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Dates
to Watch
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Dec.
10-11, 2009
Early Learning
Advisory Council Meeting
Tampa
Tallahassee
April 30, 2010
Regular
Legislative Session Ends
June
17-18, 2010
Early Learning
Advisory Council Meeting
Orlando
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Send Me More
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CSCs
strategically invest in primary prevention and early intervention
programs and services.
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Happy
Thanksgiving!
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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan presented the
fullest picture yet of his vision for a birth-to-8 education system in
remarks last week at the opening of the annual meeting of the National
Association for the Education of Young Children. In a wide-ranging
speech that emphasized the importance of "raising the bar" on
the quality of early learning environments, Duncan said that early
childhood advocates now face two challenges. One, he said, is the need
for better transitions and "follow through" between pre-K and
the K-12 years. The other is what he sees as a necessary shift in
thinking about how to measure quality -- moving from "inputs"
like teacher qualifications and child-to-staff ratios to
"outcomes" that indicate whether children are developing and
learning well. Read more
on the Early Ed Watch blog.
National
Budget and Policy Group Offers Informative Video on Impact of TABOR
Among the numerous
property tax reform proposals that Florida lawmakers and taxpayers have
considered in recent years, a constitutional amendment known as the
"Taxpayer Bill of Rights" (TABOR) is among the most
devastating to Florida. In an effort to better inform taxpayers in
every state, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has prepared an
informative video about the real-life impacts of the TABOR bill that
was approved by Colorado taxpayers in 1992, the only state with a
TABOR. The effects were so devastating in Colorado that taxpayers voted
to suspend TABOR in 2005 for five years. Watch the video
(13 mins.).
Report Says Florida Tax System
Second Worst in the Nation
In only one state do low- and middle-income people have a
more lopsided state and local tax burden than in Florida, according to
a new report. Low- and moderate-income families in Florida pay a higher
share of their income in state and local taxes than do the richest
families, according to the report by the Washington, D.C.-based
Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. In fact, Florida families in
the lowest income group pay over six times more of their income in
state and local taxes than do those in the top 1 percent, based on
income and taxes paid in 2007. Read
the Issue Brief.
~ Source: Florida
Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy
Battle for Better Schools Moves from State House to
Courthouse
In 1998, Florida voters approved an amendment to the state
constitution requiring the state to "make adequate provision for a
uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system of free public
schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education."
Yet, critics say a decade later, Florida's education system performs
poorly by nearly every credible measure. Last week, a parent coalition
filed a lawsuit to force state leaders to meet their constitutional
duty. To learn more about the lawsuit, visit CIVIC's
Excellence in Education Now page.
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FEDERAL WATCH
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Senate Votes to Open Health Care
Debate
The Senate voted last Saturday to begin full debate on
major health care legislation, propelling President Obama's top
domestic initiative over a crucial, preliminary hurdle in a formidable
display of muscle-flexing by the Democratic majority. The 60-to-39
vote, along party lines, clears the way for weeks of floor proceedings
that will begin after Thanksgiving and last through much of December.
The Senate bill seeks to extend health benefits to roughly 31 million
Americans who are now uninsured, at a cost of $848 billion over 10
years. The House earlier this month approved its health care bill by
220 to 215, with just one Republican voting in favor. That measure is
broadly similar to the Senate legislation, but there are some major
differences that would have to be resolved before a bill could reach
the president, and that would almost surely push the process into next
year. Read full article
in the New York Times. See a side-by-side
comparison, prepared by the Kaiser Family Foundation, of the
House and Senate bills.
Congress
Holds Meeting of Congressional Baby Caucus
On Wed., Nov. 18,
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT), co-chairs of
the Congressional Baby Caucus, held a briefing on building state
systems for infants and toddlers. U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius spoke of the work in Kansas where
she was Governor, as well as the work already underway in Washington to
think in terms of "systems" instead of separate piecemeal
efforts for children. She and Secretary Duncan have forged a growing
partnership between the Department of Health and Human Services and the
Department of Education. In her remarks, she made special mention of
the critical need for child care so parents can go to work. The
Congressional Baby Caucus was formed this past April to identify and
promote policies across jurisdictional boundaries for infants and
toddlers. Florida has also received mention in recognition of it's own
version of the Baby Caucus, the Florida Legislature's Early Childhood
Caucus, chaired by Rep. Ari Porth. Learn more about
the Congressional Baby Caucus.
