News Archive - January 2012

Contents:

January 5, 2012

Governor Brown Announces 2012-2013 Budget Today

It has come to the attention of CCDAA that Governor Jerry Brown will be announcing the 2012-2013 budget today at 2:30pm.

Please click here to view the webcast of the Governor's announcement.

Please click here to view the Sacramento Bee article concerning the circumstances surrounding the early release of the budget.

CCDAA will be reviewing how the budget will affect the early childhood education field, and will release this information as soon as possible.

January 12, 2012

Tell the Legislature to Reject Gov. Brown's Proposal to Cut 62,000 Low-Income Children from ECE Programs

CCDAA in partnership with CAPPA, CDPI, LA Alliance, R&R Network, PACE and Preschool California oppose the Governor's January budget proposal to cut early care and education.

Please act on the message below to oppose these cuts. Thank you to Preschool California for the verbiage below.

Gov. Brown's January budget proposal released last week attempts to close the $9.2 billion budget gap with dramatic cuts to preschool and child care, balancing the budget on the backs of our most vulnerable children and families. The proposal calls for $517 million in cuts to child care and development programs for low-income children, affecting about 62,000 children in early care and education programs. This proposed cut comes as early care and education programs have already suffered close to $1 billion in reductions in the last three years, cutting over 100,000 low-income children from child development programs._

In addition to these devastating cuts, which would be achieved through reduced eligibility and a reduction in the reimbursement rate for both contracted and voucher programs, the governor proposes to shift all programs except part-day state preschool to county welfare agencies starting in 2013-14. This would effectively eliminate nearly half of the California State Preschool program and the entire General Child Care program. __

Don't let Governor Brown completely decimate California's early learning system. Send an email to your legislator encouraging them to reject these draconian cuts to our most vulnerable young learners.

Click here to take action now: https://secure3.convio.net/pca/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=327

January 17, 2012

Governor’s Budget Proposal 2012-2013 and Mid-Year Cuts

In early January, Governor Jerry Brown released his 2012 - 2013 budget proposal, which includes approximately $516.8 million in cuts to child care, except State 1.

Specific proposals include:

• Reduction in the income eligibility ceilings from 70% of the state median income to 200% of the federal poverty level.
• Reduction of the reimbursement ceilings for voucher-based programs from the 85^th percentile of the 2005 RMR survey to the 50^th percentile of the 2009 RMR survey.
• Reduction in the standard reimbursement rate (SRR) by 10%.
• Eliminates services for families who do not work a required number of hours. Part-day preschool programs will not be affected by this cut.
• Eliminates the requirement that schools provide Transitional Kindergarten starting in the 2012-2013 academic year.
• Eliminates the statutory COLA for child care programs.

Beginning in 2013-2014, the Governor proposes the complete restructuring of the child care system. In 2013-14, the eligibility and payment functions will shift from the alternative payment programs and Title 5 centers to the counties, though counties may contract with these agencies to perform the payment function.  All eligible families, including those currently enrolled in Title 5 centers, will receive a voucher for payment to a provider of their own choice. This will shift responsibility for the administration of services for approximately 142,000 children from CDE to the counties.  CDE will continue to administer part-day preschool programs.

Additionally in 2013-2014, the CalWORKs program completely overhauled. Establishing the CalWORKS Basic Program and the CalWORKS Plus Program. 

CalWORKS Basic provides up to 24 months of welfare-to-work services. Effective October 2012, clients not participating in sufficient hours of unsubsidized employment after an initial job search will be placed in the CalWORKs Basic Program and be required to participate in welfare-to-work activities. After the first 12 months the adult will participate in a job search. If, during the second 12 months, the adult remains unable to find unsubsidized employment, they will continue to participate in welfare-to-work activities, including subsidized job placements. Those unable to meet federal work participation requirements after 24 months, or cases in sanction status for more than three months, will be disenrolled from CalWORKs

CalWORKS Plus serves parents working in unsubsidized employment to meet the federal work participation requirements, 30 hours per week or 20 hours per week for families with children under 6 years. Effective April 2012 clients who meet the federal work participation requirements will be rewarded a higher grant level by allowing them to retain more of their earned income through a higher income disregard. For a family of three, this equates to an average increase of $44 per month. These clients will also have full access to supportive services and child care. Benefits will continue for up to 48 months as long as clients continue to meet work participation under unsubsidized employment. After 48 months, the adult will no longer be aided, but the higher earned income disregard will remain available if employment continues.

For more details, read the Legislative Analyst’s of the budget proposal:

http://www.lao.ca.gov/reports/2012/bud/budget_overview/budget-overview-011112.aspx

For more details, read the Department of Finances budget proposal:

http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/home.htm

CCDAA will keep members updated as we receive additional information. 

Click here to return to the news archive index page

January 30, 2012

Act Now to Support the Existing Educational, Efficient CDE Child Development System

Governor Brown’s budget proposal dismantles the early childhood education system and virtually eliminates all early education programs in the state in the next two years. The Governor abandons program quality and cuts funding by $517 million in 2012-13 alone, which reduces care to over 62,000 children. 

 Governor Brown’s Budget Proposal:

• Eliminate educational standards for state programs, switching to custodial care
• Increases government administrative costs, from 1.3% to approximately 40%
• Move administration from locally operated agencies to big government and close the only educational, quality centers in many districts.
• “Pull the rug out” from under working parents, and those preparing for self-sufficient careers
• Throw parents out of work and harm California’s economy
• Further the already disproportionate cuts to child development from over $3 billion in funding in 2008-09 to $1.9 billion in the Governor’s plan for 2012-13, for a total loss of $1.4 billion.  A 42% cut over four years. This is far more than most state programs.
• Mortgage our state’s greatest asset, our youngest children’s future, for short-term gains.

Many legislators understand the critical importance of quality, educational child development programs far better than the Governor.  The Legislature can say “NO” to the Governor’s counter productive proposals, and fashion the next round of positive reforms that expand educational standards and support school success, streamline the child development system, and reduce wasteful government administration.

Act Now:

1. Write to your local State Senator and Assemblymember using the “talking points” below.  To find your legislators, go to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html. 

2. Get an appointment and meet with your State Senator, and your Assemblymember, in their local district offices.  Take other state funded programs and parents with you.  CCDAA is organizing teams to visit legislators, join a team by calling CCDAA at 916-443-5919.

Click here to download talking points.

Click here to download a sample letter.