Tuesday, May 29, 2007

A lower, more unified license fee for Minnesota...

To County Associations, Presidents, and County Leaders,

The bill to lower the license fee for family child care providers has been signed by the Governor.

We spoke with Senator Robling and confirmed which bill and engrossment went to Governor Pawlenty for his review. The Governor signed the bill May 25, 2007. As you can see by the language below (in contrast to the language you had seen earlier on this bill) the background study fees are back in the language. In the final days of the legislative session, after Governor Pawlenty vetoed the first Omnibus Health and Human Services Finance bill that had a meager amount of money for DHS to conduct the background checks effective January 1, 2008, the House and Senate committees trimmed millions out of the bill. Governor Pawlenty line itemed vetoed even more in the bill presented to him on May 24, 2007.

Read below to see the actual language of what was achieved by this bill that started with language drafted by Senator Claire Robling at the request of the Scott County Licensed Family Child Care Providers for all providers in the state. Deloris Friske was the representative of the Scott County Licensed Family Child Care Association who worked with Senator Robling throughout the legislative session on the many language and committee changes. Senator Robling shared with Deloris on Sunday, May 27th that if there is surplus money when the next session begins in 2008, we can go back to request the background checks and run it as a stand-alone bill. Optimistically, it could be passed in a very short time, maybe being a couple of months behind the date the new license fee cap becomes effective for those counties who were beyond the $50.00 for a one-year license and $100.00 for a two-year license. The effective date, as noted in the actual language below, is January 1, 2008.

What can you do if your county still has the $100 fee for background checks?
  1. Go back to your County Commissioners and request that they review their decision to charge the background check fee.
  2. Request that background check fees be a standard amount per background check submitted with the cap at $100 per licensed home. For example, $15.00 has been stated many times as an “average” cost to do a background check. If you had 3 checks done, the cost would be $45.00. The bill does say actual cost but we are aware that actual costs vary significantly from one provider to the next. A provider who maintains the same address for years with the same people in her/his household can be completed at a much lower cost than a background check on a provider who has lived in several different counties or states.
    DHS has a $25.00 fee written into some of their documents.
    Find out what an actual background check costs in your county.
  3. Counties can waive the background fees in case of a)financial hardship
    b) if the county has a shortage of providers in the county’s area c) for new providers d) for providers who have attained at least 16 hours of training before seeing initial licensure.
    Counties can also allow providers to pay the applicant fees (license fee and background study fee) on an installment basis for up to one year.

Thanks for all the support of the Agencies, Organizations, Groups and for the Family Child Care Association’s across the state as well as their individual members who contacted their legislators throughout the session on this and any child care related bills.

We have included the actual language of the bill following this legislative update for your convenience.

Scott County Licensed Family Child Care Association
Kelly Elsenpeter, President
Deloris Friske, Secretary
Beth Mork, Family Child Care Advocate


H.F. No. 1078, 3rd Engrossment - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on May 23, 2007

116.32 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245A.10, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
116.33 Subd. 2. County fees for background studies and licensing inspections. (a) For
116.34 purposes of family and group family child care licensing under this chapter, a county 116.35 agency may charge a fee to an applicant or license holder to recover the actual cost of 117.1 background studies, but in any case not to exceed $100 annually. A county agency may 117.2 also charge a license fee to an applicant or license holder to recover the actual cost of
117.3 licensing inspections, but in any case not to exceed $150 annually $50 for a one-year
117.4 license or $100 for a two-year license.
117.5 (b) A county agency may charge a fee to a legal nonlicensed child care provider or
117.6 applicant for authorization to recover the actual cost of background studies completed 117.7 under section 119B.125, but in any case not to exceed $100 annually.
117.8 (c) Counties may elect to reduce or waive the fees in paragraph (a) or (b):
117.9 (1) in cases of financial hardship;
117.10 (2) if the county has a shortage of providers in the county's area;
117.11 (3) for new providers; or
117.12 (4) for providers who have attained at least 16 hours of training before seeking
117.13 initial licensure.
117.14 (d) Counties may allow providers to pay the applicant fees in paragraph (a) or (b) on 117.15 an installment basis for up to one year. If the provider is receiving child care assistance 117.16 payments from the state, the provider may have the fees under paragraph (a) or (b) 117.17 deducted from the child care assistance payments for up to one year and the state shall 117.18 reimburse the county for the county fees collected in this manner.117.19EFFECTIVE

DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.


// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 3:40 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 24, 2007

CPR Training... CPR Teddy...