~
Source: Early Care and
Education Consortium E-Newsletter
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CSC NEWS
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St. Lucie CSC Launches Enhanced Web
Site
In an effort to streamline online content and allow more transparency
to residents, the St. Lucie CSC (SLCSC) has updated its web site. More
features are available, including links to SLCSC's Facebook and Twitter
accounts. Minutes and agendas from Council meetings are posted, which
were not previously available. Additionally, resources to SLCSC funded
programs have been added. Overall, the improved design provides
partners and residents with a better understanding of the CSC and what
it does to benefit the children and families in St. Lucie County.
News Report Says Martin is Making
Progress on Prenatal Care, But Still Has a Way to Go
A recent Stuart
News article highlights data from a new Florida Department of
Health (DOH) report that shows Martin County has moved from last place
in prenatal care among the state's 67 counties to 60 - a sign of
improvement. Sixty-seven percent of pregnant women in Martin County
received prenatal care in their first trimester in 2008, compared to
only 56 percent in 2005. The article attributes some of that
improvement to a prenatal care outreach center funded in part by the
CSC of Martin County. Read the article
online. Additional data from the CSC of Martin County
reveals that from 2007 to 2008, not only has the county seen a 16
percent increase in the number of women seeking prenatal care in their
first trimester, but there has been a 25 percent decrease in low birth
weight babies, as well as an impressive 73 percent decrease in infant
mortality.
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IN OTHER NEWS
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Bills Filed for 2010 Legislative
Session
As the 2010 Legislative Session approaches, the Florida
CSC policy team is working to keep readers informed about bills and
issues affecting Florida's children and families. Below is the latest
compilation of bills filed recently. Stay tuned for regular updates.
- HB 387
by Rep. Rich Glorioso (R-Hillsborough) would require child
restraints for certain children ages 4 through 7. It also
redefines the term "motor vehicle" to exclude certain
vehicles from such requirements, and provides a grace period and
exceptions. Effective Date: July 1, 2010.
- SB 598
by Sen. Mike Bennett (R-Manatee) relating to Term Limits proposes
amendments to the state Constitution to revise the term limits
that apply to State Senators and State Representatives and to also
impose term limits on elected county and municipal officers.
- SB 428
by Sen. Nan Rich (D-Broward) regarding background screening would
require the owner or operator of a child care facility to report
background screening results to the Department of Children and
Families before employing a person at the child care facility.
Among other provisions, it also would prohibit the hiring of a
person with a disqualifying offense without being granted an
exemption. Effective Date: July, 1, 2010.
- SB 766,
a resolution by Sen. Eleanor (D-Broward), would recognize June 16,
2010, as "Budd Bell Day" in Florida.
Senate President Announces Creation
of Senate Budget Office
Senate President Jeff Atwater (R-Palm Beach) last week
announced the creation of a Senate Budget Office (SBO). Reporting
directly to the Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Policy Steering
Committee, the SBO will be responsible for providing independent
analyses of state government agency operations, including overlapping
agency jurisdictions and functions, the financial structure of
agencies, sources and uses of revenues, expenditure patterns and
whether programmatic performance measures exist and are being met. Read
the press release.
Report Examines States' Progress in
Pursuit of Early Childhood Advisory Councils
The New America
Foundation has released a whitepaper titled, "The Next Step in
Systems-Building: Early Childhood Advisory Councils and Federal Efforts
to Promote Policy Alignment in Early Childhood." The whitepaper
looks at where states stand in their pursuit of an Early Childhood Council.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included $100 million to be used in a
competitive grant program for states wanting to establish such a
council. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began
accepting applications in June 2009 for grants to support the councils.
Applications are being accepted through August 1, 2010. Florida is
working to respond to the grant opportunity, which would require an
$11.2 million state match in order to qualify. Download the
whitepaper.
Florida Leads Nation in Locking Up
Kids in Adult Jails
This week, as the U.S. Supreme Court heard appeals in two
Florida juvenile cases, scholars took note that the state leads the
nation in locking up kids for life who committed crimes in which no one
died. That isn't Florida's only distinction. The state sends more
children to adult jails and prisons, period. Read the article
in the St. Petersburg Times.
