Governor Cuomo Releases 2012-2013 Executive Budget: State dollars supplement lost TANF funds

As a Gap-closing Action, the Executive Budget proposes to provide State funding to offset the loss of Federal funds that have been supporting child care slots since 2009-10 but were discontinued this year. (2012-13 Value: $93 million; 2013-14 Value: $215 million) The gap-closing plan provides sufficient resources to cover essential new costs, including State funding to maintain 19,000 child-care slots for working families that would otherwise be lost due to a reduction in Federal aid.

• Child Care Resource and Referral funding is maintained at $22,034,000, while $1,100,000 is maintained for Infant/Toddler Resource Centers.

Contact Governor Cuomo and thank him and his administration for working to save child care slots in New York State!  Child Care keeps New York working!

Additional Highlights:

Reform Early Intervention Program. The EI program provides a comprehensive array of therapeutic and support services to children under the age of three with confirmed disabilities (i.e., autism, cerebral palsy) or developmental delays. The program serves approximately 72,000 children annually and is jointly financed by Federal, State and local governments. The Executive Budget recommends a series of program modifications, without impacting services that provide significant fiscal and administrative mandate relief to counties and generate cumulative local savings totaling $99 million over five years. These proposals would:

• Expand Insurance Coverage. Require commercial health insurance to include EI service providers in their networks.
• Centralize Fiscal Oversight. The State will centralize fiscal administration of the EI program through a fiscal intermediary contract. Counties will be relieved of responsibility for contracting with EI providers, administering provider payments and seeking third party reimbursement.
• Reduce Local Costs. Counties will immediately benefit from a reduction in their share of EI program costs. State savings will also be applied to improving the timeliness of State reimbursement of local program costs.

Preschool Special Education

New York State offers extensive services to its students with disabilities, including services to children before they reach school age. The State’s investment in Preschool Special Education has doubled over the past ten-years to a projected State cost of $1.1 billion for the upcoming school year. The Executive Budget proposes several changes to both rationalize the existing Preschool Special Education financing system and eliminate potential conflicts of interest

Second Round of Regional Council Awards. This year Governor Cuomo created 10 Regional

Councils that brought together stakeholders from labor, business, academia, and communities to develop long-term strategic plans based on each region’s unique resources and specific priorities. These Councils awarded $785 million competitively to projects determined to have the greatest potential for creating jobs.

• The Executive Budget authorizes a second round of funding for the Regional Councils, building on the process originated in 2011. Funding totaling $200 million in competitive resources will be provided, as follows:

- $130 million in new capital funding from the New York Works initiative; and

- $70 million in tax credits from the enhanced Excelsior Jobs Program.

• In addition, resources from a wide range of existing agency programs will be available to businesses and project sponsors for economic development purposes that are consistent with Regional Council plans through the Consolidated Funding Application. This process provides one-stop access for project sponsors to apply and compete for $800 million of existing funding from a variety of agency and authority programs.

Stay tuned for more updates as budget details continue to unravel. 

Sincerely,       

  

Jessica Klos Shapiro

Policy Associate

(518) 690-4217 ex. 32

Tiny Feet with Big Dreams

In his 2012 State of the State Governor Cuomo made a bold promise to act as a lobbyist for students. The Early Care & Learning Council wants the governor to know that our youngest students need him too. Investments in quality early care and learning are good for the child and the taxpayers! Children who participate in quality early care and learning programs are less likely to repeat grades, need special education, more likely to graduate and earn more. The only way to truly reform education is to include the youngest students, those with tiny feet and big dreams!


Click here to learn more about how you can send Governor Cuomo the message that young children need his support too!

Early Childhood News

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JOBS

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Research Coordinator

University of Denver

We are recruiting a Research Coordinator to supervise a new, federally-funded, 5-year randomized control trial testing a parenting intervention to reduce physiologic stress dysregulation in infants and toddlers experiencing chronic and pervasive stress. The Research Coordinator works directly with at-risk children and families, as well as the Principal Investigator to coordinate and implement the study. The Coordinator ensures compliance with protocols and research objectives. This position is responsible for recruiting, coordinating home visits, compiling and updating participant files, supervising data entry, and assisting with regulatory submissions to the Institutional Review Board (IRB), as well as budgeting and purchasing duties. The position involves participant contact for study recruitment, screening, collection of study data and participant follow-ups. The Coordinator is also responsible for saliva sample collection preparation, storage and coordination of assay processing and maintaining study supplies and kits. The Research Coordinator provides oversight to the Clinical Research Coordinator, local Early Head Start sites, Research Assistants and Graduate Students to coordinate/implement study.

https://www.dujobs.org/postings/15595

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Research Assistant Internship in Infant Cognition – Boston College Infant and Child Cognition Lab

Dr. Sara Cordes’ Infant and Child Cognition Lab (http://www.cordeslab.org/) located on the main campus of Boston College is looking for motivated and enthusiastic undergraduates interested in participating in a summer internship in developmental psychology. This is a great opportunity for students looking to gain valuable research experience and to expand their knowledge in the fields of infant and child cognition. The lab’s main focus is examining how infants and children keep track of number and other quantities, including time and space, and how language and social factors may play a role in affecting these early abilities.

