Greetings!
It's great to have child care and education lifted in policy and funding at the local, state, and federal levels. Is it going to where you need it most for daily work as a teacher, as well as what you know is needed as a professional caring for and educating our children's youngest? We've included state and federal budget and policy information to help you keep track of current decisions—and advocate!
Here's a glimpse at federal funding that has been released to the states—and a timeline for spending:
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In addition to the State & Federal policy information, we have also included opportunities for you to participate in Office of Early Care and Education (OECE) Educator Focus Groups prioritizing use of Prop C dollars, ECE articles, reports, surveys, as well as upcoming events hosted by local ECESF colleagues and advocates.
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In solidarity,
Sara & Anna
ECESF
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ECESF promotes and encourages voices of educators working at San Francisco sites.
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San Francisco
OECE planning with early educators to use Prop C dollars
- OECE is conducting focus groups with early educators! The goal of the focus group discussions will be to dive deeper into compensation priorities, share initial policy planning, and examine issues of equity in working with San Francisco families.
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The deadline to complete the focus group interest form is June 4th, 2021.
Past Compensation Planning Webinars (recordings available)
OECE and First 5 San Francisco hosted six webinars to begin conversations with the workforce around compensation priorities. These webinars were intended to share a brief contextual history and current compensation policy in San Francisco. Below are recordings of the first session in 3 languages and some of the highlights of the feedback/input OECE took in from the webinars.
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California
The process
The Governor's May Revise came out on May 14. Decision-making is now moving forward rapidly in Senate & Assembly Committees—with final decisions reconciled in the conference committee and one budget bill to be brought to a vote before both legislative bodies ~ June 15. The bill becomes law when the Governor signs, between June 15 and July 1.
The issues
Many ECE advocates were not pleased with the funding amount put forward, as well as the focus on Universal TK—without the needed supports for a robust mixed-delivery system, where most of California's children in ECE programs have the full-days and extended hours—needed by working families—with integrated learning, play, and caregiving. With much advocacy, there has been some movement to address these concerns.
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The latest decisions
EveryChild Counts offers a useful summary of the decisions before the May 26 Assembly Subcommittee on Education, most of which was adopted. A full summery of the May 26 Assembly Subcommittee Agenda and outcomes is available here.
It's not too late to advocate!
Send an email or letter to your representative. The message:
- Support a diverse delivery system that meets families' & children's developmental and workday needs, and integrates play, nurturing, joy, and development all day.
- Increases rates to cover the true cost of care—including compensation that recognizes current knowledge and experience and allows a quality life for early educators and staff.
Find your California representatives here.
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Federal
"As Congress and the Administration consider their next major investments in ECE … they need a vision for a new and better system. How do we ensure that our many early childhood programs—including child care subsidies, Head Start, state preschool, and special education programs—can be a system of coherent support from birth through early elementary? Experts will address this question in an upcoming webinar, “From Rescue to Rebuild: Developing a National ECE System That Works.”
Webinar—June 3
10-11 am PT (1-2 pm ET)
More details and registration here
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ECE Articles, Studies, & Surveys |
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Teaching Behind the Mask is a series of voices from infant, toddler, and pre-school classrooms across San Francisco. It’s a collaboration between Barbra Blender, Eliana Elias, and the remarkable early-childhood education teachers who continue to serve children and families during the pandemic.
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Over the last year, in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Child Care Aware® of America, StoryCorps recorded conversations with families who rely on child care, as well as child care providers, to understand how COVID-19 has impacted the child care industry, families and society at large.
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“I remember when I was elected to be a state senator, I bet I spent the first year figuring out the processes and the nuances of how decisions really get made,” she says. “I didn’t learn until after the fact that you can write a policy for law that’s really well-intended, but how it gets implemented is the real story.” - Jessie Rasmussen, former Nebraska State Senator
Experts say this kind of policy knowledge gap threatens to slow the momentum that issues such as affordable child care and state-funded preschool have gained at all levels of government and with candidates across the ideological spectrum. To address the problem, more than a dozen researchers across the country are collaborating to develop resources to prepare future policymakers for success designing, building and evaluating programs for young kids.
This story is part of an EdSurge Research series about early childhood education.
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RAPID-CC Survey: Child Care Provider Well-Being
Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) has established a partnership with researchers at the University of Oregon who are conducting an early childhood (0-5 years) child care provider well-being survey called RAPID-CC. The survey is for anyone who provides care to one or more children who is not their own. It is designed to gather information regarding the needs, health-promoting behaviors, and well-being of child care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible participants (Family Child Care & home providers, Teachers/staff, Administrators, and Family Friend and Neighbor caregivers, will receive a $5 Amazon Gift Card.
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This survey is for anyone who is either currently employed as a child care provider OR has worked in child care at any point during or just prior to the pandemic.
Read more about the Yale study and how it was used to shape policy recommendations on the Child Care Aware website.
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Upcoming Webinars and Events |
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Free series begins Saturday, May 29 10am-12pm with continued sessions on June 19, July 10, July 24.
The May 29th session will help to unpack some of the historical events that have shaped society today.
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Thursday, June 3, 6pm-8pm – FREE
The screening will be followed by a conversation facilitated by creator Debbie LeeKeenan with San Francisco’s Pacific Primary Executive Director Belann Giarretto, Director Madonna Stancil and two teachers featured in the film, Nadia Jaboneta and Brian Silveira. Registration and information here.
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Friday, June 4, 10am-11am – FREE
Start Early and the Shriver Center on Poverty Law are hosting a two-part webinar series for early care and learning professionals that will provide an overview of what is currently known about the healthcare and economic supports available through the ARPA and how to access them.
View the past session recording and register here.
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Monday, June 7, 6pm-7pm – FREE
Does your work involve taking care of others? Do you struggle to manage stress or prevent burnout?
Join Michelle Murano, a San Francisco preschool teacher, for Essential Aid and Community Healing.
Find out more and sign up here!
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The Sum of Us: A Conversation with Heather McGhee and Dr. Gail Christopher
Thursday, June 10, 10am-11am – FREE
Join to discuss racism’s role in creating barriers to nature—and how we can move forward more equitably. What might racial healing look like in the movement to connect children and nature?
Registration and information here.
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ECESF receives funding from the Office of Early Care and Education to provide field building and peer supports to early care educators, as well as generous donations and in-kind contributions to build our advocacy and community work from individual early care educators, and allies, community organizations and agencies. Support our work. Donate! |
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