2010-2011 child care budget

Investing in a brighter future for Pennsylvania
through quality early education

Whether you define success for Pennsylvania as a strong economy, effective schools, reduced crime, or thriving communities, early education is key. Research shows that early education:
• Provides more regional economic stimulus than any other sector ;
• Is important to community growth, sustainability and diversity as working families need access to quality, reliable education ;
• Promotes healthy brain development in the critical first five years;
• Helps children, especially those at risk for school failure, build early language, math and social skills to enter school ready to learn; and
• Provides long-term benefits that a child carries throughout his/her life, making them more likely to graduate high school, attend college, have higher earnings and own a home.

Pennsylvania’s early education continuum is:

Providing quality early learning opportunities for children throughout Pennsylvania that work well together
Pennsylvania’s early education programs are based on quality standards that align with each other, through kindergarten and beyond.
• All programs use the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards to guide curriculum, child observation and assessment.
• Teachers and directors can follow the Early Childhood Career Lattice and get help to earn professional credentials and college degrees to increase their skills and remain in the field for a lifetime.

Establishing strong accountability across the system
Pennsylvania has a comprehensive accountability system to ensure that quality expectations are met and public funds are used appropriately.
• Regular reporting on teacher qualifications, classroom demographics, and financial expenditures required; onsite review of policies and practices for most programs.
• Independent assessors use the nationally-recognized Environment Rating Scales to assess classroom quality and teacher interaction.
• Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Network collects information of children’s participation in early childhood programs and their developmental progress to help teachers better guide children’s growth and help the state evaluate program effectiveness.

Supporting leadership in local communities
As parents demand more quality early learning opportunities, local communities need to share information on why quality early education is important and what opportunities are available.
• Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Council and advisory committees provide feedback and guidance on Pennsylvania’s policies and share information through their leadership networks.
• Early Childhood Community Engagement Groups bring together early education programs, schools, and other organizations serving children to educate their communities on early learning opportunities
In 2010-2011, Pennsylvania will:
1. Strive for higher quality and increased access by implementing Keystone Babies, a quality initiative for at-risk infants and toddlers; and develop a Director’s Toolkit for Continuous Quality Improvement.
2. Refine accountability and document positive outcomes for children by incorporating additional programs into the Early Learning Network.
3. Support local leadership by implementing the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) Early Childhood Leadership Program.

The Governor’s proposed budget for early education for 2010-2011 will:

Serve additional families in:
• Early Intervention – Expanding to reach 81,696 children (34,384 infants and toddlers and 47,312 preschoolers) by adding 1,172 infants and toddlers and 1,229 preschoolers.

Sustain progress in:
• Child Care Works Subsidized Child Care Program – Sustaining to reach approximately 134,400 children (monthly average).
• Keystone STARS – Sustaining higher quality early learning opportunities for over 177,000 children and making it possible for programs to achieve higher STAR levels.
• Nurse-Family Partnership –Sustaining to reach more than 4,200 children and families.
• Parent-Child Home Program – Sustaining to reach approximately 1,500 children and families.

Reduce services to children in:
• Head Start Supplemental – Services to 117 children will be removed, which would lower the children served from 5,743 to approximately 5,626 children.
• Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts – Services to 68 children will be removed, which would lower the children from 11,800 to approximately 11,732 children.

Pa Budget update from BUILD Listserve

UPDATED Child Counts for PA Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental in Governor’s Proposed Budget
On February 9, OCDEL distributed information on estimated children that would be served in OCDEL programs in the Governor’s budget proposal for 2010-2011. At that time, OCDEL indicated that the numbers of children served for Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental may be subject to change due to the proposed reduction in funding carried forward from mid-year cuts in this fiscal year (2009-2010). After a more detailed review, OCDEL has determined that fewer children would be served in Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental in the Governor’s proposed budget:
Early Intervention (Infant, Toddler, and Preschool) will increase children to be served: An additional 1,100 infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities will be added to bring the total number of children served to 34,384. An additional 1,200 preschoolers will be added to bring the total number of children served to 47,312.
PA Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental will decrease children to be served:
• Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts – Services to 68 children will be removed, which would lower the children from 11,800 to approximately 11,732.
• Head Start Supplemental – Services to 117 children will be removed, which would lower the children served from 5,743 to approximately 5,626.
Other programs will be sustained, preserving services, as follows:
• Child Care Works Subsidized Child Care Program – Sustained to reach approximately 134,400 children (monthly average).
• Keystone STARS - Sustaining higher quality early learning opportunities for over 177,000 children and making it possible for programs to achieve higher STAR levels.
• Nurse-Family Partnership - Sustained to reach more than 4,200 children and families.
• Parent-Child Home Program - Sustained to reach approximately 1,500 children and families.
OCDEL’s budget one-pager and powerpoint have been updated to reflect these reduced services and are available online at http://www.pakeys.org/pages/get.aspx?page=EarlyLearning_OCDEL.

