Strong Foundations

Matter SYMPOSIUM

2015TOGETHER4CHILDREN

The Early Years Matter for Our FutureMARILOU HYSON, PH.D.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CONSULTANTUNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON

What Happens in VegasStays in Vegas

• BUT . . .• What happens in the early years doesn’t stay in the early

years.• The ripples move out.• And together we can influence their impact.

The Impact of the Early Years for Babies and Toddlers

• 40% of babies and toddlers are in low quality programs (Halle et al., 2011; Zero to Three, 2009)

• Low quality caregiving environments can create harmful stress and insecure attachment.

• BUT• Home visiting programs like the

Nurse-Family Partnership can lead to positive cognitive and academic outcomes in later years (Olds et al., 2007)

The Impact of the Early Years for Preschoolers

• Most child care for preschoolers is mediocre, with less than 10% being truly excellent (Halle et al., 2011)

• BUT• Good quality preschool has

lasting benefits, even into the teenage years and adulthood (Vandell et al., 2010; Yoshikawa et al., 2013)

The Impact of the Early Years for Children Living in Poverty

• Children in poverty are more likely to attend low quality ECE programs or no programs at all (Peth-Pierce, 2002)

• BUTComprehensive interventions can make a huge positive difference even after poor children grow up (Hyson & Tomlinson, 2014).

The Impact of the Early Years for Children Experiencing Stress and Violence

• “Toxic stress” in the early years has severe, long-term effects on learning, behavior, physical and mental health (Shonkoff, 2012)

• BUT• Low income children who

attended a comprehensive preschool program were 52% LESS likely to become abused or neglected than children without these supports (Reynolds & Robertson, 2003).

The Impact of the Early Years for Children with Disabilities

• Many children with disabilities don’t receive much-needed early intervention services (Natl. Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities 2013)

• BUT• When children with disabilities

are in high quality, inclusive programs, they benefit, as do their typically-developing classmates (Odom, Buysse, & 2011)

The Impact of the Early Years for Children with Challenging Behavior

• Young children who have severe, persistent CBs are likely to have both social and academic difficulties and be at risk of dropping out later on (TACSEI 2004).

• BUT• High quality early interventions,

such as those based on the Pyramid Model, can reduce CBs, improve self-regulation, and increase academic success (TACSEI, 2004).

The Impact of the Early Years for Children in Immigrant Families

• 43% of children in immigrant families—compared to 23% of non-immigrant children—never participate in a preschool program (Fortuny et al., 2009).

• BUT• When children from immigrant

families are enrolled in early childhood programs, their school readiness is improved, even more than for other children (Gormley et al., 2004).

So, What Needs To Happen?

• Professional Practices

• and

• Public Policies

Priorities for Professional Practices

Together, we can work to help all early childhood professionals—directors, teachers, and others1. Create inclusive, high quality environments that promote

development and learning2. Base program decisions on the best available evidence3. Respond to every child as a respected individual4. Collaborate with families and colleagues5. Prevent and intervene early and well

Priorities for Public Policies

Together, we can advocate for policies that1. Increase investments in comprehensive services2. Support evidence-based quality improvement3. Support excellent professional development for directors,

teachers, and other early childhood practitioners4. Support program innovations, scale-up, and effective

implementation5. Support families so they can support their children6. Reduce child care costs while compensating practitioners

adequately

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/multimedia/videos/brain_hero/

Together, YOU Are the Key to Strong Foundations and a Strong Future

For our childrenFor our familiesFor our education systemFor our society

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_26FOHoaC78

Thank You and Have a Wonderful Symposium!

CPPP.org Jennifer Lee, Research Associate, Center for Public Policy PrioritiesApril 23, 2015

Texas is ranked the 43rd best state to be a kid.

To be the

#1 state for

KIDS!

c

Health

27% of Texas kids (1.9 million) live in food-insecure households.

CACFP helps feed

nearly 200,000 kids

in more than 14,000 child care sites throughout

Texas.

Texas is ranked 49th for children with health insurance.

Child uninsured rates have decreased in Texas

“Welcome Mat” effect: Insure more parents,

Insure more kids

Family of 4 making $24,500 (101% of the poverty line)

• No Medicaid for parents

• Access to subsidies

• Monthly Premium = $43 (2.2% of income)

• Kids covered through Medicaid

Family of 4 making $23,500 (96% of the poverty line)

• No Medicaid for parents

• No access to subsidies

• Monthly Premium = $440 (21.6% of income)

• Kids covered through Medicaid

Don’t insure more parents, Insure fewer kids

NOT

women of childbearing age in Texas does not have

health insurance.

babies in TX are born to women who receive late or no prenatal care, increasing the likelihood

of health problems.

Close the Coverage Gap and expand health insurance options for families!

Child Poverty and Family Economic Security

Truth: 1 in 4 Texas

kids lives in poverty.

Child poverty is pervasive throughout Texas

Texas Bexar Dallas Tarrant Travis

25% 24%

30%

22% 21%

Child poverty differs by region

Texas has low parental unemployment rates and high child poverty rates

Why should I care?

Representing 90% of kids in Texas living apart from

their parents

in Texas live in informal or voluntary kinship care

253,000 kids TRUTH:

$93

$1,000

Monthly cash assistance

One-time payment to

grandparents

11,000 kids

648 families

Available assistance is low and not accessible to caregivers

Provide more support for informal kinship caregivers.

Change the state law that prohibits Texas cities from setting their own minimum wage.

