Stronger Together – A Water Cooler Discussion Informing Collective Advocacy for Children Birth to Five January 28, 2015 Sacramento Public Library Advancement.

Stronger Together – A Water Cooler Discussion

Informing Collective Advocacy for Children Birth to Five

January 28, 2015Sacramento Public LibraryAdvancement Project CA

Welcome & Introductions

Camille Maben First 5 California

State Budget and New Legislation

Carolyn ChuLegislative Analyst’s Office

Araceli Sandoval-GonzalezEarly Edge California

Out-of-State Best Practices for Infants and Toddlers Panel

Ireta GasnerOunce of Prevention Fund

Dr. Christine Hughes Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe

Bill JaegerColorado Children’s Campaign

It’s amazing what they absorb before they’re five.

The Illinois Infant-Toddler Set-Aside

Ireta Gasner, Assistant Director, Illinois Policy Team

JANUARY 28, 2015

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oBirth to five

oHigh-quality, evidence-based 

oPrioritize at-risk first

oComprehensive agenda (all domains of development, cross sector)

oBuilding system (vs. just expanding programs)

oDiverse delivery system (schools, CBOs)

oFlexibility to blend funding streams

Advocacy Efforts Guided by Core Beliefs

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1985 State PreK At-Risk Program for 3 & 4’s begins1989 IL State Board of Ed creates two infant-toddler programs1997 Early Childhood Block Grant established combining infant-toddler 

and preschool funding and sets Infant-Toddler Set-Aside at 8% 1998 As part of gubernatorial pledge to dramatically increase ECBG 

funding and to lead to universal preschool,  Infant-Toddler Set-Aside increased to 11% of the ECBG

2005 Legislation requires that any new infant-toddler funding be directed to  research-based, intensive, comprehensive services (home- and center-based)

2006  Preschool for All passed maintaining the Infant-Toddler Set-Aside at 11%

2009 Set-Aside statute revised to reflect not less than 11%; and set a ramp to increase to 20% by 2015 

2014      Statutory “floor”  for set-aside increased to not less than 14%, protecting       current funding

Opportunities to grow funding by building on current structures

The Early Childhood Block Grant and the Infant-Toddler Set-Aside

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• Ensure infant-toddler services and programs are part of a larger birth-to five system.

• Fund high-quality services.

• Assist programs in meeting high-quality standards.

• Supplement primary funding by accessing a variety of funding sources.

• Push for a strong focus on program accountability.

• Borrow promising models and strategies from other states.

Inspiring Innovation: Creative State Financing Structures for Infant-Toddler Services (Joint publication from Zero to Three and The Ounce)

Recommendations at a glance:

ResourcesIllinois Set-Aside language:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=098-0645

Illinois State Board of Education Resources for Infant-Toddler programs:

http://www.isbe.net/earlychi/html/birth-3.htm

Creative State Financing brief:

http://main.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/Ounce_brief_Oct6B.pdf?docID=9642

  theOunce.org

@theOunce

/ounceofpreventionfund

/ounceofpreventionfund

/theOunce

/116313958824666788622

© 2014 Ounce of Prevention Fund. All rights reserved.

Lunch

Stronger Together – A Water Cooler Discussion Informing Collective Advocacy for Children Birth

to Five

January 28, 2015Sacramento Public Library

Update on State and Federal Applications

Marguerite RiesEarly Education and Support Division,California Department of Education

Overview of Proposed Integrated Licensing Bill

Wendy Mahaney-GurahooCalifornia Head Start Association

Closing Announcements