Each intern will have a primary research project to focus on, gaining valuable experience in experimental design, working with infants and children, subject recruitment, data coding and analysis, and much more.

The internship will take place over a 10-week period beginning in June 2012. Interns will receive a $1,000 stipend for participation in the program. This internship is open to any undergraduate interested in cognitive developmental research. Students from primarily undergraduate institutions are strongly encouraged to apply.

To apply, please send your resume and a letter describing your interests and experiences to Alison Goldstein (bccognition@gmail.com).

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CONFERENCES

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NYS Infant Mental Health Association Workshop: Meredith S. Wiley

January 31, 2012 at 6:00-8:00PM

Albany, NY

http://mhanys.org/calendar/calendar.php?display=event&id=336&date=2012-Jan-31&returnto=month

Global TIME: Global Conference on Technology, Innovation, Media & Education (Online Conference)

February 7 - 9, 2012

FINAL Call for Virtual Participation Proposals Due: January 11, 2012

http://www.aace/org/conf/gtime

The National Child Care Policy Symposium

“Child Care and Education: Unequal Opportunities”

March 6-10, 2012

Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. 20001

http://www.naccrra.org/conferences/symposium/2012/2012-nps.php

NAEYC Intensive One-Day Training of Trainers Sessions

4/3/12 - Communication Skills for Challenging Conversations

4/4/12 - Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Training Program for Teaching Staff

NAEYC Headquarters, Washington, DC

RSVP     Friday, March 23, 2012

http://bit.ly/xI0JRm

  

2012 NYSAEYC Annual Conference

April 19-21, 2012

Buffalo, NY

Special reduced rate by February 3rd

http://www.nysaeyc.org/conference/geninfo.asp

National Association of Child Care Professionals

2012 NACCP 28th Annual National Conference

“How Successful Directors Manage”

April 25-27, 2012

San Antonio, TX

https://m360.naccp.org/event.aspx?eventID=31890

  

XVIII Biennial International Conference on Infant Studies

June 7 - 9, 2012

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Online registration will open February 1, 2012

http://www.isisweb.org/view/0/conference2012.html

  

Penn Neuroscience Boot Camp

July 30th - August 8th, 2012

University of Pennsylvania

Complete applications are due by midnight on Friday, February 3rd, 2012

http://www.neuroethics.upenn.edu/index.php/events/neuroscience-bootcamp

  

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RESOURCES

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Caring for Babies: How State Child Care Policies Can Support Continuity

2011 NAEYC Annual Conference Presentation

http://www.clasp.org/admin/site/publications/files/NAEYC-2011-Presentation.pdf

The State of America's Children 2011

Children's Defense Fund

http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-research-data-publications/state-of-americas-children-2011/

  

Healthy New Year's Resolutions for Kids

American Academy of Pediatrics

http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/Pages/Healthy-New-Year-Resolutions-for-Kids.aspx

  

Little Kids, Big Questions: A ZERO TO THREE Podcast Series on Early Childhood Development

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/funded-projects/parenting-resources/podcast/

Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Role of the Pediatrician: Translating Developmental Science Into Lifelong Health

American Academy of Pediatrics, POLICY STATEMENT

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/pediatrics;129/1/e224.pdf

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

1 February 2012; Vol. 43, No. 2

http://jcc.sagepub.com/content/vol43/issue2/?etoc

The #earlyed Daily

http://paper.li/tag/earlyed

NAEYC - National Association for the Education of Young Children

Young Children, January 2012 - Vol. 67, No. 1

“Curriculum, Assessment, and Teaching: Putting It All Together”

http://www.naeyc.org/yc/currentissue

New Book

Growing Minds: Building Strong Cognitive Foundations in Early Childhood

http://www.naeyc.org/store/node/17255

January 2012 e-News

http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/naeyc/issues/2012-01-05.html

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NEWS

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The Politics of Child Protection Led by a Motley Pirate Ship of Pissed Off People