Raise the minimum wage!

Make Texas THE BEST state

for kids… and their

hardworking families!

Education

TRUTH:“Texas’ future depends heavily on whether it meets the constitutional obligation to provide a general diffusion of knowledge…

- Former Judge John Dietz, School Finance Case, District Court Ruling, August 28, 2014

Unfortunately, in recent years, Texas has defaulted on its constitutional promise.”

Why are Pre-K & early childhood so important?

Every dollar invested in Pre-K saves Texas a minimum of $3.50

“It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

- Frederick Douglass

2 out of 10

Improve Pre-K quality standards and expand Pre-K to a full day

for eligible kids.

Could be better.

To be the

#1 state for

KIDS!

Look Out for KIDS COUNT Data Center Webinar in April!

Center for Public Policy Priorities

We believe in a Texas that offers everyone the chance to compete and succeed in life.

We envision a Texas where everyone is healthy, well-educated,

and financially secure.

@CPPP_TX

Center for Public Policy Priorities

Use of this presentationThe Center for Public Policy Priorities encourages you to reproduce and distribute these slides, which were developed for use in making public presentations. If you reproduce these slides, please give appropriate credit to CPPP.

The data presented here may become outdated. For the most recent information or to sign up for our email updates, visit our website.

CPPP.org

TWCChild Care Services

Program Structure• The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is the Lead

Agency for the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)

• TWC delegates the administration of workforce services and contracts with each of the state’s 28 Workforce Development Boards (Boards) to administer CCDF-funded child care services.

• State law prohibits Boards from directly delivering services. Therefore, Boards competitively procure child care contractors to provide child care services.

Program StructureContractors perform the following services:• determine eligibility for CCDF services; • provide information to assist parents in making

informed choices related to their children’s care; • authorize child care subsidies with the provider

each parent chooses; • Reimburse child care providers; and• implement services to improve the quality and

availability of child care.

Performance

Targets and actual performance for State Fiscal

*

Choices Non-Choices Combined

SFY 14 Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual

Average Children Per Day 7,351 5,533 92,401 96,471 99,752 102,004

SFY 15 Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual

Average Children Per Day 7,471

90,670

98,141

Subsidized Child Care in TexasNumber of kids by age group

• Infants/ 0 – 17 mo. ( 10.56% of children in subsidized care)

• Toddler/ 18 – 35 mo. (18.44% of children in subsidized care)

• Preschool/ 36 - 71 mo. (36.84% of children in subsidized care)

• School-age/ 72 mo. - 12 yrs. (34.16% of children in subsidized care)

Subsidized Child Care in TexasPercent of providers participating• 13% of regulated child care slots are filled

by TWC-subsidized children • 40% of ALL regulated child care facilities

serve at least 1 TWC-subsidized child;– 63% of all child care centers;– 23% of all licensed child care homes; and– 20% of all registered child care homes.

Quality InitiativesIn SFY 2014, the Commission approved $11.2 million for eight statewide quality initiatives:

• TRS Mentors and Assessors ($3.6 million) • TRS Implementation ($600,000) • Inclusion Training and TA to providers ($1.5 million) • Child Care Professional Career Pathways—integrating Fast Start

and Adult Education and Literacy programs ($2 million) • Child Care Incentive and Quality Award Conference ($400,000) • Pilots of individualized instruction and assessment tools ($2

million) • Parent Portal ($100,000) • Funding for providers serving military communities ($1 million)

Texas Rising Star• Texas Rising Star (TRS) Provider

• Providers voluntarily exceed licensing requirements• Tiered Reimbursements for Subsidized Children

• Approximately 1,150 child care providers or 17% percent of facilities providing subsidized child care are TRS certified

• FFY 2014 29.52% of children served in TRS

HB376House Bill 376 enacted by 83rd Legislature

Tiered Reimbursement Rates for TRS Certified Providers2% of Child Care Allocation for Quality Activities ($9.4

million)Funding for TRS Mentors and AssessorsTRS Workgroup to Review TRS CriteriaTWC Develop Rules and Guidelines Based on TRS

Workgroup Recommendations

Texas Rising StarTRS Categories (Rule 809.130)• Director and Caregiver Qualifications and

Training• Caregiver-Child Interactions• Curriculum• Nutrition and Indoor/Outdoor Activities• Parent Involvement and Education

Texas Rising Star

Implementation timeline

• March 2015: conduct statewide training for TRS assessors and mentors on new TRS program rules and TRS Guidelines

• April-August 2015: conduct assessments of current TRS

• September 1, 2015: New tiered rates for TRS Providers are effective.

Reauthorization

First reauthorization since 1996; Provisions include

• HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS

• TRANSPARENT CONSUMER AND PROVIDER EDUCATION INFORMATION

• FAMILY-FRIENDLY ELIGIBILITY POLICIES • ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE

FY2015 Quality InitiativesIn SFY 2015, the Commission approved:• $1.5 million to improve access to infant and

toddler care, and • $6.4 million to assist child care providers in

improving the quality of care and achieving TRS certification or attaining a higher TRS certification level.

Thank you

Patricia A. GonzalezDirector, Technical Assistance and Child Care

Texas Workforce Commission

Putting It All

Together

Networking Social Hour

5:15 – 6:15Rocky River GrillEmbassy Suites

Sponsored by

Strong Foundations

Matter SYMPOSIUM

2015TOGETHER4CHILDREN

Honoring Patricia Ayres

Thanks for All You Do On Behalf of Children and Families