic, the rush to complete the process has left out needed conversations and issues not envisioned a year ago.
Child Care Funding Updates
There is over $160 million allocated to directly support enrollment of essential and working families that has not been given out to the community agencies. $50 million for families to access center based care has been in limbo since July 1.

Additionally, there is $31.2 million to be given out by community based contractors for stipends to providers supporting them with cleaning and other associated COVID costs. These monies have been processed in Sacramento and should be in the hands of the contractors this coming week. The contractors will then begin working to get these monies into the hands of the providers shortly thereafter.
The 2021-22 Budget
Legislative Analyst's Office Releases Publication: California's Fiscal Outlook
The annual Fiscal Outlook publication gives our office’s independent assessment of the California state budget condition for the upcoming fiscal year and over the longer term. We find the budget situation has improved considerably relative to the June budget act with an estimated $26 billion windfall in 2021-22. However, the state also faces an operating deficit beginning in 2021-22 and throughout the outlook period, growing to $17 billion by 2024-25. Our analysis also finds it is quite unlikely for revenues to grow fast enough for the budget to break even and erase the operating deficit.
Federal Updates
  1. Federal Update - Last Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer indicated that COVID-19 relief package negotiations may be restarting. According to POLITICO, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has agreed to staff-level talks on another relief package. The same reporting also, however, states that Schumer was conflating negotiations on an omnibus spending bill and a COVID-19 relief package. Without another relief package, several critical pieces will be expiring on December 31—most notable being pandemic UI, stimulus checks, student loan forbearance, eviction moratorium, and small business debt relief. Congress is expected to pass a continuing resolution and/or an omnibus spending bill, to avoid a government shutdown, though it remains to be seen which it will be. Congress will reconvene on November 30th after the Thanksgiving recess. The deadline for a CR—or an omnibus spending bill—and a relief package is December 11. To the extent that you have the capacity and are in touch with your federal delegations, please continue to push for $50 billion in relief funding to stabilize child care.

2021 Child Care & Early Learning Coalition Agenda -We are excited to share with you all the 2021 child care and early learning coalition agenda, Child Care and Early Learning: Addressing the Urgent Crisis and Investing in the Future.

And a huge thank you to everyone who signed on—we received a total of 183 sign-ons!

This bold agenda lays out the priority budget, legislative, and administrative asks on child care and early learning for the new Administration and represents a broad and diverse coalition of interests. With Katherine Gallagher Robbins, CLASP’s Director of Child Care and Early Education, and Catherine White, NWLC’s Director of Federal Child Care Policy, leading the coordination effort, it was created with input from a range of partners including Child Care Aware of America, Community Change, Family Values @ Work, MomsRising/MamasConPoder, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Black Child Development Institute, National Head Start Association, SEIU, and ZERO TO THREE, and was strengthened by feedback and edits from many other national, state, and grassroots partners who reviewed the draft document.

If you have questions, please reach out to Katherine (kgallagherrobbins@clasp.org) or Catherine (cwhite@nwlc.org).

Office of Child Care: New & Updated COVID-19 FAQs - The Office of Child Care (OOC) added new resources to help Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF program lead agencies respond to COVID-19. OCC updated the frequently asked questions (FAQ) section of the Office of Child Care COVID-19 Resources page to address the following topics:
  • Further guidance on using CCDF program funds to pay for out-of-school care for school-age children during the virtual school day
  • Additional guidance for using CCDF program funds to pay for COVID-19-related activities, including technology/electronic equipment, sanitation and cleaning supplies, and additional staff
  • Tribes expanding their definition of “Indian Child”
Additionally, OCC updated the response to FAQ 27, “can lead agencies use CCDF program funds to pay for subsidies for school-age children who participate in remote, virtual, or online schoolwork while in child care?”, to clarify uncertainties around serving school-age children.
 
Child Care Aware of America’s: 2020 Child Care Licensing Benchmark Project
Striving towards quality child care is central to the well-being of children and our communities. A new project from Child Care Aware of America is helping states do just that. Our 2020 Child Care Licensing Benchmark Project is an important step towards helping states not only gauge how well they align with federal requirements, but guide them as they strive to increase the quality of their child care licensing system. We have launched this project with 5 pilot states (Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee), and will be adding states in the coming months.
 As part of this launch, we invite you to share content from our Licensing #QualityChildCare toolkit. I invite you, your organization, and your state partners to share social media graphics and content that help announce the beginning of this work of moving child care toward quality.
 By sharing this content you’ll help: 
  • Raise awareness of the importance of moving toward quality in child care licensing 
  • Share how 5 pilot states scored on benchmarks that measure state child care licensing system
  • Encourage more states to partner with CCAoA to take part in the licensing benchmarking assessment process (if they are a child care leader, they can sign up to learn more here) 
  • Share your state’s score with state policymakers to call on them for more support
 