Budget in PA

From: Ben Tulchin and Julie Lein, Tulchin Research
Re: Pennsylvania Statewide Survey Finds Strong Support for
Quality Early Childhood Education Summary
Even with severe budgetary constraints facing their state, Pennsylvania voters strongly believequality early childhood education should be a top priority for state lawmakers. An overwhelmingmajority of voters – across all regions of the state – support continued government investment inquality early childhood education. Voters also strongly oppose rolling back the progress thelegislature has made on the issue. A majority of voters say they are even more likely to supportinvestment when informed of the long-term economic benefits of quality early childhoodeducation: budgetary savings through reductions in criminal activity, remedial education, andhigh-school drop-out rates.
Strong Support for Quality Early Childhood Education Across Pennsylvania
A recent survey found overwhelming support for quality early childhood education throughout
the state. Specifically, over four in five voters (81%) support providing early childhood
education to all children in Pennsylvania. In contrast, only one out of six voters (16%) oppose itand even fewer (3%) do not have an opinion.
Statewide Support for Quality Early Childhood Education

Do you support or oppose providing quality early childhood education to all children
in Pennsylvania?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know

Pennsylvania Statewide Survey Finds Strong Support for Quality Early Childhood Education
From Erie to Philadelphia, support of quality early childhood education programs is consistent across the state.

In the T, the rural swath of the state outside of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, voters indicate strong support for quality early childhood education, with 88 percent in the Scranton- Wilkes Barre media market, 81 percent in Johnstown-Altoona, and 69 percent in Harrisburg-Lancaster-York favoring the programs;

In Western Philadelphia, three in four voters (75%) in the Pittsburgh media market favor early childhood education;

In Southeastern Pennsylvania, over four in five voters (81%) favor early childhood education, including an overwhelming 96 percent in Philadelphia, 80 percent in the suburbs, and 87 percent in the Berks-Lehigh area.

Support for the programs also crosses ideological lines. Approximately seven in ten conservatives (70%) favor quality early childhood programs, while nine in ten self-described liberals (92%) and moderates (88%) also express support.
Voters Want Government to Help Provide this Service
Not only do voters strongly favor quality early childhood education, but they want the government to help fund this service. Specifically, by nearly a three-to-one margin, Pennsylvania voters believe that government should fund quality early childhood education to children in the state (71% in favor – 26% opposed).
Support for Investment in Quality Early Childhood Education Should the government help fund quality early childhood education to children in the state?
Yes
No
Don’t know 71% 26% 4%
Pennsylvania Statewide Survey Finds Strong Support for Quality Early Childhood Education
Voters express a commitment to continue the investment Pennsylvania has already made, with three in four voters (75%) favoring reliable and affordable education for children in quality early childhood education programs.
Voters also firmly oppose cutting funding for quality early childhood education programs for children 0 to 5 years of age in order to balance the state’s budget. Even in the context of addressing Pennsylvania’s budget deficit, three in five voters (62%) oppose slashing funds for early childhood education, with only one in three voters (33%) in support. The two-to-one margin is indicative of voter priorities toward maintaining funds for these programs.
The Positive Outcomes of Quality Early Childhood Education Increase Support
for the Cause
When informed of quality early childhood education’s long term economic benefits and future cost savings, an overwhelming majority of voters say they are more likely to support the cause. Voters reported they were more likely to favor quality early childhood education after learning that the programs have been shown to:

Reduce high school drop-out rates (69% more likely);

Save money through reduction in criminal activity and remedial education (68% more likely);

