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MICHIGAN
CHILD CARE TASK FORCE MINUTES
Meeting Minutes for September 8, 2004
MCCTF
Co-Chair Contact Information:
Lisa Brewer,
Michigan 4C Association, T.E.A.C.H. Director
866-648-3224, ext. 27, brewer@mi4c.org
Richard Lower, Michigan
Head Start Association, Executive Director
517-374-MHSA, Richard@mhsa.ws
FUTURE
MEETINGS OF THE TASK FORCE:
Wednesday, October
6 - HELD
IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION,
Grand Tower - FIA Building, 235 S. Grand, Lansing,
Dempsey Meeting Room, 1st floor, just off the main lobby.
Bringing a picture I.D. is advised.
November 3 and December 1
- Regular
Location, Lake
Ontario Room, 3rd floor, State of Michigan Library, 702
West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing.
MINUTES
of the MEETING of SEPTEMBER 8
Co-Chair Lisa Brewer
Walraven called the meeting to order shortly after 9:30 a.m.
Introductions were done. Lisa, as part of her introduction
mentioned she had gotten married just three days before,
thus the change in her name; there were smiles all
around.
BUSINESS OF
THE TASK FORCE
Department of
Education, Lisa reporting for Judy Levine. Early
education budgets are being voted on this week.
(1) Michigan School
Readiness Programs - State Aid funded programs will
continue at the same levels for the fiscal year, $72.8
million. The option to fund ASAP-PIE programs in the
current budget year has been removed for FY 2005 (NOTE:
this ASAP-PIE language was reinserted at the last moment
by the conference committee). In the Department of
Education budget, competitive MSRP is slated to continue
at $12.25 million. Once these budgets go to the Governor,
a tentative listing of spaces available to
state-aid-funded programs will go up on the MDE web site;
competitive programs will receive letters.
(2) The amount of funding for Even Start and 21st Century
Community Learning Centers is uncertain at this time;
Great Start/Great Parents and overall funding for
intermediate school districts are also up in the air.
(3) The Department's early childhood standards of quality
are being revised, with the final meeting occurring as
this task force meeting takes place. The State Board of
Education hopes to grant final approval of these
standards at its December meeting. Once approved, the
standards will be published on-line. These standards deal
with pre-K programs. The department hopes to complete
work on zero-to-three standards in the spring. The State
Board of Education is aiming to develop additional
standards so that eventually the entire zero-to-8 age
range is covered.
Family Independence
Agency - Lisa reporting for Kathi Pioszak
(1) Providers receiving funds through Child Development
and Care received new 6-digit I.D. numbers (PIN) for
telephone reporting. This change was for security
reasons. Notices about this were sent to providers in a
variety ways. The change in I.D. numbers led to
significantly increased calls going FIA's Customer
Service Unit (CSU); CSU hours have expanded to
accommodate these calls. New PIN requests are processed
within eight working days for providers who claim not to
have been notified about these changes. Proof of address
is necessary for providers whose address does not match
the address in the FIA computer system.
(2) FIA is doing a major overhaul of its existing
Assistance Application (Form FIA-1171). In the past, the
law restricted the application to no more than six pages;
this restriction no longer exists. An "Application
Steering Committee" composed of various stakeholders
oversees this work. One public comment session on this
matter has occurred with four more expected in September:
Novi (9/21); Grand Rapids (9/23); Escanaba (9/28);
Gaylord (9/30) - all from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The
Steering Committee aims to complete this work by March
2005. For more information and a chance to comment
on-line go to: www.michigan.gov/fia-application
(3) Child Development and Care released a CD ROM,
"Childcare in Michigan," that provides numerous child
care tips for providers. The first run of the CDs is
gone, but a new run is expected soon.
(4) The FIA budget presented to the Governor contains $5
million in new funding for before- and after-school
programs.