NAEYC’s Child Care Survey Extended Deadline: 11/29 - The last child care survey data was from June 2020 (also known in pandemic time as ten thousand years ago), NAEYC is releasing a new child care survey today to gather updated information about the state of the field, and help us all continue to collectively drive federal, state, and media attention and action.
Below you will find sample outreach messages and social media posts you can use and adapt, in English and Spanish, to encourage folks in your states and communities to take the survey before it closes at midnight ET on Sunday, November 29. 
Remember too that we will happily continue to share state data, and that the more people who fill out the survey in your state, the better your data will be!
Note that this time there is an added incentive! Completed surveys will be entered into a lottery to win a $50 gift card!
Policy Basics: How Many Weeks of Unemployment Compensation Are Available?

Workers in most states are eligible for up to 26 weeks of benefits from the regular state-funded unemployment compensation program, although seven states provide fewer weeks and one provides more. Extended Benefits (EB) have triggered on in 37 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Through the end of 2020, additional weeks of federal benefits are also available. Click here to read full update.

Most reviewed federal bills:

1.H.R.6800 [116th]The Heroes Act
2.H.R.748 [116th]CARES Act
3.H.R.5 [116th]Equality Act
4.H.R.6666 [116th]COVID-19 Testing, Reaching, And Contacting Everyone (TRACE) Act
5.S.3548 [116th]CARES Act
6.H.R.1 [115th]An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.
7.S.3571 [116th]Banking for All Act
8.H.R.5428 [115th]Stand with UK against Russia Violations Act
9.H.Res.109 [116th]Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.
10.H.R.6201 [116th]Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Funding Opportunities for Dissertation Research

The Administration for Children and Families has long supported rigorous dissertation research of policy relevance by advanced doctoral students. We are excited to announce that the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation has forecasted and is considering funding Child Care, Head Start, and Behavioral Interventions graduate student dissertation grants in 2021. Please visit Grants.gov for the Child Care Dissertation Grants, Head Start Dissertation Grants, and Behavioral Interventions Scholars forecasts to view the estimated application due dates, subscribe to email notifications regarding these grant opportunities, and obtain links to other information. We also encourage regular visits to the ACF Grants & Funding home page for the latest published funding opportunity announcements. Please circulate this information to any interested parties. Note: These grant opportunities are contingent on available funds and the continued interest of the federal government.
The Weekly Good
An uplifting way to start the week, for those of us who need a break from the chaos that is our lives.
During this time where we are all stressed, it would be great to celebrate the positive. Each week we will celebrate everyday heroes, inspiring movements and great things happening in our field. 
Dear Friend,
You are invited to join us for an evening of storytelling shared by parents and childcare providers from South and East Los Angeles, who are members of Community Voices.
Community Voices is a Los Angeles countywide advocacy training program of Crystal Stairs, Inc. that focuses on building parent and provider leadership to advocate with skill for quality childcare and early learning for children and working families.
This event is the culmination of a four-week writing workshop series facilitated by Debra Pasquerette, Manager of Community Engagement at The Wallis. In this course, participants learned creative ways to capture their life experiences through journaling and connecting to others. Our advocates will share their own stories, in their own voice. We believe these community voices deserve to be heard. So, please join us on:
Date: Monday, November 23, 2020
Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Location: Zoom – bit.ly/cvstory1
Field Happenings and Resources
Let us know what your organization is doing, we would love to feature you in the coming weeks!        
CDE Information & Updates
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.
On November 12, CDE posted new FAQs for ELC Programs Below are some of the questions answered.

Our site is closed for two weeks due to COVID-19. Are we required to do distance learning, even if the teachers have to remain at home? (Posted 11/12/20)

Yes, direct service contractors are required to provide distance learning services for any family who is not receiving in-person services, for example, when the site is closed. Contractors may provide distance learning through a variety of methods, including, but not limited to home activity packages, lending libraries, phone calls, text messages, emails, online learning platforms, and/or videos.

If our school offers in-service instruction (full-time or hybrid), the child is age eligible for TK-12, and the parent does not choose to send the child to school, do we only reimburse the days and/or hours that in-service instruction is not made available to the child? (Posted 11/12/20)

If children are participating in a hybrid model (in-person instruction and distance learning) the program will only be reimbursed for the time that children are not receiving in-person instruction.

