Presidential Campaigns and National Policy Trends CDPI Fall Forum Sacramento, CA October 21, 2008 Eric Karolak, Ph.D. Executive Director Early Care and Education Consortium

The Early Care and Education Consortium Alliance of quality early learning program providers  7,600 center-based programs across the country  Enrolling 800,000 children  Deliver preK in 20+ states An advocacy voice  State and Federal, direct lobbying and advocacy grants  Birth to Five, whole child perspective  Policy-making informed by real-world implementation

Successes for Young Children Pennsylvania’s final budget increased preK, child care subsidies, and Keystone Stars QRIS Kansas’ Early Childhood Block Grant has $11.1 million to invest in birth-five and a separate investment for child care assistance Massachusetts’ UPK legislation calls for addressing families with infants and toddlers Illinois renewed commitment to their preK program, which includes 3 year olds Missouri and Washington increased subsidy reimbursement rates

Meanwhile… State choices  Rhode Island eliminated the Comprehensive Child Care Services Program, which provided enhanced services to low- income families  Alabama increased preK funding 68 percent, but decreased funding for child care, cutting 1,700 children out of programs  Only 2 states increased child care reimbursement rates State constraints  22 states face mid-year budget shortfalls  Competing priorities – cash assistance, energy assistance

National Trends Grim fiscal circumstances ahead  Dramatic budget shortfalls threaten cuts to services, checks on past advances Rising tension between quality, affordability, and availability  FY08 CCDBG funding adjusted for inflation is below FY02 levels.  Adequately funding the cost of higher levels of quality in state QRIS  Tension with access and affordability, and across programs

Implications Looking Ahead Protect, preserve, then expand Adjust our messaging  Economic relief, not just economic impact  Family self-sufficiency, not just school readiness Think systemically  Recognize and embrace ECE’s interrelated parts  Leverage across programs – diverse delivery of preK  Keep a Birth - 5 focus Birth to Five Policy Alliance: Look downstream

Agenda for Child Care Collective agenda for CCDBG Reauthorization  Broad birth-to-five proposal, the whole picture  Expanded access  Reimbursement at 75 th percentile or higher  Licensing requirements incl. 40 hours of pre-service training and 24 hours of on-going training  Quality set aside, infant toddler set aside, provisions for QRS A shared vision  Major national ECE organizations developed and support  Review it online and endorse it!

Agenda for Child Care Child care develops America’s potential. Child care helps children, families, and communities prosper. Children in child care learn and develop skills they need to succeed in school and in life. Child care is a basic that helps families get ahead by giving parents the support and peace of mind they need to be productive at work. And child care helps our nation stay competitive, with a stronger work force now and in the future. When America supports child care, we encourage children, families, and our nation to reach their full potential.

Contact Us Eric Karolak Executive Director Early Care and Education Consortium Sign up for our newsletter!