(5) Child Day Care Licensing - Report by Pat
Hogg
(a) Proposed
revisions of the rules pertaining to home-based child
care will soon be delivered to the Office of
Regulatory Reform (ORR). The proposal adds
social/emotional components with the aim of making
Michigan a leader in this area. ORR will prepare the
proposed rules in the legal format used to publish
official rules. Then it's off to three or four public
hearings. Please Note: The "public forum" that was
held in August to get feedback about the proposed
rules was an internal exercise of the drafting ("Ad
Hoc") Committee (comments and suggestions made at
these hearings were for the groups use prior to
sending the rules to ORR. This fall, there will be
three or four public hearings sponsored by FIA on the
draft rules. When dates are known, we will publicize
them. For your comments to become part of the public
forum records, you must provide testimony at the
hearings - even if you commented during the open
forum.
(b) The proposed child care center rules are still
being worked on by the Ad Hoc Committee on Center
Rules. Next, the committee will hold a public forum to
get commentary on its draft before sending them to the
ORR. A public forum for child care center rules is now
scheduled for October 15, State of Michigan Library.
FIA anticipates holding about three public hearings on
the center rules, probably over the winter. It is
anticipated that the family/group home rules and the
center rules will be approved and will take effect
within the first six months of 2005.
House Bill 6820 - Extend
Parent Leave to 12 Months for Work First Parents, Steve
Manchester
This bill would extend parental leave from 12 weeks to
one year for Work First participants receiving welfare
via FIA. The House Committee on Family and Children
Services held a hearing on the bill in mid-July. No votes
were taken. Most early childhood advocates supported the
bill, stating that brain science findings indicated the
importance of close bonding between the infant and at
least one parent in the first year of the child's life.
Interestingly, opponents agreed with the brain science
arguments but opposed the bill anyway for other reasons.
The main opposing argument centered on the inequity of
helping welfare recipients get support for one year of
parent leave when others could not. The working poor get
no support; wealthy, career-oriented parents cannot
afford to take a whole year off from work.
The task force
participants offered many observations.
* The lowest income families need this support because
their children do not have other support systems
available to others, especially well-to-do career
oriented parents.
* Low income parents live in neighborhoods where good
infant care is not available.
*The group also commented and shared stories about
parenting support programs in their communities
disappearing with funding cuts. They see this as a real
disadvantage, especially for the groups who really
benefit.
* The stakes are the highest for the poorest children;
the difference between extended parental leave and very
little leave is enormous for poor children, more so than
for well-to-do children.
* The fact that opponents to the bill still recognize the
child development arguments is a good sign: the
"inequity" arguments look a little silly.
OCAL and Before- and
After-School Programs, S. Manchester reporting.
The Michigan Department of Education and Michigan AEYC
met with Jim Gale and other administrators with the
Office of Child and Adult Licensing (OCAL) to discuss the
new law that lets school based programs to become exempt
from FIA licensing regulations. Problems have arisen
because school districts do not understand the new
statutes. OCAL agreed to examine ways to make the process
of seeking the exemption easier to understand and to make
sure that school districts better understood their
obligations when seeking the exemption.
One problem appears to be confusion over a resolution
that school districts must pass when seeking the
exemption and an annual resolution before September 1
once they receive the exemption. Michigan AEYC has
developed model resolutions that school districts may
obtain at smanchester@miaeyc.org.
GUEST
SPEAKER: Jim Gale,
Director, Office of Child and Adult Licensing
(OCAL)
Mr. Gale
explained his background: 30 years dealing with
children's issues, mostly in the private sector; his
experience in licensing included very little in the child
care field, which mostly is new to him; his style is to
learn from the experts in the field and nurture the good
things that staff does in these tough fiscal time. Jim
has visited every field office in the state to discover
staff hopes and concerns. The message is consistent
across all of OCAL: staff wants to consult more than
regulate; advocates say the same thing. Jim also told
the group about a working committee within the
department that will talk about implementing changes
within the department. This group consists of managers
and consultants. The group will be working over the next
few months to move forward with ideas and changes. lack
of staff and resources makes change difficult, especially
with 62 consultants in a situation that calls for 200 of
them. A key issue is staff deployment and support for
staff in the field. Jim is looking at ways to make FIA
offices available to consultants while on the road. He
seeks feedback from various stakeholders to obtain
evaluation, critiques and suggestions for making
improvements.
