Report on Preschool Programs articles from February 2004

Report on Preschool Programs archives from February 2004

Cuts for Even Start, freezes for child care and a small cost-of-living increase in Head Start are making the Bush administration's new budget plan a tough sell.(Slants And Trends)(Brief Article)
February 11, 2004... CUTS FOR EVEN START, FREEZES FOR child care and a small cost-of-living increase in Head Start are making the Bush administration's new budget plan a tough sell. White House calls for more tax cuts also anger advocates. The White House...

President Bush's budget would not propose a transfer of Head Start to the Department of Education.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2004... PRESIDENT BUSH'S BUDGET WOULD NOT propose a transfer of Head Start to the Department of Education. But while the White House has stepped back from that earlier proposal, it is not giving up plans for states to take more control of the program....

Special education: few gains for key preschool programs.
February 11, 2004... In keeping with recent trends, the Bush administration is proposing a small increase for infant special education programs but no increase for preschool grants next year. Funding for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act preschool...

New competition seeks quality in professional development.
February 11, 2004... The Education Department is seeking applications for new grants to promote quality professional development among early childhood teachers. About $14.8 million is available in the Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Program...

Advocates say budget has few gains for Head Start, child care.
February 11, 2004... Fewer children may gain access to Head Start and child care services under the Bush administration's budget plans for 2005, say critics analyzing the new blueprint. The White House is proposing an additional $169 million for Head Start,...

White House seeks termination of Even Start, citing problems.
February 11, 2004... The White House is taking aim at a family literacy program long championed by both political parties, claiming that the money is better spent on more effective initiatives. The White House would terminate Even Start, a program that combines...

AmeriCorps struggles.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2004... AMERICORPS STRUGGLES: AmeriCorps programs in New York state are facing a severe funding crunch, says Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). Programs in Albany and Utica are most at risk of facing a shutdown, she wrote to David Eisner, chief...

School lunch program faces cut, while CACFP gets small increase.(Child and Adult Care Food Program)
February 11, 2004... The Bush administration is proposing a small cut in National School Lunch funding next year, saying that existing carryover funds will provide a net gain for the program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture budget plan for 2005 contains...

Democrats seek 'family-friendly' plan with child care, paid leave.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2004... House Democrats are proposing a new legislative package designed to better balance the needs of work and family. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), a former public assistance recipient, proposed The Balancing Act that would expand child care...

Head Start earns kudos for share of kids receiving health services.
February 11, 2004... Head Start children are more likely to get medical screenings than poor children who rely on Medicaid managed care, say three early childhood researchers. The finding from Rachel Schumacher, Kate Irish and Joan Lombardi of the Center for...

New grants promote innovation beginning in pre-k years.
February 11, 2004... The Education Department is offering new grants to expand education research efforts beginning in the early childhood years. The department's Institute of Education Sciences has four priority areas, including innovation, rural education and...

Study documents EITC use.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2004... STUDY DOCUMENTS EITC USE: Rural residents often are major beneficiaries of lowincome tax credits, says a new report that may change perceptions about the popularity of tax credits. The report from the Brookings Institute found that the highest...

SAC, other programs face freezes under White House budget plan.
February 11, 2004... After-school programs and smaller federal child care activities would see their funding frozen next year under President Bush's 2005 budget plan. A year after proposing deep cuts in the government's main after-school program, the White...

Product recall.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2004... PRODUCT RECALL: The Consumer Product Safety Commission is recalling Mega Rider swings due to a faulty plastic handle that may crack and result in a child falling to the ground. The manufacturer is Swing-N-Slide of Janesville, Wis. Contact the...

KID-FIT.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2004... * KID-FIT is an educational movement program on sound eating and regular exercise for children ages 2-6. Originally developed in 1994 in California, the resource is rolling out nationally with materials. Cost is $2,500 to receive training...

The Department of Health and Human Services is honoring Steve Hilton, president of the Conrad Hilton Foundation, for his support of Early Head Start and migrant Head Start programs.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2004... The Department of Health and Human Services is honoring Steve Hilton, president of the Conrad Hilton Foundation, for his support of Early Head Start and migrant Head Start programs. The foundation has a 10-year, $18.7 million initiative to...

The National Institue of Child Health and Human Development has a new series of Web games for children on its Milk Matters Web site.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2004... The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has a new series of Web games for children on its Milk Matters Web site. Features include children's animated action games, puzzles and mazes that help teach the importance of calcium...

