Community > Legislative Updates

Public Policy Updates: federal, state and local

Public Policy Advocacy: join us

 

Child Care Resources’ mission includes “Advocating for child care solutions that strengthen communities.” For this reason we are involved in advocating for policies on the federal, state and local level. We invite you to join with us in building a community and an early learning system that ensures that “Every child has a great start in school and life”.



Events and Activities


State Budget

The Governor budget proposes cuts to early learning in the state budget. Now it is time to send a clear message to legislators.

The cuts include:
• Elimination of all state funds for Child Care Resource and Referral (parent referrals, provider training and consultation) – which will mean a significant loss of funds for CCR. If passed this could eliminate most child care provider training and limit technical assistance for child care providers.
• Cuts to Working Connections Child Care subsidies that may mean a loss of child care assistance for 4000 children in Washington
• Elimination of state funds for Reach Out and Read, a literacy program that enables pediatricians to give books to families
• Elimination of state funding to administer state subsidies for seasonal workers – which this year meant that fewer children were safely in care while their parents were in the fields

This loss of funding will hurt families who are struggling in the continued economic downtown. It will also jeopardize Washington’s application to the federal government for $60 million in “Race to the Top” funds, which requires an ongoing effort to support early learning.

Please contact your legislators with the following message:

“Now is not the time to cut early learning. We know that Washington will benefit if more children receive a high quality early learning experience and that investments of $1 mean a return of $7 or more. Please consider a balanced approach to addressing the budget deficit and support young children in Washington.”


Find your Legislator:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/default.aspx 
You can click on your legislator’s name once you find him/her and follow the prompts to leave a message or call using hotline below

Legislative Hotline (interpreters available)
1-800-1-800-562-6000
 

Early Learning Legislation

Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRIS) House Bill 2569 is to both solidify the role of QRIS for improving quality care and engaging legislatures in the expansion. The bill will contain new language to replace the current state QRIS law, which simply directs DEL to develop a model for QRIS. It will begin broad scale implementation as of July 2012. This bill is voluntary and subject to available funding but will include supports for those that participate. For more information, go to http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2569.pdf

We are following several important bills that relate to early learning:

• Birth to Five Bill (House Bill 2448) to improve access to high quality early learning programs. The bill will create a more comprehensive, voluntary, high quality preschool program in Washington for all 3 and 4 year olds (when fully implemented) and improve birth-to-three programs as the same time. For more information, see http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2448.pdf

The bill was sponsored by the following Representatives: Goodman, Walsh, Maxwell, Dammeier, Kagi, Hope, Haigh, Santos, Roberts, Sullivan, Orwall, Dahlquist, Pollet, Jinkins, Lytton, Haler, Dickerson, Moscoso, Appleton, Seaquist, Springer. Please reach out to these legislators and thank them for supporting this legislation.

• A bill “Extending the eligibility period for the working connections child care program” (House Bill 2446) is being introduced. This would extend Working Connections Eligibility to 12 months, to provide for quality and continuity of care for children. For more information, go to http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?year=2012&bill=2446#documents

Contact your legislator with the message: “A pilot study in Washington expanding the eligibility for Working Connections Child Care to 12 months for a small group of children has been shown to help children and families and save money. Please vote to expand the 12 month authorization period to all families receiving child care assistance. It makes sense for children, their families, child care providers and our state budget.”


Find your Legislator:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/default.aspx 
you can click on your legislator’s name once you find him/her and follow the prompts to leave a message or call using hotline below

Legislative Hotline (interpreters available)
1-800-1-800-562-6000

Children’s Alliance Have a Heart for Kids Day: 2012 Legislative Session, Thursday, February 9th at 10:00am at United Churches across from the State Capitol www.childrensalliance.org

Resources for Advocating to Increase Access to High Quality Child Care and Early Learning
 

Facts, Stats and Trends affecting the King County Child Care Community
http://childcare.org/community/facts-stats-trends.asp

Cost of Child Care Data
King County child care rates: http://childcare.org/community/article_stats-facilities-rates-kc.asp
Statewide child care rates: http://www.childcarenet.org/partners/data/home-rates


Child Care and the Economy
http://www.naccrra.org/policy/economy/  “The Current Economy’s Impact on Child Care”
http://childcarenet.org/get-involved/advocacy/policy-resources  “Resource and Referral During Tough Times”
 

Early Learning Action Alliance
The Early Learning Action Alliance is a coalition of organizations in Washington which share that belief that all children in Washington state deserve to have the opportunities and support they need in their first five years of life to be prepared for school and a bright future.
View the ELAA Legislative Agenda Early Learning Action Alliance 2012 Legislative Agenda is available on line at: http://www.childrensalliance.org/sites/default/files/ELAA%20agenda_2012%20Legislative%20Session_1_12_12.pdf

 

Washington’s Child Care Policy Forum
Sign up today for Washington’s Child Care Policy Forum to access the latest information regarding child care policy and to talk easy steps to provide your input to elected officials on how to strengthen the child care system.
http://capwiz.com/naccrra/wa/home


Mom’s Rising
Mom’sRising is a network of people, united by the goal of building a more family-friendly America. Although they focus on a range of issues, “Early Care & Education” is a major focus. Visit them at www.momsrising.org

 

Legislative hotline 1-800-562-6000

For legislative updates and alerts:
• The Child Care Policy Forum (state and national) http://capwiz.com/naccrra/wa/home/
• United Ways of WA and WA State CCR&R Network weekly updates during the legislative session to subscribe, send your name, organization name and email address to erica.hallock@unitedway.org
• The Children’s Alliance (range of children’s issues) http://www.childrensalliance.org/get-involved


Legislative web site

Governor's web site

Washington Learns

The Children's Alliance