OCAL will seek: clearer laws and regulations; more and
better training for staff; much better consistency in
interpretation of the statutes and regulations; a return
to staff working with local stakeholders. Jim also
stressed the importance of providers having access to the
rules and regulations and having access to the
interpretations and expectations.
Jim asked each person at
the meeting to introduce him/herself and ask a question.
While there were many consistent concerns and questions
related to the consultants roles and whether or not they
provide technical assistance or issue a citation. Jim
assured the group that this is an area he is well aware
of and that this is an area where they will be working to
make sure that consultants are allowed flexibility, while
at the same time providing consistent interpretation of
rules across the state.
Jim also stressed that
with limited funding and staff that they will have to be
creative, but that the department is willing to work
together to make changes until they find something that
works. If you have additional questions or concerns, you
may contact Jim at: JBGale@michigan.gov.
TASK FORCE
ACTION AGENDA
An update was provided as to
the status of the MCCTF's work on the action agenda that was
created prior to the last legislative reception. Information
was shared in regards to current projects/initiatives around
the state that are working towards addressing many items on
the action agenda. Updates were given on the following
initiatives/projects:
a. Ready to Succeed
- is still meeting and is connecting with work of other
groups (I.e. CAN, systems building, etc.). The group
plans to meet again in the fall to talk about new
strategies and goals.
b.. FIA budget - contains language related to "current
market rate survey"
c.. Current Licensing rule revisions
d.. Current progress in OCAL to move back into a
"consultant based" model
e.. MDE standards work
f.. Joyce Proposal - a proposal has been submitted to
Joyce and will be part of their next board agenda in
December. Funding status should be known shortly after
that. The proposal focuses on: ensuring that all 3/4
year old children in MI have access to high quality
preschool programs, beginning with the children of low
income parents and those most at risk for school failure;
to ensure that preschool programs meet professionally
accepted standards, are staffed by well prepared
professionals, and are located in a range of public and
private settings; to build public will for policies and
investments necessary to support and expand access to
high quality preschool programs in MI. Two major
components (funding): research/technical assistance and
public education and advocacy. g.. United Way/Educare -
investigation continues
h.. CAN work - talking about the design and
implementation of a "system" of early education and care
for MI
i.. ECCS work - workgroups continue to meet in order to
produce final Product - work feeds into work of the
CAN
j..Professional Development Grant - awarded to UM to
implement are search-based professional development
program to improve the knowledge and skills of early
childhood educators in regards to literacy/language,
mathematics and social emotional development. Four
community colleges (Lansing, Grand Rapids, Mott and
Schoolcraft) along with the Michigan 4C Association and
the CCEP project will also be involved.
k.. Workforce Study grant was submitted by MSU (Institute
for Children, Youth and Families), FIA and Mi4C
Association. Awards will be made in October.
MORE
BUSINESS OF THE TASK FORCE:
Department of Community
Health, Mental Health Services - Mary Mackrain for Deb
Marciniak
(1) The Child Care
Expulsion Project (CCEP) will fund five additional
projects for fiscal year 2005. The new projects are in
Berrien, Calhoun, Macomb, Muskegon and Saginaw
counties.
(2) The long-awaited "Baby Stages - A Parent's Guide to
Social and Emotional Development" has been completed.
This social/emotional-development wheel was produced by
the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health, the
Department of Community Health and MSU Extension. Mi-AIMH
has the copyright to the wheel. Existing copies will go
to zero-three prevention projects and the Early On
system. For information on this contact Mi-AIMH at
313-872-1790. Funds are sought to support broader
dissemination of this development wheel. If you know of
potential funders, please contact Debby Weatherston at:
aa2233@wayne.edu.
(3) The Early Childhood Comprehensive Strategic Planning
project has seven work groups that are planning a
zero-to-five, comprehensive zero-to-five system. The
project will report to the Children's Action Network and
the administration in the next few months. You may join
the project's list serve by contacting Joan Blough at:
JBlough@kazoocmh.org
Federal Reauthorizations.