As child care providers, we are required to know CPR. Now you can show parents that you're ready with CPR Teddy™, the easiest way to practice infant/child CPR and choking rescue skills at home. Just squeeze the bear's paw and a voice will prompt you through every step of the CPR process. Not only that, you can actually try out the steps on the bear's chest as you listen to the instructions. Lights in the bowtie tell you if you're pushing too hard or not hard enough, and the lights go out when you get the compressions just right. CPR Teddy is great for parents and grandparents. Makes a great baby shower or new grandparent gift. Comes with a full-length training DVD that teaches CPR, choking rescue, first aid and childproofing of home and car. Odds are, an emergency will never come, but if it does, don't be scared, be prepared! Three AA batteries (included).
At $99.95 this may be a bit cost prohibitative (even with the 3 batteries included), but I am intrigued none the less...

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:33 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Child Care Providers are Professionals...

Some helpful tips in the following article:

Ten Ways to Be Respected as a Professional While Running a Daycare Out of Your Home
By Kat Rice Williams

Providing childcare out of your home can be extremely challenging. When you are a home daycare provider, respect is something that you get very little of. People assume that just because you run your daycare out of your home, that you are nothing more than a glorified babysitter. I ran a daycare out of my home for several years. I was a professional, and I wanted to be treated like a professional. Listed below are some of the things that you can do as a home childcare provider to make sure that you and your home childcare business appears professional, and gets treated with respect.

1. Draw up a clear, concise contract, and don't be afraid to enforce it. Before accepting children into your childcare home, make sure that your potential clients understand, and are willing to abide by the rules of your home daycare. Your contract should cover every area that you consider important. Contracts will eliminate any confusion over issues such as late fees, payments, and operating hours.

2. If possible, your childcare area should be separate from your living area. A den is always a great area to transform into usable daycare space.

3. Don't answer the door in your pajamas, and curlers. If you open your doors at six o'clock, then you should be completely dressed, shoes included. How can you expect to be taken seriously as a professional if you are wearing nightclothes during business hours.

4. Give your home childcare business a name, and logo. Use your business name on all of your paperwork. If someone were to ask one of your clients where their child attend daycare, you want them to be able to give a professional business name.

5. Don't discuss your personal life with your daycare clients. Keeping your personal business out of you daycare will allow daycare clients to focus on your professionalism, and not the fact that you hit the club last night.

6. Keep your daycare clean, organized, and smelling fresh. There is nothing worse than a foul smelling daycare. Keeping your home daycare space clean will show clients, and potential clients that you care about your business.

7. Never discuss another child to clients. All of the children in your care are entitled to their privacy.

8. No matter what the circumstances are, never loose your temper. always conduct yourself in a calm, and professional manner.

9. Always keep your forms, and paperwork in order. If someone drops in to ask for an admissions form, and your shoveling through papers because you can't remember where you put anything, that looks very unprofessional.

10. Take the time to get licensed. Even if it is not necessary. Having a license shows clients that you value the rules, and want to work hard to maintain a quality home daycare environment.


I have often told people that to be treated as a professional, you need to act professional. What other tips do you have?

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:11 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

2007 Legislative Overview...

The legislative session finally wound its way down at yesterday at midnight. Without an agreement with the Governor, the fate of the bills is a bit unclear. Follow the link for a comprehensive summary of the bill sent to the Governor for his consideration.

Child care, other early education and school-age care provisions were included in the Health & Human Service, Higher Education and E-12 bills. Highlights include:

- Reduction in Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) co-payments
- Changes in the Absent Day policies to make CCAP more workable for parents
- School Readiness Service Agreements
- After-School Community Learning Grants
- TEACH
- Child Care Service Grants
- Professional Development System
- Cap on family child care license fees
- Pre-K Exploratory Program

Details are included in both the first draft of the summary as well on the updated chart. Editing will take place over the next few weeks, but we wanted to make sure you had this information as quickly as possible.

The session officially adjourned at midnight, and the bills passed by the Legislature now head to the Governor. Once the bills are presented to the Governor, he has three days to veto them. If he does not veto or sign the bill in those three days, then it becomes law.

A summary from Ready4K:

Looking at the 2007 legislative session brings to mind the age-old question: is the glass half empty or half full? I think that is an incomplete question. I would add: what is in the glass in the first place?

What was in the “glass” of the 2007 legislative session for school readiness was of pretty good quality, and for that the Legislature and Governor deserve credit. Clearly they understand the value and importance of early care and education, and want to move forward, not backward, on this issue.

Here are some of the positive aspects of the recent session: increased access to high quality early learning experiences for our youngest citizens; restored and expanded support for parents; and encouragement of quality improvements, including professional development. For a quick summary of all the early care and education items that received increased funding, go to today's edition of our Ready 4 K @ the Capitol update.