Governor Recognizes Heart Gallery
Founders as Point of Light Recipients for Adoption
In recognition of
Florida's Adoption Awareness Month, Gov. Charlie Crist has named Sheri
Croom, of Tallahassee, and Matthew Straeb, of Ft. Lauderdale, as Point
of Light recipients for Adoption Awareness Month. Croom created and
founded the Heart Gallery
North Florida, the largest gallery in the state that
includes 12 counties. Straeb founded the Heart Gallery of
Broward in response to the need he observed in his
community. Additionally, Straeb helped establish and organize the
Heart Gallery of America in August 2008. As president of the national
organization, Straeb leads this group to share resources and broaden
the pool of families seeking to adopt. The Heart Gallery of America,
comprised of 100 individual Heart Galleries, also launched www.heartgalleryofamerica.org,
a comprehensive reference tool and informational index for prospective
families.
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Work Group Explores Benefits of
Investments in Early Childhood
The Partnership Invest in Kids Working Group, hosted by
the Partnership for America's Economic Success (PAES), was created to
explore issues and policies related to the economic benefits of
investments in early childhood. Working Group presenters are leading
experts in economics, business, advocacy and public policy. The
meetings allow interested parties to hear from experts and ask
questions about their developing work. Meetings are generally held the
third Monday of the month from 3:00-5:00 p.m. A conference call line is
always available. Anyone interested in participating in upcoming
PAES/Invest in Kids Working Group meetings, should register for PAES e-mail updates. View materials
from the Nov. 23 meeting,
which focused on innovative financing techniques for early childhood
programs.
Insuring
Children: Maximizing Coverage Under Medicaid and CHIP
According to new
coverage estimates released in September 2009, the number of children
without health insurance coverage declined by about 800,000 between
2007 and 2008-reaching its lowest level in over a decade. However,
despite this progress, an estimated 5 million children are eligible for
programs like Medicaid or CHIP, but are not enrolled-falling through
the cracks in most states. A new brief examines the characteristics of
the children who remain uninsured and the prospect for enrolling them
in public coverage. While many states have adopted a host of policy
changes aimed at increasing participation over the last decade,
barriers to enrolling more children still exist. The authors cite
research showing over 90 percent of low-income parents say they would
enroll their uninsured child if their child was eligible, but around
half do not know their child is eligible, do not know how to apply,
and/or find the application process difficult. Read the brief.
"College
is Possible" Brochures Available for Foster Youth
Foster youth interested in pursuing a college degree can
go to the Florida Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
website to learn more about options for achieving their collegiate
dreams. A "College Is Possible" brochure is available under
the Students and Parents section by clicking on the link to
"Florida's Foster Youth College Access Information." The brochure
gives practical advice and lists resources that can help students start
thinking about college as the right choice for them. It tells students
how to prepare, when to complete student aid requests, and also
provides help with the dependency questions. Go to http://www.fasfaa.org
and click on the Students & Parents tab to learn more.
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EVENTS
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Government Communicators Conference
Focuses on Social Media Tools: The New Speak
You don't have to be a government communicator to
yearn for the latest information on the use of social media tools for
your organization. The Florida Government Communicators Association
(FGCA) is hosting a conference Dec. 3-4 in Palm Beach Gardens that
focuses on the latest social tools - FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.
The conference is open to everyone, and will feature experts from
Washington, D.C., Tallahassee and elsewhere to share the most
up-to-date information on the use of social media. Participants are
sure to be impressed with the caliber of speakers. Networking
opportunities will be outstanding. Register soon to get the early bird
rate. Learn more at:http://conf.fgca.org.
Florida
Philanthropic Network to Hold Statewide Summit February 2010
The Florida Philanthropic Network (FPN) will host a 2010
Summit on Philanthropy Feb. 11-12, 2010, at the Peabody Hotel in
Orlando. The summit will bring together state leaders in philanthropy,
nonprofits, government and business to engage in a discussion and
exploration of how to work together in new ways. Discussions will also
focus on making adjustments to Florida's new realities - economic and
otherwise - both by overcoming new challenges and identifying new
opportunities. Learn more, and register
at the Summit
website.
Partnership for
America's Economic Success to Hold National Conference in March 2010
The Partnership for
America's Economic Success is planning to hold its National Conference
March 10-11, 2010, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. This
conference is open to all business, finance and economic leaders,
advocates, policymakers and philanthropists interested in furthering
early childhood development. Learn more
about the conference. Register online
now.
National Afterschool Association Convention Set
for April 2010
Join thousands of
afterschool professionals for outstanding learning and networking
experiences at the National Afterschool Association Convention in
Washington, DC, April 19-21, 2010. The event will feature hundreds of
workshops from across the afterschool field. Those who register before
Dec. 11 will be entered for a chance to win a Utah Vacation Package in
the Wasatch Mountains. For details, visit www.naaconvention.org/registration.html.
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