The Huffington Post, By Trish Kinney, 12/27/11

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/trish-kinney/the-politics-of-child-pro_b_1171373.html

State cuts to child care force some parents, especially single moms, to consider quitting work

The Washington Post, 12/29/11

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/state-cuts-to-child-care-force-some-parents-especially-single-moms-to-consider-quitting-work/2011/12/29/gIQAQsbuOP_story_1.html

Playtime for preschoolers essential, study says

CNN Health, The Chart, 1/4/2012

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/04/playtime-for-preschoolers-essential-study-says/

Early investments pay off for poor children, study finds

APA Monitor on Psychology, January 2012, Vol 43, No. 1

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/01/investments.aspx

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OUTREACH

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Early Care & Learning Council

Become a Friend of the Council

http://earlycareandlearning.blogspot.com/2011/12/become-friend-of-council.html

2012-2013 National Head Start Fellowships Program

Applications are due on January 15, 2012

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/resources/pd/Individual%20Development/Head%20Start%20Fellowship%20Program

Asil Ali Özdoğru

Evaluation Specialist

Early Care & Learning Council

230 Washington Ave Ext

Albany, New York 12203

Tel: (518) 690-4217 x 34

Fax: (518) 690-2887

aozdogru@earlycareandlearning.org

Funding to Be Offered to Help Low-Income Parents Move Back Into Workforce

The State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) and the State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) announced today that New York has received $16.5 million in federal funding to help low-income parents pay for child care, allowing them to improve their skills and successfully enter the workforce.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently awarded New York State $16.5 million in funding through the Food Stamp Employment and Training (FSET) Program to help Food Stamp recipients who are participating in an employment and training program pay for child care. FSET provides work-focused education and training and job placement services to low-income New Yorkers receiving Food Stamps.

"At a time when record numbers of households are receiving Food Stamps and the effects of a prolonged recession are being felt by so many, these funds are vital to supporting low-income families as they move back into the workforce," said OTDA Executive Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth Berlin. "We are pleased to be able to partner with OCFS and local social services offices to ensure that parents can have safe and affordable child care as they work to enhance their readiness to successfully compete in the job market."

"We recognize the need for quality child care for parents and caregivers who are being trained to seek gainful employment opportunities, as well as those who are currently employed," said OCFS Commissioner Gladys Carrión, Esq. "We are pleased to work in collaboration with OTDA to secure additional funds for low-income families in tough economic times, and are grateful that additional funding has been made available."

The child care assistance can continue for up to three months after a Food Stamp recipient secures a job. Parents will be able to secure child care for approximately 5,000 children in New York State as a result of this funding.

The funding will be made available to county departments of social services and New York City. They will be notified how to request funding. OTDA, which oversees the State's Food Stamp program, and OCFS, which oversees child care subsidies, will jointly review and approve the funding applications.

As we celebrate this bit of good news, the Early Care & Learning Council and partners will continue to work to increase the quality, affordability and capacity of the early care and learning field.

Sincerely,  

Jessica Klos Shapiro     

Policy Associate

(518) 690-4217 x32

New York families: claim valuable taxes worth more than ever this year

New York Families, put thousands of dollars in your pockets!  While filing taxes for  2011 in 2012, you may be eligible to claim valuable federal tax credits such as:

•   The Earned Income Tax Credit, which helps provide a wage supplement for low and moderate income families (those earning less than $49,078 annually).  This credit is worth up to $5,751, and is refundable.

•  The Child Tax Credit, designed to help families offset some of the costs of raising children. This credit is worth up to $1,000 per child. Families who owe little or no income tax can receive some or all of this credit as a refund if they earned at least $3,000 in 2011.

•  The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, designed to offset some of the child or dependent care costs that families incur in order to work. This credit is worth up to $2,100, though the amount that can be claimed is limited by a family’s actual federal income tax liability.

In addition, New York State also offers families five other refundable credits:

• The New York State Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, worth up to $2,310;
• The New York City Child Care Tax Credit, worth up to $1,733;
• The New York Earned Income Tax Credit, worth up to $1,700;
• The New York City Earned Income Tax Credit, worth up to $288; and
• The Empire State Child Credit, worth up to $330 per child.

Even if you don’t owe income taxes, you may still be eligible for a refund check simply by claiming these credits on your federal and New York State tax returns!  Preparing a tax return can be complicated and may seem overwhelming.  There is FREE assistance with tax preparation through a program called VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance).  VITA sites are located in various areas in New York State. To locate the nearest VITA site, call 1-800-906-9887  

Items you need to bring to the VITA sites to have your tax returns prepared:

• Proof of identification
• Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents and/or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration
• Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter for you, your spouse and dependents
• Proof of Foreign status if applying for an ITN
• Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return
• Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers
• Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
• A copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available
• Proof of Bank routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit, such as a blank check   
• Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider's tax identifying number (the provider's Social Security Number or the provider's business Employer Identification Number)
• To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.