Howard Gesbeck of Wipfli Young is presenting "In-Depth Review of Head Start Fiscal and Administrative Requirements" training in Dallas Feb. 24-26.(Professional Development)
February 11, 2004... * Howard Gesbeck of Wipfli Young is presenting "In-Depth Review of Head Start Fiscal and Administrative Requirements" training in Dallas Feb. 24-26. The first day will focus on administrative requirements, and the other two days will focus on...

The National Head Start Association will hold its 31st annual training conference April 19-24 in Anaheim, Calif.(Professional Development)
February 11, 2004... * The National Head Start Association will hold its 31st annual training conference April 19-24 in Anaheim, Calif. Tracks include grant writing, strategic training and family and community partnerships. Registration deadline is Feb. 23....

AmeriCorps grants.
February 11, 2004... AMERICORPS GRANTS: North Carolina is accepting applications for new AmeriCorps grants to meet education, safety and human service needs. Applications are due to the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service by March 23. Grant...

Salary end-game?(Slants And Trends)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Facing queries from Congress, federal contractors are beginning a potentially far-reaching analysis of Head Start salary data, a Department of Health and Human Services official tells RPP. After clearing a legal challenge from advocates, HHS...

State-run preschools score 'failing' marks for children.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... State-run preschool programs are "failing the nation's children," say researchers in a new report card that already is adding to the year-long tensions between advocates for Head Start and state-controlled pre-k programs. "Few set high...

CDF ranks states on lawmakers' support for young children.(Children's Defense Fund)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Hawaii and Massachusetts lawmakers have the best record of supporting children, while Idaho and Wyoming lawmakers fare the worst, a children's agency says. The Children's Defense Fund examined lawmakers' voting records on major children's...

The U.S. Education Department is offering $4.3 million in new Even Start grants for Indian tribes and tribal organizations.(Grants)
February 25, 2004... The U.S. Education Department is offering $4.3 million in new Even Start grants for Indian tribes and tribal organizations. The amount is the combined appropriation for both fiscal 2003 and fiscal 2004. The department expects to make 17 to 29...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking applications for Community Food Projects and Competitive Grants Program.(Grants)
February 25, 2004... The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking applications for Community Food Projects and Competitive Grants Program. Projects must meet the food needs of low-income people; increase self-reliance of communities in providing their own food...

K.C. director resigns as salary review continues.(Kansas City)
February 25, 2004... The executive director of a Kansas City, Mo., Head Start program is resigning for health reasons after facing criticism in an increasingly bitter debate over executive salaries in the program. DeWayne Crompton will leave KCMC Child...

HHS inspector: some states face challenge with degree mandate.(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Fifteen Southern states continue to face difficulty in meeting a national goal that 50 percent of all Head Start teachers possess at least an associate degree. In some of these states, barely one-third of Head Start teachers met the...

ED, house democrat leader debate even start's merit.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Critics of a White House plan to abolish federally funded family literacy programs are using ammunition from some unusual sources: comments from the First Lady and senior Republicans praising such efforts. "We have radical, unjustified and...

Anti-poverty programs gain extension in Senate bill.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... The Senate has approved a bill to extend a federal program vital to many community agencies that administer Head Start programs. Members approved a renewal of the Community Services Block Grant, a core program for community action agencies...

Family literacy program plans expansion in 2004.(Building Readers program)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... A program that brings books into child care centers and children's homes will expand to additional sites this year. The Building Readers program provides books to families and centers to promote young children's learning and parental...

Centers, not day care homes, provide more gains for children.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Children gain more school readiness skills in child care centers rather than day care homes, says a California researcher who cites "dramatic" differences in care between the two sectors. Poor preschoolers in high-quality centers master...

HHS plans series of initiatives to promote healthy marriage.(United States. Department of Health and Human Services)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... The Bush administration is providing new details of its healthy marriage initiative as Congress begins to consider the proposal. Funding would be available through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and other funding...

Nutrition purchase.(United States. Department of Agriculture )(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... The U.S. Department of Agriculture will purchase up to 3 million pounds of dried, red tart cherries to donate to child nutrition and other food assistance programs. The dried cherries can be used for baking, for toppings on cereal and for...

