MCCTF
Co-Chair Contact Information:
Lisa
Brewer, Michigan 4C, T.E.A.C. H. Director, 866-648-3224,
ext. 27, brewer@mi4c.org
Richard
Lower, Michigan's Children, Policy Associate,
800-330-8674,
lower.Richard@michiganschildren.org.
FALL
SCHEDULE for the TASK FORCE
October 1
&endash; Room 426, State Capitol, Lansing, MI
November 5 &endash; Lake Ontario Room, 3rd floor, State
of Michigan Library
December 3 &endash; Lake Ontario Room, 3rd floor, State
of Michigan Library
State of Michigan Library, Lake Ontario Room, 3rd floor,
717 West Allegan, Lansing, MI 48909-7507. Phone: (517)
373-1580
Co-chairs Lisa Brewer and Kristen McDonald-Stone called
the meeting to order at 9:30. Introductions were done and
early announcements were given.
EARLY
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Steve
Manchester (MiAEYC) announced that the Governor's Summit
is at or near capacity.
Sharon Peters (Michigan's Children) reported that the ISD
0-5 programming money has been put out in an RFP by the
Dept. of Education.
Jane Zehnder-Merrell (Mi League for Human Services)
announced a new Kids Count release on September 16, 2003.
The Right Start data will be for the 35 largest cities in
Michigan. Contact Michele Corey at Michigan's Children or
Jane at the League for more information.
Kristen McDonald Stone announced she will be stepping
down as Co-chair of the Task Force as of October 1. The
announcement was made if someone is interested in the
position to contact a member of the steering committee.
Richard Lower of Michigan's Children will step in as
Co-chair at the October 1 meeting if no one else
indicates their interest in the position.
UPDATES
TO THE TASK FORCE
Michigan
Department of Education report, Judy Levine
1.
Michigan School Readiness Programs (MSRP) -
Competitive funding of $12.5 Million awarded to 66
programs, including 62 continuation grants and new
programs and 4 extensions. No change in language or
purpose of funds. MSRP state aid funding of $72.6
Million awarded to 467 districts. Language or purpose
change in that funds can be used for preschool and
parent education services (same amount for 2 programs
now). Guidance packets will be sent to Superintendents
with more information. Funds can go all to MSRP, all
ASAP-PIE type activities or a combination of both.
2. Section 32J &endash; Great Parents/Great Start
&endash; New program to ISDs with activities similar
to ASAP-PIE. Available to all districts. Include 4
components: info on child development, methods to
enhance parent/child interaction, access to needed
community services, and learning opportunities for 0-5
children. Funding is at $3.2 Million for the entire
state and the program will be administered by Jackie
Wood, MI Dept. of Education (517) 241-2741
www.michigan.gov/mde - go to keywords, then early
child-hood and parenting programs, then Great
Parents/Great Start. Programs require ISD
collaboration.
3. Even Start &endash; 41 programs will be operating
this year under a reduced budget.
4. 21st Century Community Learning Centers- $24
Million awarded to 37 programs. Another round of grant
awards will be held in the spring if further money is
available. The Michigan After School Initiative has
been meeting to develop a plan to ensure quality
after-school programs for every school-aged child in
the state.
5. The Program Quality Assessment (used by MSRPs) has
changed and this year's Fall Kick-Off is a
train-the-trainer model. The MDE is inviting and
training the Early Childhood Specialists from each
district and competitive program at attend. In turn,
they will train the teaching staff on the use of the
revised tool. If interested and need more info, call
(517) 373-8483 (MDE).
Family
Independence Agency, Kathi Pioszak
1.
Taking effect October 5, 2003 is 100 hours for 2 week
period. No payment will be made for overtime child
care. Other funding will remain the same.
2.
Provider Handbook-print version is out of stock;
available on line on the FIA's web site under
quicklinks "daycare" and then "publications." FIA
Wonder Years publication is available.
3.
Governor's CAN (Children's Action Network)-Priority
Schools involves 9 counties/17 school districts. Local
counties will be working with local priority schools
based on the previous Project Zero model. As of Aug.
26, FIA has a FIS worker present on site at each
school.
GUEST
SPEAKER
Lynne
Martinez, Children's Ombudsman
The
Office of Children's Ombudsman (OCC) receives citizen
complaints about children in the foster care system,
under the supervision of the child protective services,
or involved in an adoption program. The office also
advocates for children by reporting yearly to the
legislature and makes recommendations for improvement of
those systems. The OCC does not deal with custody issues,
juvenile justice issues, etc. &endash; just abuse and
neglect issues.