Reduce incarceration rates by 50 percent (67% more likely); and

Reap higher rates of return than other social investments (67% more likely).
Reasons for Supporting Quality Early Childhood Education Programs Reporting More Willingness to Support
High quality early childhood education programs can reduce high school drop-out rates.
69% According to the Federal Reserve Bank, for every dollar Pennsylvania spends on quality early childhood education, society reaps a return of up to 17 dollars through reduction in criminal activity, remedial education, and public assistance costs. 68%
High quality early childhood education reduces incarceration rates by 50 percent.
67% According to leading economists, investments in high quality early education programs have the highest rate of return of any social investment. 67%
Methodology
Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC), Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC) and the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children (PAEYC) hired Tulchin Research to conduct a poll measuring aspects of voter support for quality early childhood education across the state of Pennsylvania. From December 15 – December 20, Tulchin Research conducted a telephone survey of 650 likely voters in Pennsylvania, with 600 voters statewide and an oversample of 50 voters in the Southeastern PA. The margin of error is +/- 3.9 percentage points for the statewide sample.
Statistically valid results of this poll are available for most Pennsylvania media markets.

New Research with Low income families

Falling through the Cracks:
Children in families earning 235%- 300% of federal poverty level at risk of school failure yet families cannot afford quality early learning opportunities for them

Research has shown that quality early education can prepare at-risk children for school so they can close the achievement gap before it begins. Pennsylvania’s early education system has identified one risk factor as children living in families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level.

One segment of this population– children in families earning between 235% - 300% of the federal poverty level – is at risk for falling through the cracks. Although research shows these children are at risk for school failure, they are not eligible to participate in programs like Head Start or Child Care Works subsidy. They are eligible for Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, but only four percent of preschoolers currently have access to this program. These families cannot afford to enroll their children in quality early education.

This background document provides specific information about the risk status of these children as well as the family economic conditions.

I. Children Living in Families between 235% and 300% of FPL Are at Risk for School Failure

The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) analyzed economic and child performance data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K) and found a marked performance gap between kindergarten children whose family federal poverty level falls between 235%-300%, and children above the 300% income level.
• Children in this income group are underperforming, compared to their peers from lower income families, in the area of math.
• They are also significantly underperforming compared to their peers with family incomes above 300% of the federal poverty line.
This indicates that this group of children is as much at risk as the children who qualify for programs targeting children below the poverty line.

NIEER found that kindergarten children in the 235-300% poverty band perform significantly lower than children whose family income is above 300% in both math and reading. The size of the gap can be illustrated by expected differences in percentile rankings. For example, the expected change in performance when crossing this income threshold would be like moving a child from the 25th percentile to the 50th percentile in math and from the 25th percentile to the 32nd percentile in reading.

Children in this income band are also at risk for retention in grade during their K-12 school years. According to a NIEER policy brief, 12 percent of children in the middle 60 percent by income families repeat a grade. Although this is lower than the percentage of lower-income children who are retained in a grade (17 percent), the larger size of this population group overall means that the number of children who are retained is greater. “As a result, the success or failure of this group can have a significant impact on state and local education budgets.”

Participation in high quality preschool has been shown to reduce retention in grade; participation in low quality preschool, of the type that parents in this income band may have to use without assistance, has not been shown to reduce subsequent grade retention or need for special education and other services.

II. Families with Earnings Up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Line Do Not Have the Resources to Purchase High Quality Early Childhood Services for Their Children.

Families in This Group Do Not Have Equal Access, and Settle for Lower Quality That Does Not Help Their At-Risk Children

The ECLS-K data, analyzed by NIEER, shows that access to early childhood programs for families living below 300% of poverty is significantly lower than for families above 300% of poverty. In families below 235% of the poverty line, 70% were enrolled in center-based experiences in the year previous to kindergarten and among families in the 235-300% range, 72% were enrolled. There is no significantly statistical difference in access to early childhood programs between these groups. More than 82% of the children in families living above 300% accessed an early childhood program. This is statistically significant.

Children from 235-300% are likely to be attending lower quality programs than children from either less well off or middle-income families. These lower quality programs do not adequately address their children’s at-risk status. A Rand study of early childhood education in California found that children in families at 200-300% of FPL were less likely than children living below 200% of poverty, and less likely than those in families above 300%, to be in programs that had appropriate classroom quality scores (using the ECERS-R), or that had high CLASS scores reflecting teacher and program quality.