Access to high quality early learning was increased by additional funding for Head Start, including enhancing that program’s ability to improve early literacy. School Readiness programs saw increases. Child care, which is early education, gained funding in a variety of ways that helped parents and providers, and many initiatives that passed also spurred the improvement of quality, that all-important concept which needs to infuse all early learning settings. An innovative scholarship program was passed on a pilot basis as well, further enlarging parent choice.

Parents were supported in two key ways: one through restoration of Early Childhood Family Education funding, a proposal that was one of few that both the House and Senate agreed to from the outset. The other was in the form of funding for home visiting for families that are most at risk for not having their young children ready for kindergarten. Parents remain the center of all early childhood work, so these two measures were encouraging.

Quality improvements also saw significant gains this year. Nothing is more important in early education than the quality of the provider. The 2007 legislative session finally saw the passage of an appropriation for TEACH scholarships which provide an incentive to practitioners to get additional training. The Legislature also approved proposals from the Governor for a streamlined structure to enhance providers’ access to additional professional development. Support for Family, Friend, and Neighbor caregivers was also given in the form of a grant program to be carried out locally with the Child Care Resource and Referral Network, libraries and tribes. Small though that appropriation is, the new law acknowledges the vital importance of this sector.

We are also pleased to see that 37,000 more children will have health care coverage under MinnesotaCare. The health and physical development of children is a critical building block for school readiness, so progress in health care access is welcome. This legislative session also elevated the work of the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation (MELF), which Ready 4 K helped to create. The MELF is playing an increasingly significant role in funding and evaluating innovative early learning projects and Ready 4 K will be working closely with them to monitor the implementation of the new policies that were created this year.

Having said all this, and in no way wanting to disparage the work done by the legislature and the Governor, I must be candid that, although the “glass” has a fine substance in it, the glass is about a quarter full. Why? Because if the real goal is to move the school readiness “needle” from 50 percent to 80 percent, this $40 million of additional funding does not take us far enough fast enough. Elements of a new system based on effective outreach, parent choice, and high quality are infused in the legislation that just passed, and that is significant, but the resources devoted to the larger mission are simply inadequate.

Patience is a virtue, and Minnesota policymakers will some day make early care and education a true priority, as is happening in other states throughout America. Unfortunately, failure to act boldly today is closing the door of opportunity for too many of our youngest children right now. State leaders understand that the issue is important, but there are two serious disconnects that we need to encourage them to confront.

One, there is a disconnect between the evidence of the importance of this issue and current legislative and gubernatorial budgetary priorities. Many studies show the true value of providing early learning experiences to young children. Yet early childhood still receives only one percent of the state budget.

Two, there is a disconnect between the actions of policymakers and what the public expects. Ready 4 K’s public opinion poll shows strong support for giving school readiness a much higher priority than it currently enjoys.

The bottom line from Ready 4 K’s perspective is that the 2007 legislative session was pretty good, but not yet up to what our youngest citizens deserve. So thank you, legislative leaders, particularly education committee co-chairs Representative Mindy Greiling and Senator Tarryl Clark, Governor Pawlenty, and especially our early childhood champion Representative Nora Slawik, and know that your good work has been noticed and appreciated. But please also know that literally thousands of young Minnesotans and their families need and deserve more support than you have provided so far.

Ready 4 K will continue to engage individuals across the state to speak out on behalf of what is needed for our children and we will not stop until we see the leaders of our state commit to real changes that will measurably improve the lives and future fortunes of our youngest citizens. We thank the Governor and lawmakers for the modest but strategically important steps taken this year, and look forward to working with them in the future.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 5:12 PM 0 comments

Monday, May 21, 2007

Family Child Care in the United States...

Research Connections' latest publication, Family Child Care in the United States by Taryn W. Morrissey, is now available. This is the most recent of our Reviews of Research series. Download this publication for a synthesis of current research on family child care providers, as well as parental use and quality of this type of care. It is accompanied by an analytic table of methods and findings, and a research brief (forthcoming).

Research shows that approximately one-quarter of children spend a considerable amount of time––about 30 hours per week––in family child care (FCC), and the quality of care they receive varies greatly. To date, studies have examined the demographics of family child care providers and the families who use family child care, and have assessed children’s experiences and outcomes, and the quality in this type of home-based, regulated care.

Given that state regulations vary for licensing and registration, the definition of family child care is not always precise in policy or the research literature. The research included in this review defines family child care as paid, home-based care by providers who are regulated through the state to care for nonrelative children.