A pending bill aims to expand the authority of the OCC.
It would authorize the office to take legal actions. It
would also give them access to information systems used
by FIA to speed up the process of information gathering
and investigation. The bill (HB 4096-Hager) has been
passed in the Michigan House of Representatives and will
be taken up by the Senate Education committee on October
2, 2003.The OCC web site (www.michigan.gov/occ) contains
all annual reports and recommendations made to the
legislature and governor. The OCC can be contacted if
groups want a guest speaker to raise awareness of the
office and its work. Call (517) 373-3077 for more
information.
UPDATES
TO THE TASK FORCE cont.
TANF
Reauthorization, Jane Zehnder-Merrell
1.
Some issues continue in the TANF reauthorization
debate, including the work requirement and the support
for job training needs to be increased. There is a
heavy debate around increasing the workload for
parents with young children. If you are interested in
this issue, contact your legislators. Reauthorization
is in the U.S. Senate at this point awaiting a Senate
version of the bill. However, reauthorization may be
on hold until 2005 because time is running out to
reauthorize this year.
Head
Start Reauthorization, Kristen McDonald Stone
1.
The U.S. House passed a bill that called for
demonstration projects where states would take control
of Head Start programs and their dollars.
A
Senate bill (Kennedy-Dodd) is in place which
eliminates those demonstration projects, and increases
teach requirements but also provides funding to
increase salaries.
2.
Lamar Alexander has introduced another bill calling
for Programs of Excellence.
3. A
bi-partisan bill will be introduced soon, but
reauthorization will probably not be completed before
2005.
Ready-To-Succeed
Partnership, Kristen McDonald Stone
1.
The direction, goals, and purposes of the Partnership
are being looked at currently by the Executive
Committee.
2.
Keeping in place the "Be Their Hero"
campaign.
3.
Health Meriwether, Publisher of Detroit Free Press,
will be retiring and leaving Michigan, although he
will stay connected to Michigan.
Child
Care Licensing, Jim Sinnamon
1.
New rule on emergent literacy started on September 2,
2003. Consultants have been trained on emergent
literacy. The rule for centers involving literacy
activities has not been written yet.
2. An
Ad-hoc committee is looking at Center Rules and they
will be done in approximately 1 year. They hope to
conduct public hearings to help inform the
revisions.
3. All
licensing files are back in the field and consultants
have been assigned. The central office will continue
to do original enrollments and family home
renewals.
4.
Consultants are sill doing all functions. There are
now 61 consultants across the state. We need about
100, or at least 93 to be at recommended ratios.
ADDITIONAL
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mark
Sullivan
Michigan
House Democrats have set up a task force of Democratic
legislators to hold hearings on child care around the
state. A calendar of meetings was handed out and all
remaining meetings into the next year will be at 3:00
p.m. For more information, contact Rep. Jennifer Elkins'
office. Her office can confirm dates, times, locations.
Contact info: (517) 373-8962 or
jenniferelkins@house.mi.gov. After all the meetings, a
report will be prepared and shared with the
Legislature.
David
Kingsley
School
Age Child Care: From the H.R. 26 creating an After-school
Task Force earlier this year, a report on school age care
will be going to the Legislature soon.
Gail
Kleine
Even
Start Funding: the funds were reduced due to a Census
report indicating there were "fewer poor people." In 2004
budget, $250 Million was appropriated by the U.S. House,
$175 Million by the U.S. Senate. Contact your Senators or
Representatives since the bill now goes to a conference
committee where differences are worked out. The Feds want
proof that Even Start works, but programs vary so much
from state to state that it's hard to
evaluate.
The next
meeting notice and location for October 1, 9:30 a.m.
&endash; noon, will be sent out via e-mail since our
usual room is not available in the State Library. Nanette
Bowler, Director of FIA, is our guest speaker and will
start promptly at 9:30.
Minutes
taken by Steve Manchester (MiAEYC) and Tillie Cazares,
Children's Resource Network.
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The MCCTF
Organizational Sponsors:
Michigan
4C Association (Community Coordinated Child Care);
Michigan's Children; Michigan Association for the
Education of Young Children; and Michigan Head Start
Association.