Get Ready for Spring and Take Our April Advocacy Challenge
Spring is here and it’s time for new beginnings and new partnerships! Your advocacy challenge this month is to form new relationships within the business community that will help advance public policies for infants, toddlers and their families. More and more influential business leaders are speaking up and advocating for investments in the early years. You can help by partnering with business leaders in your community. Download the April calendar and see how you can partner with business leaders to support investments in the early years.
Health Care Reform Passes the House
Federal Policy Update
The overhaul of the health care system remains in the spotlight, since the House voted on Sunday to pass the health care reform bill and a "corrections" bill that moves under the budget reconciliation process. To complete the process, the Senate will now take up the budget reconciliation bill. However, with House passage of the health care reform bill, it is expected that it will become law regardless of the fate of the reconciliation changes in the Senate. Despite a valiant effort by the Administration, members of Congress and the early childhood field, the final health care/student loan reconciliation bill did not include the Early Learning Challenge Fund. In the end, significant budget issues prevented not only the Challenge Fund, but also important higher education needs, including K-12 and higher education school building renovations, from moving forward in the reconciliation package. There is a strong commitment to finding a way to move the Early Learning Challenge Fund forward in another way, and we will keep you informed as potential strategies become clearer. In the meantime, once health care is completed, attention will turn to completing the budget and appropriations process. This will be a major opportunity to ensure that the President’s request for increases of $1.6 billion for child care and $989 million for Head Start/Early Head Start are approved. Stay tuned for further updates!
State Policy Update
Washington State Passes Legislation to Support Early Learning for Infants and Toddlers
On March 10th, legislators in Washington took an important step toward supporting the early learning of the state's infants and toddlers by passing House Bill 2867. The bill now awaits signature by Governor Christine Gregoire. If signed into law, the amended legislation would require that the Department of Early Learning develop a comprehensive plan to provide a continuum of early learning options for infants, toddlers, and their families. The plan must include supports and services such as home visiting, quality incentives for infant and toddler child care subsidies, quality improvements for center-based and family child care programs serving infants and toddlers, professional development, early literacy programs, and support for family, friend and neighbor caregivers. Advocacy efforts were led by the Children's Alliance and the Early Learning Action Alliance, in partnership with Representative Ruth Kagi and Senator Claudia Kauffman.
Read the full state policy update now!
ZERO TO THREE Policy Center Opportunities
Senior Policy Analyst for State Policy
ZERO TO THREE seeks a Senior Policy Analyst to advance the organization's state policy priorities, conduct research and develop written materials for states, track promising state and community system building efforts, provide technical assistance to and facilitate learning communities among states, and contribute to the overall work of the Policy Center. A full description and information about how to apply can be found on the ZERO TO THREE web site.
Summer Policy Internships
ZERO TO THREE is looking for individuals interested in gaining valuable policy and advocacy experience through a summer internship in Washington, DC. To view the full job description and how to apply, click here.
Publications & Resources
Apply for the National Head Start Fellowship Program
April 1st deadline for submitting an application for the 2010-2011 National Head Start Fellowships program, brings together experienced professionals for the purpose of developing a cadre of leaders in the fields of child development, early childhood education, and children and family services. Head Start Fellows gain first-hand experience and a national perspective on public policymaking, the Administration for Children and Families, and other Federal agencies serving children and families. The 12-month Fellowships commence October 1, 2010 and end on September 30, 2011. Applications are due by April 1, 2010. Additional information on the National Head Start Fellowships program and the online application materials are available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/.
NAEYC Webinar on Workforce and QRIS: Research and Realities
On April 7, 2010, 2:30-4:00 pm Eastern Time, NAEYC will host a webinar focusing on the impact on, and supports for, the workforce in state Quality Rating and Information Systems (QRIS). Register until April 6, 2010.
Data Tool to Inform State Policies
CLASP has released a new tool for advocates and policymakers which guides them through questions designed to help understand the context and conditions of infants and toddlers in the state. Questions include data on demographics and program participation (such as health and nutrition programs), as well as the details of child care and early education settings in the state. Where possible, links to online data sources are provided, including both original sources and organizations that have analyzed multiple datasets.
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