This is a good resource and interesting reading for all family child care providers. I urge you to download a copy and look it over... Family Child Care in the United States

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 7:29 PM 0 comments

Friday, May 18, 2007

Another Benefit of High Quality Child Care...

An interesting concept about a new benefit of high quality child care...
High-quality child care for poor children found to offset the risk of later depression

Young adults from low-income families who were in full-time early educational child care from infancy to age 5 report fewer symptoms of depression than their peers who were not in this type of care. The early educational intervention also appears to have protected the children to some extent against the negative effects of their home environments.

These findings highlight the value of investing in high quality early childhood experiences for low-income children. Those are the conclusions of a new study conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Washington at Seattle . The study is published in the May/June 2007 issue of the journal Child Development.

Research has shown a relationship between poverty in early childhood and an increased risk for mental health problems in adulthood. A number of early intervention programs have been found to enhance the cognitive development and academic outcomes of children living in poverty, but less is known about the long-term effects of these programs on children's mental health.

Read more about this report: High-quality child care for poor children found to
offset the risk of later depression

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:38 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Science of Early Childhood Development: Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do...

The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child has recently released a 16-page framework entitled The Science of Early Childhood Development: Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do. The document includes a discussion of the 7 Core Concepts of Development and their implications for policy and practice.

Some core concepts explored:

• Child development is a foundation for community development and economic development, as capable children become the foundation of a prosperous and sustainable society.
• Brains are built over time.
• The interactive influences of genes and experience literally shape the architecture of the developing brain, and the active ingredient is the "serve and return" nature of children’s engagement in relationships with their parents and other caregivers in their family or community.
• Both brain architecture and developing abilities are built "from the bottom up," with simple circuits and skills providing the scaffolding for more advanced circuits and skills over time.
• Toxic stress in early childhood is associated with persistent effects on the nervous system and stress hormone systems that can damage developing brain architecture and lead to lifelong problems in learning, behavior, and both physical and mental health.
• Creating the right conditions for early childhood development is likely to be more effective and less costly than addressing problems at a later age.

Take a look at this extensive report to see how we can help in the development of children in our care. The Science of Early Childhood Development: Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:34 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Quality child care limits depression, study finds...

Young adults from poor families who were in full-time early educational child care from infancy to age 5 reported fewer symptoms of depression than their peers who were not in this type of care, according to a new report.

The early care also appears to have protected the children to some extent against negative effects in their homes.

The report, from the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, uses data from the Abecedarian Project, a longitudinal study begun in 1972 in which 111 high-risk children were randomly assigned to early educational child care from infancy to age 5 or to a control group that received various other forms of child care.

The study is published in the May-June 2007 issue of the journal Child Development.

Research has shown a relationship between poverty in early childhood and an increased risk for mental health problems in adulthood. A number of early intervention programs have been found to enhance the cognitive development and academic outcomes of children living in poverty, but less is known about the long-term effects of these programs on children's mental health.
Quality child care limits depression, study finds

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 7:16 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Are You Prepared For An Emergency?

When choosing child care, parents put their child's safety and well-being at the top of the list of things to look for. They look for a caregiver who will offer a safe setting for their child. They look for a caregiver who will keep children's best interests in mind. A visit to a child care program may include talking with the provider about caregiver training; group size; daily activities; and safety guidelines such as hand washing, playground safety, and diapering practices.

But parents should also look for a program's emergency plan. If there is a disaster or emergency while their child is with a caregiver, they should know that the caregiver can protect the health and safety of their child.

NACCRRA, the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, has started a national child care disaster planning initative, the first of its kind. This is an effort to train providers, inform parents, and partner with local, state, and federal agencies to make sure that every child in child care is safe in the face of disaster.

Here are some things to talk about with the parents in regard to your disaster plan. Talk about the what, when, where and how of their emergency plan. Use the questions below, adapted from NACCRRA's parent brochure, What's the Plan?: Ask Your Child Care Provider Before a Disaster.

For more information on disaster planning, and to download a free copy of What's the Plan?, visit NACCRRA's website at www.naccrra.org/parent/coping/disaster.php, or call 1-800-424-2246.


// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:16 PM 0 comments

Monday, May 14, 2007

New Report Reviews Recent Family Child Care Research
May 2007

What does the research tell us about family child care?
A newly released report, "Family Child Care in the United States," reviews the research on family child care over the past 20 years and summarizes what is known. The report was published by the Child Care and early Education Research Connections, and the author of the report is Taryn W. Morrissey, Department of Human Development, Cornell University. The full report is available at www.researchconnections.org.

