Our latest Early Childhood fact sheet addresses the question: How are Georgia’s young children doing right now? These statistics offer a snapshot of how Georgia’s approximately 871,900 children age five and under are fairing in the areas of family life and support, health, and early care and learning. For additional information, or to speak with an Early Childhood expert, contact Voices (404-521-0311 or info@georgiavoices.org).

Download Fact Sheet: How Are Georgia’s Children Doing? A Look at Early Childhood

Additionally included are bills where your advocacy help is still needed or that may require additional monitoring.  While there were many victories this legislative session, there are more areas in which we can work to ensure our agenda is met.

Healthy Births, Infants and Young Children

Child-Only Health Insurance

HB 1166 (Atwood-179^th) The child only health insurance bill requires that all health insurance companies that offer individual policies in the state of Georgia, offer child-only health insurance policies to cover individuals 19 years and younger. Children who qualify for or are already covered under an existing policy are not eligible for a child-only health plan.   The policy will have an open enrollment period from January 1, 2013 until January 31, 2013.    Applicants cannot obtain insurance outside this 30-day window, unless they apply for coverage within 30 days of a qualifying event.  Qualifying events include birth, adoption, marriage, divorce, court orders mandating that the child be covered, or any instance that results in the involuntary loss of insurance coverage.  The child-only policy may not exclude a child based on pre-existing conditions.  Because the Affordable Care Act will make this requirement unnecessary, the bill is set to automatically repeal on January 31, 2014.

Early Care and Education

Influenza Information

HB 845 (Watson – 163^rd) By September 1, 2012, early childcare and education programs must provide parents with information regarding the causes, symptoms and vaccinations of the influenza virus.  The bill does not provide for the method of dissemination of the information. 

 Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting

HB 1176 (Golick – 34^th) Included as part of the adult criminal justice reform, amendments to the mandatory reporting law have expanded the list of mandatory reporters to include almost everyone who may come in contact with a child.  The law now includes volunteers at hospitals, schools, social agencies, or similar facilities.  This expansive list makes coaches, from little league to the university level; youth group leaders, PTA volunteers and any other person who come in contact with children responsible for reporting abuse

Pregnancy resource centers and abortion facilities have also been added to the list of mandatory reporters.   The amendment specifically excludes members of clergy who learn of the abuse in a confession or similar confidential setting protected by a church or religious doctrine. A member of the clergy, however must report abuse if it is learned in a setting outside of a religious doctrine protected environment.

Other Bills of Interest

 Drug Testing for TANF

HB 861 (Harden – 28^th) All applicants of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) are required to take a drug test in order to receive benefits. The drug test must be administered no more than 48 hours after the applicant is deemed eligible for TANF benefits.  The applicant will bear the full cost of the testing with the exception of Medicaid recipients who will be assessed a subsidized rate of  $17.00.    A positive drug test will result in a denial of benefits for the applicant as well as the inability to be re-tested for one month up to 1 year.

Although children under 18 are exempt from drug testing, at least one parent of a child eligible for TANF benefits must comply with the mandate.  If the parent/guardian is unable to meet the drug testing requirements, the parent may designate another individual to receive the benefits on behalf of the minor child.  That individual must take a drug test with a negative result.   Otherwise, a protective payee may be designated to receive benefits on behalf of the child

Bills That May Return in 2013

The following bills did not pass this legislative session.  However, because there has been some indication that these bills will be re-introduced in the next legislative session, they are included for your review.

Family Daycare Cap

HB 1170 (Manning – 32^nd) – Amends the age limit for the number of children to be cared for in a family daycare from 3-6 kids, 18 years and younger to 3-6 kids 13 years or younger.  The total cap includes all children of no relation to the caretaker being cared for in the center, regardless of whether the caretaker is being compensated for the child. Studies show that small daycare settings are essential to safe and quality childcare; a major component of the Birth to 5 Coalition’s early care and education agenda.  We encourage you to contact Representative Manning, Representative Dempsey and Representative Williams to thank them for their sponsorship and to encourage them to introduce this bill next session.