Why is there a difference in the Family Fee Waiver process between CalWORKs Stage 1, CalWORKs Stage 2, CalWORKs Stage 3, and CAPP? (Posted 11/12/20)

Each agency has different authority in administrating family fees to their programs. The CDE is bound by SB 820 in this regard, which states: "(iv) From September 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, inclusive, family fees applicable for programs administered by the State Department of Education are waived only for families described in Section 8273.1 of the Education Code and families where all children in the family enrolled in subsidized early learning and care remain at home, either for distance learning or for families sheltering in place, subject to guidance from the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Department of Social Services."

If a childcare provider closes for part of the month due to COVID-19, is the family fee waived completely for that month - even though some care was done during the month? (Posted 11/12/20)

When the family paid a full-time fee at the beginning of the month as indicated in their NOA, but the provider was unexpectedly closed due to a written state or local public health order or guidance, the family should be refunded or credited the difference between the full-time fee and the part-time fee, if the hours of in-person service due to the closure was less than 130 hours. If part-time fees were paid at the beginning of the month and the direct service contactor or provider was closed unexpectedly, as long as some in-person care was provided, the part-time fees would still be applicable. Please see MB 20-19 for more information.

Can we terminate families for not paying their family fees? (Posted 11/12/20)

Families must pay fees or begin a payment plan with the agency. Per California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Sections 18115 and 18116 failure to meet the payment plan expectation, means that the agency will issue an NOA to the family for termination.

Can AP contractors reduce a family's fee if a family is sheltering in place for part of a month? (Posted 11/12/20)

No, family fees will not be adjusted for absences in instances in which a family is certified for full-time care, and intended, at the time of paying the fee, to use in-person services, but does not attend for all of their certified hours in any given month.

Are we accepting family fees as of October 2020? (Posted 11/12/20)

It will depend on the service that your program is offering. Starting September 2020, family fees will be waived for families where all children in the family enrolled in subsidized early learning and care services remain at home, either for distance learning or families sheltering-in-place. For all other services, family fees will be collected. Please review MB 20-19 for further clarification.

Are we tracking and reporting secondary providers needed only due to COVID - or ALL secondary provider care needed, no matter the reason? (Posted 11/12/20)

Pursuant to SB 820, the data collection will be related to the use of a secondary provider due to COVID-19 and its associated costs. If you feel there is a need to track internally all instances in which a secondary provider is used, regardless of the reason, you may do so.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, if a family elected not to enroll a child in in-person instruction, when age eligible, we could only reimburse for hours outside of the in-person instruction hours. Is that still true? (Posted 11/12/20)

Yes, the provider will only be reimbursed for the days that that in-person instruction is not available.

For clarification, does the additional 14 paid nonoperational days of closure due to COVID-19 applies to all provider types (exempt and licensed)? And does this apply to alternate providers, primary or both? (Posted 11/12/20)

Yes, the additional 14 closure days due to COVID-19 applies to both licensed and license-exempt providers. These additional days only apply to the primary providers, not the alternate providers.

Can the one-time provider stipends included in SB 820 be included as countable income in the 1099? (Posted 11/12/20)

The CDE is not in a position to give advice on whether the IRS will ultimately view it as wage replacement or qualified relief. Please seek tax advice from a qualified professional.

What happens if the provider is no longer in operation? Are they still supposed to give the stipend to that provider who served the child in July? (Posted 11/12/20)

Yes, the provider would still receive a stipend, even if they are no longer in operation

This year, reimbursement is not lesser of service earning or reimbursable expenditure, is that correct? (Posted 11/12/20)

Yes, for direct service contracts reimbursement is based on the lesser of net reimbursable program costs and the total contract amount. So, it is correct to say that service earnings are not considered within the reimbursement calculation.

For families that are now using full-time care due to distance learning should the agency assess full-time family fees? (Posted 11/12/20)

School-age families should be assessed a vacation schedule and school schedule for family fees at initial enrollment. The family should pay the vacation schedule while receiving full-time in-person ELC services. When the family transitions to in-person TK-12 services, then the family should pay the fees required during the school schedule.
Management Bulletin 20-20: Non-COVID-19 Emergency Closure Requests for Fiscal Year 2020-21

Attention: Executive Officers and Program Directors of all Early Learning and Care Programs
Management Bulletin 20-20 is available at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/mb2020.asp and provides CDE, ELCD contractors guidance regarding Non-COVID-19 Emergency Closure Requests for Fiscal Year 2020-21

If you have questions regarding the information in this Management Bulletin, please contact your assigned Program Quality Implementation Office Regional Consultant on the ELCD Consultants Regional Assignments web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/assignments.asp.

