Last week the House and Senate passed a continuing resolution to fund the government for the rest of Fiscal Year 2013. The bill includes small funding increases for early childhood programs, but it does not overturn the across-the-board-cuts from the sequester. The administration estimated that 30,000 children would lose child care assistance from the loss of funds. This small increase is estimated to reduce that number of children losing assistance by about 9,000.

That still means more than 20,000 children stand to lose child care assistance from these cuts. Members of Congress need to hear about the impact these reductions will have in your communities. If you have stories or data about cuts to early childhood care and educations programs where you live, we urge you to:

1. Contact your legislators directly to let them know how children will be affected in your community. Find your federal legislators' contact information. 
2. Share the information with us by emailing Jaia Lent at jlent@gu.org. (Put in the subject line "Sequester and Early Childhood"). We will work with other advocates to compile the information to demonstrate to members of Congress the sequester's impact across the country.

In the wake of federal budget promises cuts to early childhood care and education, groups across the nation are gathering and offering opportunities for adults ages 50 and older to raise their voices about the importance of state, local and federal investments for children. Below are just a few opportunities for getting involved.  

Have an opportunity you would like to share from your state? Email jlent@gu.org.

Colorado  

2013 Kids Count Report Shows Increase in Child Poverty

Kids CountGovernor John Hickenlooper introduced the latest Colorado report at a news conference in the Denver Capitol on March 18. More than 150 parents, grandparents, children, and activists participated by creating and holding dolls (that represent Colorado's children) and giving one to each Colorado lawmaker.

 

The Colorado Children's Campaign released the Kids Count report, which is supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report shows that, since 2000, Colorado has had one of the fastest growing rates of child poverty in the nation. Yet, despite the increase in poverty, some signs of child well-being have improved, likely because of targeted efforts to increase access to child health coverage and high-quality education.

 

The report also notes that 70 percent of all Colorado kindergartners were enrolled in a full-day program during the 2011-2012 school year -- an 89 percent increase since the 2007-2008 school year. However, the state of Colorado pays for only a half day, leaving many districts and parents to pick up the difference. The cost of child care in Colorado remains high compared to other states. In 2011, Colorado ranked as the fourth-least affordable state for infant care in a center and the sixth-least affordable state for center-based care for a four-year-old, relative to state median income.

 

Along with statistics, the report features success stories of communities and individuals, including older Coloradans, who are working to improve the lives of Colorado kids. Share information from this report with your legislators. Read the full report.    

 

In addition to releasing this report, the Colorado Children's Campaign offers a range of opportunities to speak up for children on anything from early childhood education, to health care to school breakfast. To stay informed and receive alerts visit their Take Action Center and sign up for Kids Flash.  

New Jersey 

New Jersey Seniors4Kids Push for Preschool for All Low-Income Three- and Four-Year-Olds

In 2008, New Jersey legislators began recognizing the benefits of high quality preschool on long-term outcomes, and they mandated funding for high-quality, full-day preschool for all low-income three- and four-year-olds, regardless of where they live. Under the law, all low-income preschoolers should be reaping the benefits of quality preschool by this coming school year. But because the state has never provided full funding, thousands of New Jersey children will continue to miss out on the gains of this early education.

 

Advocates for Children of New Jersey has released a new report, Keeping the Promise of Preschool for New Jersey's Children, that makes a case for expanded preschool. The report includes data showing that, in only one year of preschool in New Jersey, children tested for kindergarten readiness improved their phonics by an astounding percentage.

 

We invite New Jersey Seniors4Kids to get the word to allies about this new report and urge legislators to fund the program to allow at least 1500 additional low-income children to participate in full-day high quality preschool. To stay connected to other opportunities to support children in New Jersey, visit Advocates for Children of New Jersey

 

Kentucky  

HANDS Home Visiting Bill Passes Kentucky Legislature

The HANDS (Health Access Nurturing Development Services - SB74) home visiting bill passed the Kentucky Legislature last week and is headed to the Governor, who is expected to sign it. Thanks to our Kentucky Captains4Kids and all others who raised awareness about this important support for children and families and helped make this legislation a reality. To learn more, visit the Pritchard Committee for Academic Excellence.

 

Kentucky Seniors4Kids Welcomes Official Launch of Early Childhood Profiles

For the first time, school districts can use county-specific data profiles to understand how many children in their communities are ready for kindergarten, thanks to the

2013 Early Childhood Profiles

that the Governor's Office of Early Childhood released on March 12.

 

The county-by-county data allow the local early childhood council in each county to develop local strategies aimed at assuring every child in their community enters kindergarten properly prepared to learn and succeed.   

 

The profiles show readiness indicators, like communications skills and physical well-being for children entering school, along with key indicators of barriers to success for young children and their families. They also provide information about: participation in publicly funded preschool, Head Start and child care; the quality and availability of child care; and the education of the early childhood workforce. Access and share the 2013 Early Childhood Profiles.  

Nebraska

Nebraska Early Childhood Grandparent Network Readies for Kick-Off Event

The Nebraska Early Childhood Network (the Seniors4Kids initiative in Nebraska) is busy planning for a June kick-off event. The event (time and location TBA) will feature the release of a report on Grandparents in Nebraska with profiles of their support for quality early childhood experiences and environments. If you are interested in helping plan this event, email network coordinator Diane Rolfsmeyer at Nebraskagrandparents@gu.org.

 

We also invite you to help us reach out to other Nebraska Grandparents to join the network and make a difference in the lives of Nebraska's young children because Nebraska is more than a place we hope our grandchildren will live. It is a legacy we must prepare them to inherit.

 

Visit our website to sign up for alerts, download materials to help recruit your friends to the effort, and to get updates on kick-off event plans.  

Tom's Corner 

In 1968, when Head Start was in its beginning stages, I was Executive Director of the National Capital Area Child Day Care Association, which operated eight early childhood centers with quality care and education programs. The Department of Labor wanted to show the effect on workers if their children were in a quality child care center located at the place where they work.  

This demonstration was so successful that it has been replicated hundreds of times across the country by local and state governments and private industry. Research has shown that the first five years of life are critical to the success of a child developing to the best of her or his ability. And with quality care and education in these years, children grow to be mature, productive adults who contribute to society.

Starting with his State of the Union speech, President Obama offered the nation an opportunity to revive Head Start and the field of early childhood education. The President's call presents an opportunity, if Congress goes along, that could have a profound effect on families in poverty. It also can have an significant impact for low-income parents and guardians who are working, but struggle to find adequate care and education programs for their children and grandchildren. Unfortunately, a large number of families will be suffering because of sequester-caused cutbacks to these critical programs. Our nation's leaders must recognize and restore investments in these programs. Ignoring them will threaten our children's -and our nation's--future.