Providers have a flexible but sometimes challenging work environment. Most work long hours for low pay. Providers typically contribute about a quarter to a third of total household income, although it may constitute the entire household income for unmarried providers. Providers leave the field for "both personal reasons (e.g., own children aging out of child care, unfulfilled need for adult contact, problems with parent) and economic factors (e.g., income instability, lack of affordable liability and health insurance and retirement benefits)."

Despite these problems, most providers report being satisfied with their work, citing advantages such as working for oneself, not having to worry about typical job requirements, and staying home with one's own children. Family child care providers reported fewer depressive symptoms than center-based or family, friend, or neighbor caregivers.

"Most observational studies to date suggest that much of family child care is of 'adequate' quality...The quality of care is not associated with the provider's age or years of experience, but is positively correlated with the training and education the provider has received."

Parents using family child care are more likely to prefer this care for infants and toddlers, but prefer preschools and centers for older children. These parents also tend to be single, female-headed households. Parents who prefer family child care do so because they believe that their children receive more individual attention than in center-based care.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 5:24 PM 0 comments

Friday, May 11, 2007

New Resources on Minnesota Children...

A couple of new resources for information on Minnesota Children were released this week. First is the School Readiness Study from the MN Dept of Education and second is the 2007 Kids Count Data Book from the Children's Defense Fund. Take a look at these two resources to see how children in Minnesota are faring...

School Readiness Study Shows Progress

The Minnesota Department of Education released the “Minnesota School Readiness Study,” which tracks kindergarten readiness in physical development, the arts, personal and social development, language and literacy, and mathematical thinking.

“It is essential that every Minnesota child be prepared for success when they enter kindergarten,” Education Commissioner Alice Seagren said. “This report highlights the progress we are making toward that goal and the need to continue our efforts, especially for those children who are at-risk.”

The study, which involved 48 elementary schools, divides proficiency into three levels – not yet, in process and proficient.
View the report.
Read news release.

CDF Releases 2007 Kids Count Data BookFirst
The 2007 Minnesota Kids Count Data Book, detailing how well kids are faring in all 87 Counties has been released. The Data Book, entitled "Seven Basic Needs: Minnesota Kids Count Data Book 2007" outlines the steep rise in child poverty and the growing number of uninsured children across Minnesota. It also tracks series of key indicators that measure child well-being in the state.

Download the 2007 KIDS COUNT Data Book at (PDF format) at
www.cdf-mn.org/kidscount.htm

Attend a Kids Count Coffee in Your Area
This week, CDF Minnesota is holding an initial series of KIDS COUNT Coffees in Rochester, Minneapolis, and Duluth. (Find out More at www.cdf-mn.org.) At the events, attendees will:
Attendees will receive a free copy of "Seven Basic Needs: Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Book 2007" All interested community members are welcome. Coffee and refreshments will be served.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 7:47 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Minnesota School Readiness Study: Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten Entrance

The Minnesota School Readiness Study: Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten Entrance Fall 2006 was planned, implemented, and the report prepared by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).

A large and growing body of research supports the critical relationship between early childhood experiences, school success, and positive life-long outcomes. This research has been a focal point for many states as they strive to reduce the growing achievement gap they have found in their educational system between less advantaged students and more advantaged students.

With no systematic process in place to assess children’s school readiness, the Minnesota Department of Education in 2002 initiated a series of three yearly studies focused on obtaining a picture of the school readiness of a representative sample of Minnesota kindergartners as they
enter school in the fall and to evaluate changes in the percentage of children fully prepared for school at kindergarten entrance. The studies were well received by the public, and during the 2006 Minnesota state legislative session, Governor Tim Pawlenty proposed and the Legislature appropriated funding for the study to be continued on an annual basis.

This report summarizes study findings from previous representative studies and describes findings from the assessment of school readiness with a random sample of children entering kindergarten in fall 2006.

Read the full report and results of this latest study.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 5:55 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Minnesota Legislative Update...

From Child Care Works, the latest update on legislative issues pertaining to children and child care:

The work of the Legislature over the past two weeks has been largely focused on determining agreements between the House and Senate omnibus bills. Several small bills have been finished, while the E-12 and Higher Education bills still await their budget targets. Encompassed in these bills are $1 million one-time funds for TEACH/REETAIN and funds for the After-School Community Learning Grants. Decisions will hopefully be made this week on these items.

For child care advocates, the last two weeks have been spent in marathon conference committee sessions as the House and Senate Health & Human Services conferees worked out the differences between the two bills, both in expenditures as well as policy language. An agreement was finally reached this past Saturday night, and the Health & Human Services conference committee report passed out of the committee late that night. Part of the decision-making process included letters from the Governor and the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services which detailed particular provisions that the Governor especially opposes. Included in that list was concern about both the level of spending in child care and “the focusing of new money to child care providers rather than targeting dollars towards helping children and families access care.”

