http://www.floridacsc.org/news.xml Promoting policies that build effective primary prevention and early intervention systems of supports for Florida's children and families by engaging and enhancing the collective strengths of the individual children's services councils of Florida. en-us http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091209.html#EL_budget_Shortfall_Dec9 While the Governor develops his budget proposal for 2010-11, early childhood advocates should be aware that a very large funding gap is in the offing for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) and School Readiness programs. In fact, the legislature must potentially find $146.8 million of general revenue to cover the gap created by VPK growth and last year's move to replace general revenue with non-recurring stimulus funds. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091209.html#EL_budget_Shortfall_Dec9 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091209.html#ecc2_dec9 Rep. Ari Porth (D-Broward) kicked off the second Early Childhood Caucus meeting today in Tallahassee. The meeting included presentations by Jim Kallinger, Florida's Chief Child Advocate, and Dawn Steward, Orange County Healthy Start Coalition Community Relations. More than 35 people attended, including legislators, advocates and members of the media. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091209.html#ecc2_dec9 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091125.html#duncan_early_ed_nov25 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. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091125.html#duncan_early_ed_nov25 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091125.html#baby_caucus_nov25 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. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091125.html#baby_caucus_nov25 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091112.html#eccaucus_nov12 Rep. Ari Porth (D-Broward) kicked off Florida's first-ever Early Childhood Caucus meeting in Tallahassee on Tues., Nov. 3. A bipartisan group of legislators, together with agency leaders and child advocates, attended the organizational meeting to begin discussions on how Florida can make smarter, more strategic investments in young children. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091112.html#eccaucus_nov12 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091112.html#nee_resigns_nov12 President and CEO of the National Afterschool Association (NAA) Judy Nee announced her resignation this week after deciding to come to work for the Florida Afterschool Network (FAN). Effective Jan. 1, 2010, Nee will direct the development of the FAN Professional Development System. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091112.html#nee_resigns_nov12 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091028.html#budd_bell_oct28 Budd Bell, the Tallahassee human services lobbyist who advocated for the state's most vulnerable, which earned her the moniker, "the conscience of Florida,'' died Friday, Oct. 16. She was 94. Among her many other life legacies, Bell was a founding member of the National Association of Social Workers, and helped create the Florida Center for Children & Youth, and the state's Human Rights Advocacy Committees, the voice for social service clients since 1975. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091028.html#budd_bell_oct28 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091028.html#new_browardcsc_building_oct28 On Monday, Oct. 26, the CSC of Broward County opened for business at its new location on 6600 W. Commercial Blvd, Lauderhill, FL. The building is Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, which is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. The certification also means the building will cost less to run. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091028.html#new_browardcsc_building_oct28 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091028.html#top10_afterschool_oct28 Florida has been named one of the top 10 states for afterschool programs by the Afterschool Alliance for its comparatively strong participation in programs by youth and high satisfaction rates among their parents. The "Top 10 States for After-school" list ranking is based on data from the America After 3PM study, conducted for the Afterschool Alliance and sponsored by the J.C. Penney Afterschool Fund. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091028.html#top10_afterschool_oct28 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091014.html#chamber_forum_oct14 Hundreds of business, education, and government officials gathered Oct. 12-14 at a Future of Florida Forum in Orlando sponsored by the Florida Chamber. A diverse group of participants convened to discuss and identify solutions to Florida's greatest challenges. AWI/Office of Early Learning Director Brittany Birken emphasized early investments in Florida's children as an essential component to creating a "talent supply chain." http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091014.html#chamber_forum_oct14 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091014.html#new_exec_boyle_oct14 The Board of Directors of the St. Lucie CSC voted unanimously at their October Council meeting to appoint Sean Boyle as the new Executive Director for the 19-year-old agency. Boyle regarded his appointment as bittersweet, citing the recent passing of long-time CSC Executive Director and friend, Kathy Basile. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20091014.html#new_exec_boyle_oct14 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090930.html#early_childhood_caucus_sept30 Over the past few months, Rep. Ari Porth (D-Broward) has been working to establish Florida's first-ever Early Childhood Caucus - a bipartisan group focused on ensuring Florida's children are healthy and prepared to succeed. The caucus will be organized in time for the 2010 Legislative Session. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090930.html#early_childhood_caucus_sept30 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090930.html#early_learning_challenge_fund_sept30 A Sept. 22 article published in the New York Times sheds light on the Early Learning Challenge Fund provision that is part of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act passed by the House on Sept. 17. According to the article, "The Senate is expected to pass similar legislation this fall, giving President Obama, who proposed the Challenge Fund during the presidential campaign, a bill to sign in December." http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090930.html#early_learning_challenge_fund_sept30 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090917.html#basile_sept17 Children and families in St. Lucie County and across Florida lost a true champion last week when Kathy Basile, Executive Director of the Children's Services Council (CSC) of St. Lucie County, lost her long battle with cancer. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090917.html#basile_sept17 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090917.html#house_passes_challenge_fund_sept17 The U.S. House of Representatives voted 253 - 171 in favor of H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. The legislation also includes Title IV, which creates the Early Learning Challenge Fund. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090917.html#house_passes_challenge_fund_sept17 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090902.html#cbhc_funds_programs_sept2 The Children's Board of Hillsborough County (CBHC) voted unanimously on Aug. 20 to approve funding to help address two areas slated by the county for reduction or elimination: child care licensing and afterschool programs. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090902.html#cbhc_funds_programs_sept2 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090902.html#social_media_sep2 Recognizing the value of social media, Florida CSC introduces the new Social Media Buzz section to highlight the many ways social technologies can help to advance efforts on behalf of children and their families. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090902.html#social_media_sep2 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090819.html#chiles_leadership_corps_aug19 More than 300 high school and college students from across the state had a rare opportunity to see President Clinton in person as part of the inaugural Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps held in Orlando Aug. 8-9 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090819.html#chiles_leadership_corps_aug19 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090819.html#challenge_fund_aug19 Recently, Dr. Ruth Friedman, Senior Education Policy Advisor with the House Committee on Education and Labor, and a chief architect of the Early Learning Challenge Fund, participated in a radio interview to talk about the proposal. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090819.html#challenge_fund_aug19 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090805.html#cabinetmeeting_aug5 After months of study and deliberation, the Governor's Children and Youth Cabinet adopted a set of indicators last week that will guide implementation of the goals outlined in its strategic plan. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090805.html#cabinetmeeting_aug5 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090805.html#clinton_aug5 President Bill Clinton is scheduled to be the keynote speaker before more than 300 student leaders from around Florida this weekend. The future leaders will convene in Orlando Aug. 8-9 as the inaugural class of the Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090805.html#clinton_aug5 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090722.html#earlylearning_july22 Across the nation, early childhood advocates shared a collective "high five" as word spread about landmark legislation -- Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) -- filed by Congressman George Miller (D-CA) last Wednesday. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090722.html#earlylearning_july22 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090722.html#vpk_july22 With one of the highest access rates in the nation for 4-year-olds, Florida's Voluntary Pre-K program has been held up as a nationwide model, but with one of the lowest rates of per-child spending, experts say it has a long way to go. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090722.html#vpk_july22 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090708.html#specialdistrictpurchasing_july8 Gov. Crist signed SB 712 relating to Special Districts/Commodities/Contractual Services, which authorizes special districts to purchase commodities and contractual services from purchasing agreements of other special districts, municipalities, or counties. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090708.html#specialdistrictpurchasing_july8 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090708.html#prekbenefits_july8 A recent study confirms that all children benefit from quality preschool participation. According to the study, research findings refute the myths that pre-K benefits ultimately fade out and are of no benefit to middle-income children. Instead, evidence shows that high-quality pre-K sets the stage for later success and for all children. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090708.html#prekbenefits_july8 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090624.html#qualitychildcare_june24 Child care advocates from around the state heralded Monday's announcement that the Early Learning Coalition (ELC) of Duval County prevailed in defending its authority to implement a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) known as "Guiding Stars of Duval." Advocates banded also together to shore up the quality of Florida's child care system. Groups testified at public hearings on administrative rules proposed by the Department of Children and Families that would have essentially grandfathered existing Gold Seal accreditation standards, effectively memorializing standards established in 1996. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090624.html#qualitychildcare_june24 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090624.html#afterschoolprograms_june24 Afterschool program leaders across Florida say they are being forced to increase fees and reduce staffing, activities and hours to cope with budget cuts and rising costs. In a recent national survey, nearly all Florida respondents (97 percent) report that they are seeing higher food prices and more families struggling to provide for children. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090624.html#afterschoolprograms_june24 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090610.html#kidcare_june10 Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed the KidCare bill into law. The bill streamlines the program to improve children's access to health care coverage, and expands enrollment. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090610.html#kidcare_june10 http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090610.html#chilesleadershipcorp_june10 The Worst to First initiative invites high school and college students to join in the fight to take Florida's schools from worst to first. The Lawton Chiles Leadership Corp is taking applications now. Deadline is July 10. http://www.floridacsc.org/events/newsletters/FCSCNewsUpdate20090610.html#chilesleadershipcorp_june10