Reauthorizations of TANF and Head Start are unlikely to
happen this year. The programs operate under continuation
resolutions that retain funding levels set back in 2002.
Reauthorization will be revisited next year with the new
Congress and either Bush or Kerry as President.
FINAL
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
(1) Email Network -
Steve Manchester
The network continues to grow with roughly 1850 people
now signed up. Many people send network messages to their
own networks, reaching, we think, another 1200 or more
people. (2) The Michigan School-Age Care Alliance will
hold its annual conference at the Holiday Inn South,
Lansing, on October 15-16. The Michigan Department of
Education and Michigan AEYC are cooperating partners.
(3) The Children's Trust Fund (517-241-7226) will sponsor
the Fourth Biennial Statewide Conference on the Early
Years: Supporting Families with Young Children; November
8-10, 2004; Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids.
Limited scholarships available.
(4) Voter Registration Kits available - Steve Manchester
Michigan AEYC has developed voter registration kits that
permit people to do voter registration. Steve will email
a "virtual voter registration kit" that contains the
forms and instructions needed to carry out this task. The
deadline for voter registration before the November 2
election is Monday, October 4.
(5) Election Advocacy - Pat Sorenson Michigan's Children
has an number of tools to help individuals and
organizations participate in this year's election. In
particular, you may want to share with candidates the
"Pledge to Invest in Young Children and Families." Go to
www.michiganschildren.org I also though Pat gave
information about voter registration. Doesn't Michigan's
Children also have that available at their
website.
The meeting adjourned at
12:00 noon.
Brenda Wakefield
(NEMCSA-Head Start) and Steve Manchester (Michigan AEYC)
took notes for these minutes.
An
APPENDIX:
This was provided by Jim
Sinnamon, Director of the Division of Child Day Care
Licensing, a few days after the task force
meeting.
Summary of some of
the Draft Rules for Family & Group Day Care Homes
* Annual training requirements established for
registrants/licensees and assistant caregivers * Requires
CPR and 1st aid training for registrants/licensees and
assistant caregivers prior to licensure
* Capacity of family/group homes specified in rule
* Identifies appropriate TV, videos and movies for
children; limits their use to no more than 2 hours/day;
soap operas and programs with violent or adult content
are prohibited during day care hours
* Firearms to be unloaded and locked; ammunition stored
separately in locked location
* Bedding requirements to conform with CSPC and SIDS
recommendations
* Infant sleeping and supervision requirements based on
SIDS recommendations
* Water hazards and water activities are addressed;
including a one-to-one adult/child ratio for children
under 3 years
* Hot water temperature not to exceed 120 F at faucets
accessible to children.
* Radon testing required for approval of basements for
child space
* Carbon monoxide detectors required
NEXT
MEETING: HELD IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION
Wednesday, October
6,Grand Tower - FIA Building 235 S. Grand,
Lansing,Dempsey Meeting Room, 1st floor, just off the
main lobby.
Main
Speaker: DENISE
VanDYKEN, Director, Early Education Services, Allegan ISD.
Denise and Carl Ill have been part of the driving force
behind Allegan's highly regarded early childhood education
efforts. A variety of programs including Parents as
Teachers, MSRP, Even Start, and the eight Allegan school
districts are building a developmentally appropriate system
of early education from birth to age eight. This system
includes a pledge taken by Allegan County's eight K-12
districts that all children will enter 4th grade able to
read well and independently - "No Exceptions No Excuses."
Denise and Carl have put together a presentation on this
work, which Denise will share with the Task
Force.
SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE
Send comments and
suggestions regarding this e-mail network, or requests to be
added or removed from it, to
mcctforce@miaeyc.org.
Please
FORWARD THIS NOTICE TO OTHERS;
we invite and courage people to join this e-mail
network.
The MCCTF Organizational
Sponsors: Michigan 4C Association (Community Coordinated
Child Care); Michigan's Children; Michigan Association for
the Education of Young Children; Michigan League for Human
Services; and Michigan Head Start Association.
Legislative
Sponsors:
Senator Patricia
Birkholz, Dist. 24; and
Representative Michael Murphy, Dist. 68
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