Current Events in Early Care and Education Erin Freschi Advanced Training 2014

1. Current Events in Early Care and EducationErin FreschiAdvanced Training 2014

2. WestEd’s Role in Policy & Advocacy • WestEd is a Non-Partisan Organization. • WestEd cannot take a stance, position or advocate for any particular issue, legislation, or candidate. • WestEd can provide research, facts and supporting information to assist with making informed decisions. • WestEd employees and contractors must keep individual opinions and perspectives separate from WestEd role.

3. Current Federal Initiatives • Head Start & Early Head Start • Child Care & Development Block Grants (CCDBG) • Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Grants • Quality Rating and Improvement System • ( (RTT-ELC QRIS)

4. 2014 Federal Budget includes: • $1.025 billion increase for Head Start including $500 million to support Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships • $154 million increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to expand access and improve quality • $250 million for a new round of Race to the Top for Preschool Development Grants

5. Early Head Start Child Care Partnership Grants • $500 million for new EHS-Child Care Partnerships by March 2015 • 100,000 children 0-3 to be served • New or existing EHS programs to partner with centers and family child care providers • All staff to meet EHS requirements within 18 months • Strong commitment to Professional Development

6. Proposed Federal 2014 Race to the TopRTT Preschool Development Grants • $250 million to be awarded to states • In addition to current programs • Provide preschool opportunity to all 4 year olds from low and moderate income families

7. RTT Preschool Development Grants (continued) • States encouraged to include a consortia of providers and partners • Comprehensive services required • Professional Development & Family Engagement and as integral components of program

8. QRIS PITC PQ State Preschool CSP 1 & 2 CARES Plus Head Start Early Head Start CCTR First 5 CSEFEL CPIN

9. Current Proposed ECE Legislation-California • CAL Safe • Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2014 • California Strong Start Program

10. AB 2111- CALSafe (Ammiano) • Introduced Feb. 20th • Would reestablish CALSafe program • Currently in Committee on Appropriations

11. SB 837- Transitional Kindergarten(Steinberg) • Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2014 • Introduced on January 6th • In Senate Appropriations Committee

12. Transitional Kindergarten (continued) • Provide TK for all 4 year olds • Coordinated by school districts • Operated at public school site or at other public or private licensed child care center • 1:10 teacher to child ratio; up to 20 children • By 2019: • Lead Teacher= Credential + 24 ECE units • Associate Teacher= AA in ECE

13. Transitional Kindergarten (continued) • Teacher compensation comparable to K-12 • Funded through Average Daily Attendance (ADA) • Part day with ability to supplement funding to expand to full day • Aligns with Preschool Learning Foundations and Kindergarten Common Core • Five-year phase in

14. SB 1123- California Strong Start Program(Liu) • Redesigns General Child Care Program for infants and toddlers • Introduced February 19th • In Committee on Human Services

15. CA Strong Start Program (continued) •  It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would establish the California Strong Start program by redesigning the General Child Care Program for infants and toddlers into a comprehensive, evidence-based, locally controlled program, in order to improve the healthy development and school readiness of California’s most vulnerable children.

16. Potential Elements of CA Strong Start Program* • Developmentally Appropriate • Well-trained Caregivers • Family Engagement • Create system to incentivize quality • Position programs to apply for HS/EHS grants • Simplified eligibility determination • ??? *American Institutes for Research, February 2014

17. QUESTIONS?

18. What are our next steps? • Track legislation • Convene groups to determine our role • Communicate and coordinate with other statewide initiatives and stakeholders • Partner with grant applicants • Inform training and support decision-making • Keep you posted

19. HOW ARE YOU FEELING NOW? • Pick which song best represents how you are feeling about all of the information you’ve just heard. • Get up and stand with others who feel the same way.

20. On Chart Paper • What additional questions do you have? • What considerations would you like to share with us? • What do you need to feel most comfortable about proposed legislation?

21. For More Information • www.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov • www.earlyedgecalifornia.org • www.acf.hhs.gov • www.ed.gov • Erin Freschi • efresch@wested.org