A result of that letter brought the biggest disappointment in the conference committee’s report. Child care advocates were dismayed to see no progress made in getting the Child Care Assistance reimbursement rates closer to the market rate, nor a reinstatement of the half-day rate.

That said, the bill includes spending in some important areas, both in the areas of access and quality. This report will focus on only the funding items as the final policy language is not available at this writing.

The largest on-going expenditures are in School Readiness Service Agreements (SRSA) and reduced parent co-pays. SRSA, a recommendation from the Governor that Child Care WORKS supported, would create contracts between high quality providers and the state and allow CCAP children access to those providers with more flexibility for their families. The bill reduces parent co-pays from a maximum of 18% of the family’s gross income to no more than 14% of the family’s gross income – a considerable improvement. Other major investments include $6 million of one-time funds for the CCAP waiting list, $2 million in one-time funds for a new Professional Development System, $2 million in one-time funds for Child Care Service Grants and $1.5 million in one-time funds for a new Family, Friend & Neighbor Grant Program. Absent Day Policy changes, beginning July 2007, were accepted, and family child care provider license fees were capped at no more than $50/year. The total in expenditures in FY 2008-09 comes in at about $23 million.

The bill will next appear on both the House and Senate floors. No amendments can be added at that time, so the bill can only be voted up or down. It’s likely that will happen as early as today (Monday), and it’s assumed that the bill will pass both bodies.

Then the bill moves on to the Governor for his decision. The Governor has three days to decide upon his course of action. The bill can be signed in full, vetoed in full, or the Governor can use the “line-item veto.” This last option means simply striking out appropriations that the Governor does not support. This measure can only be used for provisions which are only fiscal in nature, i.e. have no policy language attached which drive the cost. Most, if not all, of the child care provisions are both policy and funding in nature and so, cannot be line-item vetoed. However, the bill spends considerably more than the Governor’s original proposal, and this has been a major focus of the speculation concerning the possibility of a vetoed bill. If that happens, the Legislature can try (but most likely unsuccessfully) to override the veto; otherwise, the bill will need to be created a second time in hopes of finding a formula that the Governor can support.

We’re just two weeks away from the session end-date of May 21, and there is still much work to do! Keep checking the CCW website for updated spreadsheets and other information. We’ll keep you posted!

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:50 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

NATIONAL PROVIDER APPRECIATION DAY: MAY 11, 2007

Another reminder that on the Friday before Mother’s Day, thousands of Americans will mark the 12th annual Provider Appreciation Day, celebrating the hard work and dedication of child care providers.

There are an estimated 2.3 million child care providers working in child care centers, family child care homes, and other care settings in the United States. These individuals are responsible for the health, safety, and well-being of nearly 12 million children under age 5 who are in child care every week. Yet their efforts—in one of the most underpaid professions in the country—often go unrecognized.

“By applauding the dedication of child care providers on May 11, we remind our communities of the importance of high-quality child care, and let providers everywhere know that we recognize and value their important work,” says Linda K. Smith, Executive Director of the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), the lead sponsor of Provider Appreciation Day. “It is important that the care a child receives during the first five years of life be of high-quality because 90 percent of brain development occurs during those years.”

NACCRRA, in partnership with the National Association for Family Child Care, is encouraging state and local governments, Child Care Resource & Referral agencies, parents, and others to honor their child care providers on May 11 by hosting luncheons, parades, dedication ceremonies, and other forms of recognition.

In recent years, local governments across the United States have joined many Governors in proclaiming this day of recognition. Around the globe, Department of Defense installations celebrate Provider Appreciation Day by recognizing those who care for the children of military parents living both at home and abroad. This year’s celebrations promise to carry on and strengthen Provider Appreciation Day. If you would like to share celebrations planned for this year or successful events held in prior years, please send an email describing the event to info@appreciationday.org and it will be posted on the Provider Appreciation Day website.

Parents... Here are four simple tips to make your provider feel appreciated...

1. Always make your provider feel loved and appreciated for their commitment to childcare. Not everyday can be as easy one- and that applies to every profession. But if you keep responding with positive, nurturing comments you are sure to have success. Also make sure that that they are treated fairly, respected, and rewarded for all their hard work.

2. Try to occasionally be available and visible to your provider. Everyone needs human interaction and they don't want to feel isolated and singled out. Also keep in mind that situations will arise and you or they may want to discuss possible solutions or options. Always be cheerful and look on the bright side of everyone. Negativity never helps any situation.

