Sacramento Head Start Alumni Association

September 2002 - Advocacy Update

Sep 13, 2002

California Head Start Association

September 2002 - Advocacy Update

Edward Condon, Executive Director

econdon@ca-headstart.org



Washington D.C. Watch

September 2002

The Senate Appropriations Committee has recommended $332 million increase (S 2766) to the Head Start budget for FY 2003. Senate Appropriations Committee also included many important provisions in their report language supported increasing over-income enrollment in Head Start programs from the current 10 percent to 25 percent.


?“The Committee encourages the Secretary to exercise his authority, as appropriate, to permit the enrollment of over-income children and their families in up 25 percent of program placements, so long as services are not denied to income-eligible children and families as a result of this flexibility.?” The Committee, as they had last year, has agreed with the Head Start community that because the poverty guidelines are so low, over-income enrollment must be substantially increased in order for Head Start to serve families who are trying to stay off of welfare. (NHSA Alert)


The call is for $1 billion in additional funding would allow approximately 120,000 new children to enroll in the program.


National Head Start Association?’s Governmental Affairs Division suggests the following when you call your local congressional district office or federal office:


Speak with the legislative assistant who handles Head Start.

Tell them how the Head Start program has affected you in a positive way.

Stress the great work your program is doing to promote language and literacy development.

Give an example of the need in your local community.

Remind them that four out of every 10 children are eligible for Head Start but are unable to participate because of a lack of funding.

Tell them that you support a $1 billion increase in funding for 2003 so that an additional 100,000 children will be able to participate.

Stress the need for their help in moving Head Start one step closer to the long promised goal of ensuring that every child in America is given an equal chance in the race of life.

End your conversation by asking for a commitment to support a $1 billion increase for fiscal year 2003.


For more information go to www.nhsa.org


Individuals With Disabilities Education Act: President?’s Bush establishes by Executive Order the Commission on Excellence in Special Education. The report was published July 1, http://www.ed.gov/inits/commissionsboards/whspecialeducation/reports.html. Congressman Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island has introduced Early Intervention Improvement Act. This Act reauthorizes and strengthens the Infant and Toddler Program in Part C (IDEA). The Act seeks to improve the ability of state Early Intervention systems to maximize the learning opportunities of young children with disabilities. According to NEAYC ?“despite recognized importance of children?’s early years, congress has failed to provide serious increases for Part C and Section 619 (preschool) to serve all eligible children. For the coming fiscal year, the Senate Appropriations Committee bill would increase Part C by $20 million but freeze current levels the preschool grant funding.


Individual Development Accounts (IDA): Low-income families lack many of the opportunities to save money and accumulate assets. IDA is a federal program, run by community based organizations in which deposits are matched to support account growth toward specific financial goals. Currently, the Senate has passed a charitable giving bill containing a provision to expand IDAs. The full Senate has not had the opportunity to vote and the Senate Leadership has not taken a position. Contact Senator Boxer 202-224-3553 & Feinstein 202-224-3841 and encourage them to call for a floor vote on IDAs

For more information regard IDAs go to http://www.cfed.org/main/indivAssets/BuildingTool.htm


The California voter registration deadline for the November 5, 2002 General Election is October 21, 2002 http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm NHSA Vote 2002 Initiative: With education and self-sufficiency in mind, NHSA has organized a major voter education, registration, and get-out-the-vote drive for all Head Start parents across the country. The Head Start Act, section 656(b)(1), prohibits the use of program dollars for the purpose of any partisan or nonpartisan political activity or any other political activity associated with a candidate, or contending faction or group, in an election for public or party office; (2) any activity to provide voters or prospective voters with transportation to the polls or similar assistance in connection with any such election; or (3) any voter registration activity. Due to that federal restriction, NHSA has actively pursued collaborations with nonprofit and public partners to assist in this voter education and participation effort.


NHSA?’s Vote 2002 Initiative is designed to educate our already under-served and under-represented community in the policy-making and electoral process at the federal, state, and local levels. The goal is to register all members of the Head Start community and encourage them to participate actively in the 2002 election and beyond. Go to NHSA?’s web site for an electronic copy of the 2002 Voter registration tool kit. http://www.nhsa.org/advocacy/advocacy_vtk.htm


Thanks to NHSA/GAD for developing this valuable product! Keep those Dollar Per Child Funds Coming!



Sacramento Watch
September 2002


California Budget: The California State Assembly passed a 2002-2003 spending plan and the Senate confirmed. The Governor now has the task of review, adjust (veto) spending and signature. Watch for formal updates from Child Development Policy Institute and California Budget Project on impact of the approved plan. Go to www.cdpi.net or www.cbp.org for budget analysis and updates.


Master Plan for Education: July 2002 draft is up on the State Senate web site for your review: http://www.sen.ca.gov/ftp/sen/committee/JOINT/MASTER_PLAN. Please note the first four main recommendations address the field of early care and education. In addition, throughout the 55 recommendations there are numerous shared responsibilities between all levels of education communities, early care and education to higher education organizations. Comments and suggestions may be sent to the Joint Committee at 1020 N Street, Suite 560, Sacramento, CA 95814 or submit testimony via website: www.sen.ca.gov/masterplan


California Child Development Administrators Association: Technical Assistance Workshops, October 17-18, 2002. Workshops include: Understanding and Applying the Funding Terms and Conditions, Desired Results and CMR Interface, Negative Actions and the Appeal Process, Parent Eligibility and Income Calculation, Project Your Contract Earnings & Child Care Food Program. Fee $125 CCDAA Member/$150 Non-Member. Contact Dee Tucker at 714-564-6811 or tucker_dee@rsccd.org


California Head Start State Collaboration Office: Two new resources soon to be release by CHSSCO:

Side-by-Side Comparison of the Coordinated Compliance Review (2002-03) & PRISM (2002) Processes ?– June 30, 2002

Full Day, Full Year Early Care and Education Partnerships, Recommendations of the Collaborative Partners Work Group

For more information or to receive copies of these reports contact Mike Zito at 916-323-9727.


California Department of Developmental Services: Released July 1, 2002 is the final MOU between State DDS & ACF/Head Start Bureau/Region IX ?– Related to Part C of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. If you would like technical assistance contact QIC-DS at http://www.sonoma.edu/cihs/HSDS/partc.html or Cheri Schoenborn, Chief Early Start State Services Section at 916-654-2767.


The Changing Face of Child Poverty in California, a report released by National Center for Children in Poverty (www.nccp.org) in August 2002. This report offers a bleak view of the status of our youngest community members: One in six poor children in the US lives in CA ?– the number of poor children in CA has grown at a faster pace than the total number of children in the US. (2.12 under age 18). National poverty rate went down from 19 to 18 percent, 1996 ?–2000 ?– but in CA the rate increased from 20 to 22% during the same average time period.


Community Care Licensing will be hosting three public hearings around the state related to the changes they recently implemented regarding child care staff that has a criminal record exemption. Here are the dates and locations:

October 15, 2002 - Community Care Licensing, 1000 Corporate Center Drive, Room 200 Monterey Park, CA

October 16, 2002 ?– State Office Building #9, 744 P Street, Auditorium, Sacramento Ca

October 17, 2002 - Elihu Harris State Building, 1515 Clay Street, 2nd Floor, Room 15 Oakland, CA For more information go to www.dss.cahwnet.gov/ord