The families in the group from 200-300% of poverty do not have the resources to get these services their at-risk children need. Since their children are likely being served in the lowest quality programs, we can expect little positive impact on their outcomes, or reduction in need for expensive adjustments, such as Special Education and retention in grade, during their K-12 years.

Families up to 300% FPL Do Not Have Sufficient Income for Purchasing Quality Early Education
Families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level are not making enough income to pay for quality early education that can help their children succeed.
The Pathways family income study measured the number of families in economic distress using a Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania. The Standard calculates the wages 70 different family configurations must earn to pay for basic necessities such as child care, nutritious food, adequate housing and health care in each of the state's 67 counties. Based on real market costs, the Standard provides a more accurate portrait of economic distress than federal poverty guidelines, which are based only on food costs.
Based on the Self-Sufficiency Standard, in 66 of 67 counties the 300 % level of federal poverty level is actually lower than the sufficient income required to meet basic family needs for a family of one adult and one preschooler. In the only county where Standard is higher than 300% FPL (Montgomery) the income is only $178 above that level, not even enough to pay for a month of preschool.
Calculated for other typical family or household arrangements, similar outcomes apply. For a family including an adult, an infant, and a toddler, the Standard for 66 of 67 counties fall within the 300% FPL level, except in Montgomery County, where the difference is only $2,035 above 300%.
For families including two adults, an infant, and a preschooler, all 67 counties fall within the 300%.
Reducing the need for individual families to pay for high quality early childhood education can make a big difference in their ability to be self-sufficient and also enhances the children’s outcomes. "The Self Sufficiency standard indicates that housing and child care are two of the largest budget items, and, therefore, are often the primary sources of much of the economic stress faced by families with inadequate incomes."
The Self Sufficiency Standard shows that families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level do not have adequate income to purchase their early childhood education services on their own, and therefore may make risky choices for their children: "One may assume that the great majority of households who lack sufficient income, but receive no public aid, are … resorting to private subsidy strategies such as . . . using informal/inexpensive child care.” This will fail to deliver the long-term benefits to children and to taxpayers, of high quality programs such as Keystone STARS 3 & 4, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, and Head Start.
The more children under school age in a family, the greater the income insufficiency of the family, especially in single-earner households. "The proportion of households with inadequate income is 15 percent for households with no children, but increases to 21 percent for households with one child. Of two child households, 26 percent have inadequate income and 43 percent for households with 3 children."
Taxes and daily living expenses have a strong impact on net income
The enclosed budget provides a depiction of typical monthly expenses for a family with two young children taxed in a typical central Pennsylvania county (York) whose gross earnings are 300% FPL. Expenses were calculated very conservatively (see car payments, food expenses and very low preschool and child care if both parents are working). Excluding entertainment and miscellaneous expenses, as well as any long term investments or future savings for college, this family is unable to meet all their financial obligations and pay for preschool tuition.

Budget Update August 18, 2009

Capitolwire: Senate to vote Wednesday on $2.1 billion in budget veto overrides.

By Peter L. DeCoursey
Bureau Chief
Capitolwire

HARRISBURG (Aug. 18) – Senate Republican leaders said today they will vote tomorrow to add more than $2.1 billion in state spending to the budget by overriding up to 16 of Gov. Ed Rendell’s line item vetoes in the current state “bridge” budget.

That plan emerged even as both sides said progress had been made in budget talks but the sides are still about $1 billion apart. Senate Republicans still are saying their top spending offer is $27.6 billion. Recent House Democratic and gubernatorial proposals add up to $28.6 billion, in terms of programs contained in last year’s budget.

Both sides said table games and a potential cigarette tax hike were part of the revenue discussions, but that another billion dollars of combined cuts or revenues separated the negotiators and prolonged the budget impasse.

That was the background as the Senate announced it would try to restore state funding for most of the programs Rendell blue-lined earlier this month and highlighted in a series of events the last two weeks.

“The governor vetoed a lot of services that people need now,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman Jake Corman, R-Centre. “So we feel let’s get the [bridge budget-contained] numbers out to people now, particularly the ones where the Senate and governor agreed. And then where there are differences, we can negotiate about them later, without closing the doors on vital services.”

House Democrats could not immediately be reached for comment on the Senate GOP plan. As late as Monday, both sides said leaders had continued meeting and that progress was being made.