Daycare Center Vehicle Alarms

HB 857 (Scott -76th)  - Requires audible alarms to be installed in all daycare vehicles to alert the driver to inspect the vehicle to ensure it is vacant.  The alarm would have to be approved by the Department of Early Care and Learning.   Information on the cost of installing the alarms has not yet been provided.

Joint Commission on Education Video for Parents of Newborns

HB 1159 (Pruett – 144^th) – Provides for the creation of a Joint Study Commission on Education for Parents with Newborn Children to determine the necessity of distribution of informational videos on health related topics to mothers of newborns infants.   The video would cover subjects such as the prevention of childhood obesity, shaken baby syndrome, SIDS and other forms of child abuse.  The video would also include a comprehensive resource guide with information, links to websites and contact information for state and local agencies.

Lack of Availability in High-Quality Programs Could Threaten Nation’s Future Job Prospects; New Cuts Proposed in a Number of States

Washington, D.C. — Many states are faltering in their efforts to deliver high-quality preschool education to children most in need, says a landmark national report capping 10 years of research.

“For the second year in a row, we’re seeing declines in real spending and per-child spending that strip resources from pre-K classrooms, many of which are already funded at levels below what it takes to deliver high-quality programs,” said Steve Barnett, director of the nonpartisan National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University that has surveyed state preschool programs on a number of measures since 2001-2002.

The State of Preschool 2011: State Preschool Yearbook shows total state funding for the nation’s pre-K programs decreased by nearly $60 million from the previous year to the 2010-2011 school year. In the past 10 years, real spending on state pre-K has declined by about 15 percent, or more than $700 per child.

“A decline of this magnitude should serve as a wake-up call for parents and policy leaders about how well we are preparing today’s preschoolers to succeed in school and later find good jobs in a competitive market,” Barnett said.

The Yearbook findings, which include NIEER’s data over the past 10 years and recommendations for policymakers, are being released today at 10 a.m. at Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, D.C. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined Barnett at today’s event.

Despite a decade of progress in which many states began or improved pre-K programs, state investments in high-quality pre-K are now slipping. In fact, many children who need access to high-quality pre-K programs still cannot attend.

Twenty-eight percent of all 4-year-olds and 4 percent of 3-year-olds were served by state pre-K programs in the 2010-2011 school year, raising total enrollment to more than 1.3 million. But some states have opted to expand enrollment rather than maintain quality, resulting in greater access but lower standards. “If ignored, states run the risk of substituting inexpensive child care for preschool education,” Barnett said.

There are winners and losers in this year’s report. Winners included Maine, Kentucky, and Nebraska, where both adjusted per-child and total funding increased by more than 5 percent over the previous year. In addition, five states — Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, West Virginia, and Wisconsin — increased total funding by more than 5 percent from the previous year. In all, 22 states increased enrollment, with increases ranging from 2 percent in California, Connecticut, Georgia, and Minnesota to 24 percent in Vermont. Georgia and New York both met new benchmarks in NIEER’s Quality Standards Checklist.

Losers included Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania that cut total state pre-K spending by 10 percent or more from the previous year. Nine states cut pre-K enrollment, from 1 percent in Kentucky, Nebraska, and North Carolina to 12 percent in New Mexico.  A 10^th state, Arizona, entirely eliminated its Early Childhood Block Grant, becoming the 11^th state to offer no state pre-K. The others with no state pre-K program are Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Four states — California, Kansas, New York, and South Carolina — lost benchmarks on the Quality Standards Checklist, all for lessening their level of program monitoring.