Better internal control practices would improve the management of AmeriCorps programs, a federal watchdog agency says.(Studies And Reports)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Better internal control practices would improve the management of AmeriCorps programs, a federal watchdog agency says. About 8,300 Ameri-Corps participants from 2000 to 2002 have discrepancies in their records, when comparing program databases...

Welfare caseloads increased last summer and fall in 27 states, says new data from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).(Studies And Reports)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Welfare caseloads increased last summer and fall in 27 states, says new data from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). Two dozen states reported declining caseloads, and the net effect nationally showed little or no change during the...

Quality early childhood care helps at-risk children succeed in school, says a study of youngsters in Denver.(Studies And Reports)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Quality early childhood care helps at-risk children succeed in school, says a study of youngsters in Denver. Children in a high-quality pre-k program did better than their peers several years later on the Colorado Student Assessment test, the...

Enrollment in the State Children's Health Insurance Program increased by 9 percent during 2003, the Bush administration reports.(Studies And Reports)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Enrollment in the State Children's Health Insurance Program increased by 9 percent during 2003, the Bush administration reports. About 5.8 million children participated in the program at some point in fiscal year 2003, up from 5.3 million the...

The Department of Health and Human Services has updated a December 2003 notice seeking comments on the proposed merger of two Head Start programs in Rhode Island.(Federal Register)
February 25, 2004... The Department of Health and Human Services has updated a December 2003 notice seeking comments on the proposed merger of two Head Start programs in Rhode Island. Comments are due by March 5 to Michelle Hastings, Pal-Tech, Inc., 1000 Wilson...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is revising its poverty guidelines to accommodate last year's price increases measured in the Consumer Price Index.(Federal Register)
February 25, 2004... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is revising its poverty guidelines to accommodate last year's price increases measured in the Consumer Price Index. In the contiguous 48 states, a family of four is in poverty is its total annual...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is collecting comments on the head Start Impact Study, a four-year effort to assess program benefits to children compared with those who did not participate in the program.(Federal Register)
February 25, 2004... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is collecting comments on the head Start Impact Study, a four-year effort to assess program benefits to children compared with those who did not participate in the program. Data collection began...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is reopening its comment period on regulatory changes for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program due to inaccuracies in a previously published request.(Federal Register)
February 25, 2004... The U.S. Department of Agriculture is reopening its comment period on regulatory changes for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program due to inaccuracies in a previously published request. USDA's Food and Nutrition Service said...

Funding plan.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... The Department of Health and Human Services has published final Child Care Development Fund allocations and earmarks for Indian tribes for the use of fiscal 2003 funds. Final per-child funding is $104 for tribal mandatory funds and $61 for...

A partnership between New Mexico state government and a state association is helping more low-income families get food assistance.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... A partnership between New Mexico state government and a state association is helping more low-income families get food assistance. The state Department of Human Services and the New Mexico Association of Food Banks are working together to...

A stronger economy.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... A stronger economy is allowing at least one foundation to increase new program commitments. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation said it increased new projects by 10 percent last year to $231 million. The foundation's assets climbed to $5.7 billion from...

Calendar.(Calendar)
February 25, 2004... * Children: Our Common Wealth is the theme of a school readiness conference sponsored by Children, Inc., April 16-17 in Covington, Ky. For more information on the meeting, contact Children, Inc., 1053 Madison Ave., Covington, KY 41011; (859)...

Bill seeks broader access to prenatal care, services.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... The federal government would invest more resources to promote the health of pregnant women and their children under new legislation from Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.). The Prevent Prematurity and Improve Child Health Act would reduce cases...

What congregations should know about federal funding for child care.(Resources)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... What Congregations Should Know about Federal Funding for Child Care is a new resource available from the Department of Health and Human Services that outlines rules on participation of faith-based providers and includes information on child...

Helping young, at-risk mothers is the theme of the latest Center for Early Childhood Research Update.(Resources)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Helping Young, At-Risk Mothers is the theme of the latest Center for Early Childhood Research Update. For more information, contact the center at the University of Chicago, 5848 S. University Ave., Chicago, IL 60637; www. cecr.uchicago.edu.

Rhythmically moving 1-9 is a set of CDs from the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation that can be used with a variety of other foundation resources.(Resources)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2004... Rhythmically Moving 1-9 is a set of CDs from the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation that can be used with a variety of other foundation resources. Each CD is $15.95 from: High/Scope, www.highscope.org. Also available from the same...