For more information or to find out more about the location, dates, and hours of free tax preparation sites in your area, call 1-800-906-9887

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone! We here at the Early Care & Learning Council hope you enjoyed your holiday season! We’ve made a few changes, including this blog! Take a look around to check out our other posts so far and check back for updates. Asil Ozdogru, Evaluation Specialist, keeps us up to date with information on current opportunities and research available. Jessica Klos, Policy Associate, keeps us informed on what’s happening at the capitol and what we can do to make sure our youngest citizens are being heard. We’ve been busy!


For me, the combination of the holiday rush and the exciting work we are doing here at the Council led to some odd, but interesting dreams. One morning a few days after Christmas I woke and had to laugh. In my dream our Executive Director, Marsha Basloe, had requested that all of our work be completed in LEGO form.  We, in my dreamland, created some impressive structures! It was no mystery why LEGOs crept into my subconscious. In the days following each Christmas, I spend many hours over several days helping my son construct whatever LEGO sets he has received as gifts. Often LEGOs are his only request and ends up with a set from everyone who wishes to give him a present; this multitude of tiny plastic blocks suits him just fine. 


If you’ve purchased LEGOs in the past few years you may have notice that they can be quite pricey. Even the smallest sets carry a relatively hefty price tag, but in my opinion, (and this is just an opinion and no way an endorsement of one particular children’s toy over another) they are worth the investment. Assembling the LEGO sets is something my son and I enjoy doing together. You can’t put a price on those experiences. He is needing my help less and less as he gets older but it’s still “our thing” and I hope when he no longer wants my assistance or (gulp) grows out of playing with toys, he holds on to those memories as tightly as I will. Aside from the quality time they inspire, the LEGOs provide significant cognitive experience for him. First he is challenged by interpreting and following the directions. Later he endlessly re-imagines and reassembles the LEGOs to create creatures and structures, that until he puts them together, only exist in his head. It would be difficult to calculate the return on investment, but I’d say it’s pretty good. 


You know what else has an excellent return on investment? Quality early care and learning programs. Children who experience quality early care and education are less likely to repeat grades in school, less likely to need special education and more likely to graduate high school. That’s not just good for the child, that’s good for everyone. Quite simply, investing in early childhood programs means a better start for kids and lower costs for taxpayers in the long run. The similarities between those little plastic blocks and the investment in early education inspired me to follow my dream and do my work in LEGO form. Below you will see the return on investment for the child, the tax payer and society for every dollar invested in early childhood. To be fair I have only recreated a chart that already exists, but in LEGO form. The credit for the original chart goes to Bruner et al., Early Learning Left Out.

Click below to learn more about each study

The Chicago Longitudinal Study

The Highscope Perry Preschool Study 

The Abecedarian Project

Learn more about being an advocate for investments in earlychildhood here. 

Make an investment in quality early care and learning for all children by becoming a Friend of the Early Care & Learning Council. 

We hope you too can follow your dreams this year!

Mary Stalker

Director of Communications,

Research & Development

Governor Cuomo Delivers 2012 State of the State

New York State is currently 38^th in the U.S. in terms of graduation rates.  As early care and learning professionals, we know high-quality early learning and development can lay the foundation for better outcomes down the line. However, the Governor did not mention early learning and development in his speech.  The Governor and his administration must hear from us!  Education cannot be reformed without including our youngest learners!

Contact Governor Cuomo and ask where early learning and development is on his agenda

Highlights:

Both Speaker of the Assembly Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader 

Dean Skelos made short addresses prior to the Governor taking the stage.

Speaker Silver called for an increase in the minimum wage while Majority Leader Skelos advocated for continued economic reform though tax cuts and job creation.

Governor Cuomo made commitments to:

• Create bi-partisan commission on education

        (We hope this includes early education!)

• End fingerprinting for food stamps

• Create an Office for New Americans to assist legal permanent residents get jobs

• Continue to reform government (newly created Legislative and Executive Mandate Relief Council will begin to hold public hearings)

Full text of the Governor's Second State of the State Address

Stay tuned for more news and requests for action as we continue into the 2012 legislative session.

Sincerely,        

                                            

Jessica Klos Shapiro

Policy Associate

(518) 690-4217 ex. 32