Policy Initiatives/Legislative Updates

Florida's early care and education organizations have numerous policy initiatives to propose to legislators when they convene for session in early March. These current initiatives and advocacy efforts include:

Maintain School Readiness (subsidized child care) services for vulnerable children ages zero to three. This program faces unprecedented reductions in funding as general revenue has been supplemented by non-recurring federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. Federal funding through the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) will also be reduced if the state does not maintain its current level of funding.
Fund recent and projected growth in Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) enrollment. As a voter-mandated entitlement of every four-year-old in the state, funding must be provided for growth in enrollment. Lowering the "per student" allocation only serves to seriously erode program quality. Continued cuts also threaten the very existence of child care practitioners' ability to keep their doors open for business.
Improve outcomes for young children by attracting teachers with bachelor degrees in early childhood and/or child development. To achieve this goal, provide differential payments to VPK practitioners based on the level of education of the lead teacher. The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood^® Scholarship Program should be maintained. The current statewide investment is $3 million, which provides scholarships to obtain staff credentials and associate degrees for an estimated 3,500 teachers, and also leverages local investments.
Improve child care licensing regulations by raising the minimum age to care for children from 16 to 18; require a minimum of a high school diploma for instructional staff; require a staff credential beginning with the first child in care; and re-enacting the Gold Seal legislation to incorporate revised standards from national accrediting associations.
Expand wage incentive programs like the Child Care WAGE$^® FLORIDA Project that provides education-based salary supplements. Programs like WAGE$ will help to attract and retain qualified professionals
Expand a quality rating improvement system including support to help child care programs increase and sustain quality (currently available in a limited number of counties)
Require background checks for all child care employees prior to employment

Florida Children's Service Council Legislative News

Timing is critical for advocates to reach out to the Governor and legislators to educate them on the negative ramifications of these programs not being protected from dramatic funding reductions. The Governor's budget will be transmitted to the legislature by February 1, 2010. Get the details on the early learning budget shortfall summary prepared by Florida CSC.

2010 Legislative Program Now Available

The Florida Children's Service Council (CSC) Board of Directors has approved its 2010 Legislative Policy Program, which is now available. The program includes a collaborative approach to help Florida move toward an integrated early childhood system of care. Among some of the critical priorities supported by the Florida CSC are: early childhood funding, streamlining early learning, and continued improvement of Florida Kidcare. View the complete policy program online at http://www.floridacsc.org/advocacy/.

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Policy Initiatives/Legislative Updates

Florida Children's Service Council Legislative News

2010 Legislative Program Now Available