3. Allow for training and additional opportunities for education. Give your provider opportunities to grow, network with other teachers and providers, and get new ideas for their childcare room. Not only is continuing education required for their profession, networking with other providers is a great way for them to get new ideas and learn from each other.

4. Reward you provider for their love of your children. Give additional time off, vacations, gifts on holidays, thank you cards, gift cards, any thing you can think of which tells them, "You are special to me". A $1.99 thank you card can really go a long way and can continue keeping your star teacher motivated and appreciated for all that they do.

To learn more about Provider Appreciation Day and how you can get involved, visit www.providerappreciation.org or call (888) 334-7781


// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 3:30 PM 0 comments

Monday, May 07, 2007

Mother's Day will soon be here...

It's nearly time for Mother's Day. The only May holiday that is more "important" in Minnesota is the fishing opener, which is also May 12th... Hmmm, wonder if there is some correlation there?

Today, I first want to share my favorite Mother's Day story:

THE MOMMY TEST

I was out walking with my 4-year-old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that.

"Why?" my daughter asked.

"Because it's been laying outside, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.

At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?"

"Uh," I was thinking quickly, "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."

We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information.

"Oh! I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy."

"Exactly," I replied back with a big smile on my face and joy in my heart.

Secondly, I would like to share some great craft sites with thing to do with the children in your care. These websites contain some great ideas for Mother's Day crafts...
Have a good week and a wonderful Mother's Day...

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:10 PM 0 comments

Friday, May 04, 2007

More on the the benefits of preschool...

Another article on the benefit of quality in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Preschool investment pays off big, report finds
Posted: May 3, 2007

Through investments in high-quality voluntary preschool for at-risk children, by 2050 Wisconsin could reap benefits of $13.60 for every dollar it puts into early learning, according to a study released Thursday.

(For more on the report, go to www.epi.org/.)

The report estimates that early education programs begun now at a cost of $6,300 per child for Wisconsin's poorest 3- and 4-year-olds would result in more than $5.1 billion in annual benefits by 2050, largely because more children would mature to be taxpaying wage-earners and fewer would fall to crime.

Robert Lynch, an economist at Washington College in Maryland, wrote the study for the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank. Lynch adds to a growing body of research suggesting that good preschooling for needy children can lower costs later for remedial education, law enforcement, child welfare and even health costs, while helping children become higher achievers with greater earning potential.

Lynch estimated that the annual benefits from early education aimed at the poorest children nationwide would surpass annual costs within six years of start-up and gain momentum afterward, amounting to an annual benefit ratio of 12.1-to-1 by 2050. A plan for all 3- and 4-year-olds would begin to pay for itself within nine years, according to Lynch, and reach a payout of 8.2-to-1 by 2050.

In state-by-state breakdowns, Lynch figured that universally accessible pre-kindergarten in Wisconsin would have a benefit ratio of 9.5-to-1.

Although he hadn't yet seen the report, Dennis Winters, chief economist for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, said the ratios appear to fit with findings from other major research. Winters includes himself among a number of economists encouraging pre-kindergarten for disadvantaged children as a cost-effective form of economic development.

Others are scrutinizing the numbers.

"This is more of a political document than sound scientific research," Bruce Fuller, author of "Standardized Childhood: The Political and Cultural Struggle over Early Education" (Stanford University Press, 2007), said in an e-mail Thursday.

Fuller, a sociologist at the University of California-Berkeley, is critical of what he sees as attempts by child advocates to push for universal standardized preschool nationwide based on findings from limited studies focused on children from the neediest
families.

In an interview, Lynch said he was cautious in his calculations. He said $6,300 per child in costs and 3.5% annual inflation were generous.

Arthur Reynolds, a professor of child development at the University of Minnesota, said it's important to consider the quality of education offered.

"If you do a run-of-the-mill program, you're not going to find these effects," Reynolds said.

As opposed to the $6,300 per child cost used by Lynch, Reynolds said the Chicago Child-Parent Center preschool program is about $5,000. According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, state and local governments contributed $4,590 per child enrolled in preschool in Wisconsin.


// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 5:01 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Baby Bib Recall...

I’m sure some of you may have already seen or heard reports about the recent recall of lead-laced bibs from Walmart, but if not, I’ve attached an article below from WCCO highlighting this recent recall. I encourage you to read the article and then to visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissions website at www.cpsc.gov to read about this recall and others that may affect your daycare. Walmart stores are everywhere, so there is a good chance that you or someone you know may be using these bibs. Who would have thought there would be lead in baby bibs? Help spread the word by mentioning this to other providers, parents, family, etc. that you are in contact with everyday!