For a listing of all ELCD Management Bulletins, please visit the ELCD Management Bulletins web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/allmbs.asp.
Fiscal Year 2020–21 Child Care and Development Contract Changes

The Child Development and Nutrition Fiscal Services (CDNFS) Office is providing all contractors with a link to the “FY 2020–21 Child Care and Development Contract Changes for Alternative Payment Contractors” and the “FY 2020-21 Child Care and Development Contract Changes for Direct-Service Contractors.” Due to the number of changes affecting Alternative Payment and Direct-Service contractors, CDNFS is releasing two letters this year instead of one. These letters detail information important to all contractors with the California Department of Education to provide childcare and development services. Topics include changes to the limits of reimbursement, updates on reimbursement calculation, new funding sources made available to various contract types, attendance and fiscal reporting updates, family fee waivers, and reimbursement, among others. Please find the 2020–21 Center-based Child Development Contract Changes letter on the CDNFS web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cd/cbcdcontractchngs2021.asp and 2020–21 Child Care and Development Contract Changes for Alternative Payment Contractors at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cd/apcontractchngs2021.asp.
Highlights
California Has Work Ahead: Investing in the Health and Economic Well-Being of Every Californian Can’t Wait


As California and our country move forward to tackle the challenges facing our communities and make life better for our families and neighbors, the California Budget & Policy Center continues our commitment to advancing public policies that improve the lives of Californians who have been blocked from sharing in the state’s prosperity.
We recognize a healthy and vibrant democracy and economy, and brighter California is possible when we remove the policy barriers blocking Californians in low- and middle-income households, as well as Asian, Black, Latinx, and Pacific-Islander Californians and other Californians of color from fully participating in the state’s economic, social, and political life. Click here to read full article.
‘We Are At The Breaking Point:’ California’s Childcare Providers Sound The Alarm
While many families are still working and learning remotely, thousands of California workers have continued to care for the children of the state’s essential workers. But many say they need more financial support from the state if their profession is going to survive the pandemic.
“We are not getting by,” said Charlotte Neal, a Sacramento-based childcare provider of nearly two decades. “We are stretched to the limit.”
Neal said childcare providers are working long hours — her first child gets dropped off at 3 in the morning — and they have taken on extra utility and sanitation costs during the pandemic.
Some childcare centers have upgraded their wi-fi so students can access virtual classrooms while in daycare.
“I’ve followed sanitary guidelines, footing the bills of added costs and cleaning supplies and staff,” said Katina Richardson, a provider in Alameda County. “I’ve transformed areas in my home into quiet learning spaces to help my school-aged children concentrate in their studies.”
But childcare providers say these problems persist despite new bargaining powers with the state. 
These providers, who own or run child care businesses out of their own homes, were only recently allowed to unionize under Assembly Bill 378, which was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year. Thousands of providers voted to unionize earlier this summer under a partnership with two influential unions, SEIU and UDW/AFSCME.
November 2020 Featured Agency
Options for Learning has been serving children and families since 1981. As a nonprofit child care and early learning agency, Options for Learning has been at the forefront of helping families either break the cycle of poverty, or improve their lives, by providing children and families with the tools to create a positive foundation for school, social and life success.
Options for Learning provides child development, child care and after-school programs that prepare infants, toddlers, preschool and school-aged children for the challenges of tomorrow. Learn more here.
CAPPA Member Only Benefits

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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.

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 
ELCD/CDE, DSS & CCLD Updates
November 6, 2020
October 9, 2020
Management Bulletin 20-19: Guidance on Family Fees for Fiscal Year 2020-21
September 24, 2020
Management Bulletin 20-18: Reopening and Reimbursement Requirements for Direct Service Contractors
September 21, 2020
Management Bulletin 20-15A: Reimbursement and Data Collection Requirements for Alternative Payment Programs and Providers 
September 11, 2020
Management Bulletin 20-17: Requirements for Distance Learning Plans, Program Quality, and Distance Learning Services for Direct Service Contractors
September 10, 2020
Management Bulletin 20-16: Continued Funding Application Fiscal Year 2021–22
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!

Colusa County Office of Education

Child Care Resource Center (CCRC)

Child Action, Inc. Sacramento

Davis Street Family Resource Center, Alameda County

Solano Family and Children's Services


Colusa County Office of Education
Field Happenings
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
Become a Monday 
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. 

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.