In addition, seven battleground states face additional threats to pre-K programs in 2012:

• California decreased spending per child by 10 percent for 2010-2011. The state’s program, which achieves only three of NIEER’s 10 benchmarks for quality, remains under threat of further budget reductions.
• Florida ranks first in the nation in pre-K access, with 76 percent of all 4-year-olds attending. But it ranks near the bottom in program quality and spending per child. It has repeatedly reduced funding and has not increased per-child spending to adequate levels. Class-size limits have been raised, and further funding cuts may be on the horizon.
• Georgia, the first state to adopt a goal of state pre-K for all children, and which met all 10 NIEER quality standards in 2010-2011, subsequently cut its pre-K school calendar from 10 months to nine, reduced teacher salaries, and increased class size to 22 children. Experienced teachers fled the program. Bringing quality back will require a new revenue source because lottery proceeds are no longer sufficient.
• Illinois launched its Preschool for All program in 2006 with the goal of achieving universal access by 2012. Instead, it has reduced total enrollment, and the program also saw no appreciable funding increase.
• Massachusetts has cut per-child funding by about 45 percent from 2001-2002 levels and operates two new programs using federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds that will go away. Without new funding, these programs are threatened.
• North Carolina moved its well-regarded More at Four program from the Department of Public Instruction to Health and Human Services to align it with child care, renamed it, and reduced staff and enrollment. The program faces additional possible cuts.
• Texas, which ranks in the bottom half of states for spending per child, reduced spending per child in 2010-2011 and faces the prospect of further cuts.

“States need to plan for future growth in pre-K just as they would for major projects, such as infrastructure,” said Barnett, “and avoid viewing pre-K as a year-to-year funding decision.”

Barnett praised the federal $500 million Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge that is providing grants to nine states for improving quality, but said more needs to be done. President Obama has called on Congress to increase the federal commitment to states for early childhood education.

10-Year Findings

State pre-K generally has enjoyed bipartisan support during its expansion over the past decade. An overwhelming body of research shows that high-quality pre-K prepares children to succeed in school, enroll in college or career training, and helps more students ultimately get better jobs that can help the nation’s economy. This year’s report highlights trends in pre-K programs over past 10 years, including these:

• More than 600,000 additional children are enrolled in state pre-K programs than in 2001-2002. The expansion of public pre-K has been especially important for Hispanic children who would have much lower participation rates without state pre-K. 
• Spending per child nationally is $715 lower than the 2001-2002 level.
• Disparities among states in funding per child have grown from a difference of $9,000 between the highest and lowest in the 2001-2002 year to more than $10,000 today.
• There are 51 preschool programs in 39 states plus two in the District of Columbia, compared to 42 programs in 37 states in the 2001-2002 school year.
• Adoption of statewide comprehensive early learning standards has been rapid.
• State progress in improving the quality of teachers responsible for achieving those learning standards has been slow. The percentage of programs requiring lead teachers to have bachelor’s degrees has risen from 48 to 57 percent.
• Little has changed in enrollment of 3-year-olds, which remains at 4 percent nationally.  Hispanic children in particular have been left behind at age 3. Only 25 percent attend public or private preschool, compared to 43 percent of non-Hispanic children at age 3.

2011 NIEER Report Georgia Profile

2011 NIEER Report Full

Read Voices’ statement on the 2011 findings

2010 NIEER Report Georgia Profile

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The National Institute for Early Education Research, a unit of the Graduate School of  Education, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, supports early childhood education policy by providing objective, nonpartisan information based on research. NIEER is supported through grants from The Pew Charitable Trusts and others.

Download the Voices for Georgia’s Children Boiler Plate/Backgrounder

Download the Voices for Georgia’s Children brochure

n FY 2010, the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $91 million in formula-based grants to each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. States were allowed to use a portion of these funds to conduct needs assessments and plan for the implementation of their home visiting systems. Georgia participated in this process and is now developing a comprehensive early childhood system of care that embeds evidence-based home visiting as a major service strategy.

