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Advocacy and Policy News
Seven Head Start leaders selected to serve on UPK WorkgroupHSC is excited to learn that early childhood leaders from several agencies with Head Start programs have been selected to serve on the Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Mixed Delivery Quality and Access Workgroup established by AB 185 SEC. 2. Congratulations to:
- Jennifer Adcock, Moreno Valley USD
- Lorena Burrola, Merced County Office of Education
- Mei Hua Fu, Kai Ming Head Start
- Deidre D. Jones, Neighborhood House Association
- Tony Jordan,
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Advocacy and Policy News
Tell Congress to Hold the Line for Head Start in the federal budgetNational Head Start Association is asking as many Head Start directors, staff and parents as possible to reach out to their Senators and Congressional Representatives and ask them to hold the line on funding for Head Start and include a minimum $1 billion increase for Head Start in the FY 2023 Appropriations bill. Please take a moment to send a letter and forward this link to your staff and families! Send a letter to Congress now!
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Advocacy and Policy News
Senate Bill 1047 provides new opportunities for Head Start providersIn September, the Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 1047 (Limón). This bill will extend eligibility for childcare and development programs and the preschool program to families in which a member of the family has been certified as eligible to receive benefits from certain means-tested government programs, including Head Start and Early Head Start.
This change in law, effective January 1, 2023, has two important implications for Head Start grantees. First, it will be administratively easier to enroll Head Start-eligible children in state-subsidized programs (with the exception of CalWorks 1, -
Advocacy and Policy News
Head Start California Celebrates the Passage of AB 2131On September 30, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 2131. Sponsored by Head Start California and the Los Angeles County Office of Education, AB 2131 removes the final impediment to implementing a single childcare license for all ages and allows the Department of Social Services to more swiftly implement the new licenses.
In 2018, California passed AB 605 (Mullin), which ordered the Department of Social Services to create a single child care license. Previously, child care providers were required to hold separate licenses for different age groups, -
Advocacy and Policy News
Urgent Request: Share your data on the Head Start Staffing CrisisThe teacher shortage in early childhood programs, including Head Start, has become a national conversation. Head Start California is working with EveryChild California to get current, on-the-ground information regarding the scope of the crisis. Collecting this data now is important, as we prepare for congressional visits in mid-September. We want to give our federal legislators a real-time understanding of the scope of the problem – both the challenge it creates for programs and its impact on parents and children.
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Advocacy and Policy News
Assembly Bill 2131 Advances to the Governor’s Desk
Assembly Bill 2131 (Mullin) passed unanimously through the Senate and the Assembly and is headed to the Governor’s desk! This bill will allow the Department of Social Services to more swiftly implement a single childcare license for all age groups. This will allow providers greater flexibility to serve children at different ages, creating continuity of care for children and families and allowing programs to respond to the challenges posed by the expansion of TK. -
Advocacy and Policy News
California State Budget 2022-23 SummaryOn June 30, Gavin Newsom signed California’s 2022-23 budget. Unfortunately, teacher wage increases for Head Start and other state-subsidized programs were not included. The budget provides additional supports for dual language learners and children with disabilities in CSPP, increased slots for alternative payment and General Child Care (CCTR) programs and an extension of the waiver of family fees for state-subsidized programs for an additional year.
Head Start California is concerned that the proposed emergency TK credential, -
Advocacy and Policy News
Legislature’s child care proposal overlooks the most vulnerableOriginal article published by CalMatters on June 13, 2022
Author: Anna Ioakimedes, Director of Governmental Affairs, Head Start California
Legislature’s child care proposal overlooks the most vulnerable
The Legislature recently released its Joint Legislative Budget Proposal, which included more than $2 billion to support the child care system. It provided no funding, however, for some of the most vulnerable children and families in California — those living below the federal poverty line (less than $28,000 for a family of four) and thus eligible for Head Start. -
Advocacy and Policy News
We can stop the Head Start classroom crisisOriginal Article Published by EdSource on June 2, 2022
Author: Anna Ioakimedes, Director of Governmental Affairs, Head Start California
We can stop the Head Start classroom crisis
Low wages for Head Start teachers are causing classrooms to close, leaving children without services and risking our financial future
“I’m a director who spends more time figuring out how to cover staffing than how to improve quality.”
That quote, -
Advocacy and Policy News
Press Release: Gov’s May Revise Misses Opportunity to Support CA’s Most Vulnerable Families(Sacramento, CA)- Head Start California was disappointed to see that, despite a record-breaking $97.5 billion surplus, Governor Gavin Newsom declined to include funding for Head Start teacher salaries in his May Revise budget proposal.
Head Start programs provide high-quality early learning and care, access to medical, dental and immunization services, and supportive services and leadership opportunities for parents. But profoundly inadequate wages mean that programs have struggled to hire and retain the teachers needed to keep classrooms open.