But the planned veto overrides could shift the pressure to keep open day-care centers, run children's health care programs and provide college loans to House Democrats. They will now either have to override Rendell's vetos as well, or explain why they will not.

Up until today, Rendell has blamed Senate Republicans for not agreeing to his higher budget spending figures. Now the Senate GOP and House GOP will pressure the House Democrats to schedule a line-item veto vote.

Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson said: “The governor wants a crisis atmosphere to give himself leverage in the budget negotiations – he said so directly, when he vetoed those programs. The votes on Wednesday to override his vetos will be the first step in ensuring that vital state programs are not shut down while the overall budget negotiations continue.”

House GOP Spokesman Steve Miskin said the actions of Senate Republicans would shift the blame for the funding delays away from their party.

"If the Senate has the vote to override some of these controversial vetoes, then any Democrat who does not vote to override them becomes the face of those cuts and the target of everyone losing those services," Miskin said. "Right now there's only one person respon for blue-lining budget lines and depriving people of vital services. If the Senate does this, and the House does not follow, the House Democrats will join the governor in that dubious distinction."

The list of overrides is expected to include 11 items where Senate Bill 850 contained the amount of funding the governor originally sought, but blue-lined the programs anyway. [CMC1]

That list includes:

• State assistance to drug and alcohol programs, $41.8 million;

• Homeless assistance, $25.6 million;

• State food purchase, for food banks $18 million;

• Domestic Violence prevention funding, $12.5 million

• Customized job training, $9 million;

• Rape crisis programs, $7.1 million;

• Veteran’s Educational Assistance, $8 million;

• Just under $5 million combined for farmer’s market coupons, veterans outreach services, veteran’s assistance and disabled veterans transportation.

A second list of proposed veto overrides are for programs where the Senate proposed less than the governor and legislative Democrats are willing to accept in state spending.[CMC2]

Senate Republicans expect to vote to override the governor’s vetos of the following line items:

• County child welfare, $1.04 billion;

• Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, $386 million;

• Child care assistance and child care services in the welfare budget, $358 million; [CMC3]

• Children’s Health Insurance Program, $86.9 million;

• Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program, $9.9 million.

Corman noted that adding $2.1 billion to the $12.8 billion "bridge" budget meant the state could afford the additional spending easily, and noted that "the governor still has $12 billion worth of leverage, and we know how important his leverage is to him."

childcare budget update aug 3, 2009

[CEG] Budget update- vote no to Kotick amendment

As you know, the Governor has asked the House to vote yes to SB 850 and send it to him for signature, where he will blueline about 90% of the budget to allow state workers to get paid but continue budget talks.

Rep. Nick Kotick (D-Allegheny) has put forth a $27.5 billion budget amendment for SB850 that mirrors the Civera amendment for early education (fully funds Head Start Supplemental but maintains cuts to PA Pre-K Counts and child care) and adds in a few more items without a PIT increase. Rep. Sam Smith said House Republicans worked with a handful of Blue Dogs, with input from the Senate Republicans, to put together their latest proposal.

The concern (not sure how likely this is) is that this amendment could pass the House and Senate and have the votes to override any Governor veto. Even if there are not enough votes to push this amendment through, it will delay the final negotiations yet again.

Because the amendment was filed late, there would need to be a 2/3 majority vote in the House to suspend the rules to allow the amendment to be voted on.

Please tell your representative to vote no to the Kotick amendment:

• The Kotick amendment is devastating for children and families in Pennsylvania. Approximately 15,000 children would lose early education services, and nearly 2,000 early education jobs would be lost. We're seeing the impact of these cuts right now, with early learning programs starting to shut down and PA Pre-K Counts programs unable to begin preparations for the fall. Parents need these services to work and our children need these services to become our future workforce.

• The Kotick amendment will only delay final budget negotiations. The early education field and other services dependent on state funds are already beginning to shut down, impacting jobs and our economy. It is time for a real negotiation.

President Obama acknowleges Pennsylvania

Yesterday the President gave a speech to the NAACP and used that opportunity to plug the new proposal for the ECE challenge grants that we discussed at Leadership Team, in brief. You will be very pleased to read that PA is the only state mentioned as a model for the federal proposal:
see http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/07/obamas_naacp_speech.html.