Wal-Mart Recalls Lead-Laced Baby Bibs

The discovery of lead in the fabric of a brand of baby bibs sold at Wal-Mart Stores has resulted in a recall of the items, the company said.The bibs, sold under the Baby Connection brand name, came in packs of two to seven bibs, with embroidered prints or images of Sesame Street characters. Some were sold as long ago as 2004. The bibs were made by Hamco Inc. exclusively for the Bentonville-based retailer.

Mia Masten, a Chicago-based spokeswoman for Wal-Mart, said the vinyl portion of the bibs exceeded the lead levels set by Illinois for children's products. She said the company had worked with the Illinois attorney general's office to pull the items and later decided to expand the recall nationwide.

Masten said about 60,000 of the bib bundles were sold in Illinois without any reported injuries.Masten said officials with the world's largest retailer have been in contact with Hamco, but referred all questions about the products' manufacturing to Hamco.Officials at Hamco, a subsidiary of Crown Crafts Inc. of Gonzales, La., said the company has no comment and referred questions to Wal-Mart.

The Illinois attorney general's office identified the bibs as being sold between June 2004 and the end of March of this year in Wal-Mart stores throughout the state. Tests on three styles of the bibs tested positive for lead more than 600 parts per million, Illinois' standard for lead in children's products, said Robyn Ziegler, a spokeswoman with the attorney general's office.While Wal-Mart pulled the product from its shelves nationwide, Masten said only customers in Illinois would be eligible to receive refunds or replacements. It wasn't immediately clear why the refunds only covered Illinois.

Initially, Masten said the recall only pertained to Illinois. Later Wednesday, she said it was nationwide.Wal-Mart's recall comes after a lawsuit over the bibs by the Center for Environmental Health, based in Oakland, Calif. Alexa Engelman, a researcher there, said the center became aware of the bibs in September. Engelman said a report by an independent laboratory test contracted by the center showed the bibs contained 16 times the amount of lead allowed in paint.

Lead, used as a stabilizer in vinyl plastic, can be "easily substituted" for other products, Engelman said.Public health experts consider elevated levels of lead in blood a significant health hazard for children. Studies have repeatedly shown that childhood exposure to lead can lead to learning problems, reduced intelligence, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. There is no lead level that is considered safe in blood, and recent studies have shown adverse health effects even at very low levels.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a statement Wednesday saying that the bibs were safe if in good condition. However, if a bib "deteriorates to the point that a baby could pull or bite off and swallow a piece of vinyl containing the lead, then the amounts of lead consumed could approach levels of concern," the agency said.

Those who purchased the bibs in Illinois can return them at their local Wal-Mart for a full refund or can receive a free replacement by calling (877) 373-3812.


// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:59 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

MLFCCA Open House...

You are invited to the Minnesota Licensed Family Child Care Association Open House at their new office...
You are cordially invited to join us for our Open House
on Friday, May 18, 2007 from 4-7 p.m.
as the Strategic Alliance along with Words Work
celebrate coming together in our new office space!

Our office is located in the Griggs Midway Office Building
1821 University Avenue West, Suite 324 South
Saint Paul, MN 55104

Family and friends are welcome!
Please call 651-646-8689 or e-mail afenton@mnaeyc.org if you need directions.


The Strategic Alliance includes:
If you are a family child care provider in Minnesota and are not already an MLFCCA member, this is a great time to check out the organization. Ask them about the benefits of membership!

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:55 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Minnesota's Early Learning Guidelines for Birth to 3...

Had a great time last weekend at the Sharing the Wisdom of Many Voices conference hosted by the MN Child Care Resource and Referral Network and the MN Early Childhood and School Age Trainers Association.

It is always one of my favorite conferences and a great time to catch up on information with friends and peers that I do not get to meet often enough. In addition to all the fun, there were a lot of great workshops to attend this year.

At the conference we got the get the first run hard copies of the long awaited Early Childhood Indicators of Progress - Birth to 3 Guidelines. Check it out at http://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Legacy/DHS-4438-ENG

This document was developed over the last two years with the support, input and feedback of many individuals, programs and agencies. It is jointly sponsored by the Minnesota Departments of Human Services and Health.

Hard copies of this publication are available free of cost, while supplies last. They are available to be picked up in person at DHS and through a variety of events statewide. DHS can mail copies of the Early Childhood Indicators of Progress (ECIPs) for children birth to 3, and for children 3 to 5. You may contact Mary Firth at DHS to request an order form. Her email address is mary.firth@state.mn.us.

I think that this will be a helpful tool for parents and caregivers of young children. Make sure you request your copy today!

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:30 PM 0 comments
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