There have been three grant opportunities for Georgia: 1) a formula grant for FFY10 (September 2010 – August 2011); 2) a competitive grant opportunity; and 3) a formula grant for FFY11 (September 2011 – August 2012).

Download Full Fact Sheet: Federal Home Visiting Grant Programs in Georgia

• Educational program for 4-year-old children funded by the Georgia Lottery.
• Launched in 1992 as a means-tested program (i.e, available to those families below a designated income level); became universal and available to all families in 1995.
• Implemented in approved public schools, private and nonprofit child care and education centers.
• Available in all 159 counties in the state.
• Since its inception, has educated over 1 million children.
• During the 2011-12 school year, Georgia Pre-K is serving approximately 86,000 children (about 59% of the state’s 145,000 4-year-olds) in 3,909 classes.
• Operates 160 days per year (32 weeks), 5 days per week, 6.5 hours per day.
• Maximum class size is 22 students.
• Georgia Pre-K’s share of lottery proceeds is 32% in 2011.
• Teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field and teacher certification. Assistant teachers must also meet minimum credential requirements.
• Curriculum is aligned with Pre-K standards and birth through third grade standards.
• No state general revenues support Georgia’s Pre-K. Federal funds provide about 0.15% of the $301 million budget, or roughly $500,000. Lottery revenue provides the remaining 99.85%.
• Administered by Bright from the Start, the Department of Early Care and Learning.

Download Full Fact Sheet: Basics of Georgia Pre-K

Race to the Top (RTT) began as a federal initiative to propel education reform and innovation in teaching and learning in K-12 systems. Grants were awarded to 12 states in 2010 including $400 million to Georgia. In the FY 2011 RTT budget, $500 million was allocated for early childhood support. Unlike the original RTT which was administered only by the U.S. Department of Education, the RTT-ELC will be jointly administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. Georgia’s governor designated the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) as the state agency that will develop and apply for a RTT-ELC grant. The grants will support states’ efforts to provide high quality early education opportunities to children from birth to age five, particularly to children with high needs. Children with high needs are “children from birth through kindergarten entry who are from low-income families or otherwise in need of special assistance and support, including children who have disabilities or developmental delays; who are English learners; who reside on ‘Indian lands’…who are migrant, homeless, or in foster care; and other children as identified by the state.”

Download Full Fact Sheet: Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grants

The original source for the list of licensed states is the Child Care and Development Fund’s summary of state plans. This summary was supplemented by information taken from the websites of state child care agencies. States vary in the definitions used for licensing and registration requirements. Therefore, except in cases where paraphrasing helped to clarify meaning, the original language from each source was preserved.

Download Full Fact Sheet: States that Exempt Faith-Based Providers from Child Care Licensing

Head Start is a federal program that provides grants to local public and private nonprofit and for-profit agencies, Indian tribes, and local school systems. The grants are used to provide comprehensive education, health, nutrition, parent involvement, and family support services to low-income children and their families. Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has aimed to meet the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive needs of more than 27 million children across the United States. In 1994 the reauthorization of Head Start, already serving children from age 3 to 5, added the Early Head Start program for children from birth to 3 as well as pregnant women. Children may be served in home-based or center-based programs or a combination of the two. The minimum length of service is 160 days per year. During the 2009-2010 program year, a national total of 1,117,687 women and children were served in Head Start and Early Head Start.

Georgia Pre-K is a lottery-funded program that aims to prepare four-year-olds for a successful transition into kindergarten. The program began as a state-funded pilot program serving low-income children in 1992. It became the first universal program in the nation during the 1995-1996 school year when it opened to all children regardless of income. Through a competitive grant process, Bright from the Start, Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning, awards operating funds to program providers. The Georgia Pre-K program can be offered in a number of venues, including public and private elementary and secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, military bases, private and nonprofit child care centers, and Head Start program sites. The program served its 1 millionth child during the 2009-2010 school year.

Download Full Fact Sheet: Head Start & Georgia Pre-K