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Advocacy and Policy News
We Advocate Because They are Worth itWhat is an advocate? The Merriam Webster online dictionary offers a few definitions, but the simplest is this: an advocate is ‘one who supports or promotes the interests of a cause or group.’ It seems unfair or perhaps misleading that the definition should be so simple. Because advocacy is not simple. It is complicated and time-consuming. Advocacy is a lot of work.
Here’s the payoff. In our case, it is noble work. -
Head Start California Updates
No Child Left UncountedLet’s start the new year with a counting party! Census 2020 is coming fast and our Head Start community has a critical role to play. It is estimated that over one million children under age 5 were not counted in the last census. An undercount in 2020 could cost California more than $3 billion in federally funded programs, including those affecting young children. Our goal for 2020: no child left uncounted!
Partnering with the California WIC and First 5 associations to reach out to all families with young children may be the most important action we take for the next decade, -
Advocacy and Policy News
New Appointments to the Early Learning Policy CouncilThe Head Start community in California is encouraged Gov. Newsom’s November 22nd appointments to the Early Learning Policy Council (ELPC). Join me in congratulating Yvette Sanchez Fuentes and Scott Moore. The Head Start community will be well-represented by these veteran, early childhood professionals.
Yvette Sanchez Fuentes served most recently as director of children, youth, and family services for the Community Action Partnership for San Luis Obispo. -
Head Start California Updates
Census 2020: Make Sure Every Child is CountedCensus 2020: Make Sure Every Child is Counted
Census Day is April 1, 2020, just four months away. We are ramping up our efforts to make sure that children under age 5 won’t face the same rate of undercount they did in the last census. The 2010 Census missed close to 1 million young children — costing over a billion dollars each year in federal funding for these and other vital social programs — including Head Start. -
Advocacy and Policy News
Workforce and Facility Grants Stakeholder Meeting: Nov. 19Workforce and Facility Grants – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Early Learning and Care Stakeholder Meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 19, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in downtown Sacramento. This meeting will be focused on the newly established Infrastructure Grant Program and the Workforce Development Grant.
The meeting venue has reached its capacity. As a result, there will be a virtual Zoom meeting option to attend. -
Head Start California Updates
Head Start California Joins Partnership for Census 2020 OutreachWe are pleased to announce Head Start California’s partnership with the First 5 Association and California WIC Association to engage in statewide outreach and education efforts for the upcoming 2020 Census. Together, our efforts will focus on California’s “hard-to-count” (HTC) populations, focusing on children ages 0-5.
This project, funded by the California Complete Count Census 2020, will ensure that the highest risk, most isolated, and HTC 0-5 families participate in the 2020 Census. -
Advocacy and Policy News
Legislative Wrap-Up: Several Bills Signed by Governor Support Early Childhood Development and Learning
On Sunday, Oct. 13, Governor Newsom signed and vetoed the year’s final batch of legislation. The governor signed several bills that support early childhood development and early childhood providers, and help families. Read on below to learn more!
Early Childhood Development
Earlier this year, the governor allocated $54 million to improve rates of developmental screenings. Building on this investment, the governor signed AB 1004 (McCarty) which will help ensure providers adhere to American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines for developmental screening and use validated screening tools. -
Head Start Stories
Head Start Story: By Marlo LopezThis story is about Andrea*, a young mother of two who was new to the United States and lived with an abusive partner. When she entered our program, she and her children were shy and withdrawn. Our staff at Walnut Grove Head Start enjoyed making families feel welcome and feel like one big family and gave Andrea and her family this same warm welcome.
With time, she formed friendships with other parents in the program, and began to participate in parent activities. -
Head Start Stories
Head Start Story: By Darline GaribayMy mother came to the United States with many hopes and dreams. She worked multiple entry-level jobs in order to give us a better life. Therefore, she stressed the importance of education from a young age. She was a single parent that spoke little English but that did not stop her from seeking out opportunities for my siblings and me.
One such opportunity was our local Head Start program, located in Oxnard, CA, that helped me learn social and communication skills, -
Advocacy and Policy News
Federal Judges in New York and California Block Administration’s Public Charge RuleOn October 11, 2019, a federal judge in New York issued a temporary injunction against the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule, preventing the rule from taking effect on October 15.
The public charge rule would make it more difficult for immigrants to get green cards if it looks like they might need public assistance. Titled “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds,” the rule sparked several legal challenges.
Under the rule, U.S. immigration officials who decide whether an immigrant should be granted a green card would weigh whether the applicant will be self-sufficient.
