Report on Preschool Programs articles from October 2005

Report on Preschool Programs archives from October 2005

Budget blues.(Slants and Trends)(Head Start and child care)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2005... Fiscal year 2006 is underway with few signs that Congress is close to enacting the required major spending bills for Head Start, child care and hundreds of other programs. Acknowledging the current focus on Hurricane Katrina aid, lawmakers...

Bill gains approval.(Slants and Trends)
October 5, 2005... A Head Start renewal bill is now in the Senate's hands after the House narrowly approved an extension of the federal child development program. While it is not as controversial as a renewal bill in the last Congress, the House package has...

Advocates seek child care role in post-Katrina rebuilding effort.
October 5, 2005... With half a million young children affected by the devastating Gulf Coast hurricanes, children's advocates are mounting a campaign to include child care funding as part of Hurricane Katrina-related aid packages moving through Congress. ...

Divided House approves Head Start bill despite concerns on faith-based plan.
October 5, 2005... A divided House of Representatives has approved a long-debated renewal of Head Start with provisions that are drawing both praise and criticism from those on the program's front lines. After more than two years of debate, the full House...

House votes not to restore power of parent councils.
October 5, 2005... Head Start advocates' attempt to preserve the power of local parent councils has fallen on deaf ears in the House of Representatives. By a 266 to 153 vote, House members soundly rejected an amendment by Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) that would...

Private providers rebuffed on Head Start profit plan.
October 5, 2005... For-profits that run Head Start programs will not be able to reap extra profits if they hold down costs, based on a House vote in late September. Members voted down an amendment that would have allowed private providers to take profit from...

NHSA, feds plan more relief after Gulf Coast hurricanes.
October 5, 2005... Just weeks after creating a clearinghouse to help Hurricane Katrina victims, the National Head Start Association is mounting a similar effort in Texas to help victims of Hurricane Rita. With support from Johnson & Johnson, NHSA has...

A Head Start 'Father' mourned.
October 5, 2005... Urie Bronfenbrenner, a prominent child development expert and one of the creators of the Head Start program, died last week at age 88. Born in Russia, Bronfenbrenner was a Cornell University psychologist noted for his work in developing an...

Senate approves bill to increase CACFP, other nutrition funding.(Child and Adult Care Food Program)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2005... An increase in the Child and Adult Care Food Program moved a step closer to enactment last week following a favorable vote in the Senate. The chamber voted to allocate $2.17 billion for CACFP in fiscal 2006, up $108 million from the prior...

The Maryland Family Literacy.(Funding Opportunities)
October 5, 2005... The Maryland Family Literacy Initiative is offering a second round of grants; applications are due Nov. 18. Funded by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, the grants can help organizations launch or expand family literacy programs...

The U.S. Health Resources.(Funding Opportunities)(Health Resources and Services Administration)(Maternal and Child Health )(Brief Article)
October 5, 2005... The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration is offering $680,000 for four grants under the Maternal and Child Health Pipeline Training Program, which recruits economically disadvantaged, underrepresented students at minority-serving...

Calendar.(Calendar)
October 5, 2005... * Engaging Leaders in the Pre-K Movement is the title of a satellite conference scheduled by Pre-K Now, a Washington, D.C., organization. For more information, call (202) 862-9871 or visit the Web site at www.preknow.org. * The National...

Senate plans changes in program providing campus child care.
October 5, 2005... A bill approved by a Senate panel would expand the opportunities for low-income college students to obtain child care for their youngsters. The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee would make changes to eligibility and funding...

Agency plans new approach to listing grant competitions.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2005... The agency that runs Head Start and child care programs says it no longer will publish grant notices in the Federal Register, a daily document that has been a mainstay of listings of funding opportunities as well as government regulations. ...

A final rule from the Department of Health and Human Services outlines the redistribution of unexpended fiscal 2002 funds under the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
October 5, 2005... A final rule from the Department of Health and Human Services outlines the redistribution of unexpended fiscal 2002 funds under the State Children's Health Insurance Program. For more information, see the Sept. 29 Federal Register, p. 56901, or...

The National Center for Family Literacy is looking for samples of volunteer recruitment strategies such as announcements in local newspapers or templates for posters.
October 5, 2005... The National Center for Family Literacy is looking for samples of volunteer recruitment strategies such as announcements in local newspapers or templates for posters. The material is for a guidebook NCFL is producing on ways to use volunteers...

Just before the Sept. 30 end of the federal fiscal year, the Department of Health and Human Services provided grants of $49 million under the Compassion Capital Fund, a federal effort to help faith- and community-based organizations improve their social service offerings.
October 5, 2005... Just before the Sept. 30 end of the federal fiscal year, the Department of Health and Human Services provided grants of $49 million under the Compassion Capital Fund, a federal effort to help faith- and community-based organizations improve...

HHS is providing $2.8 million for national resource centers to help states address children and family issues following Hurricane Katrina.
October 5, 2005... HHS is providing $2.8 million for na-tional resource centers to help states address children and family issues following Hurricane Katrina. Funds will support services for foster chil-dren, location of foster families and the reestablishment of...

Stair Steps to Quality: A Guide for States and Communities Developing Quality Rating Systems for Early Care and Education is a new guidebook by Anne Mitchell.
October 5, 2005... Stair Steps to Quality: A Guide for States and Communities Developing Quality Rating Systems for Early Care and Education is a new guidebook by Anne Mitchell, Alliance for Early Childhood Finance, for the United Way's Success By 6 project....

4K expansion would provide savings with improved education outcomes.(Four-Year-Old Kindergarten)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2005... Wisconsin would reap significant future savings if it expands its Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (4K) program to serve more children, a new study suggests. For every $1 invested, the state would recoup 68 percent in future savings if it...

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) is proposing a bill to allow advance payments of the child tax credit and the Earned Income Tax Credits for victims of Hurricane Katrina.(New Bills)
October 5, 2005... Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) is proposing a bill to allow advance payments of the child tax credit and the Earned Income Tax Credits for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The legislation, H.R. 3844, will go to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) has introduced H.R. 3890, a bill to provide technical assistance to Head Start programs affected by Hurricane Katrina and to waive certain Head Start rules through March 2006.(New Bills)
October 5, 2005... Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) has introduced H.R. 3890, a bill to provide technical assistance to Head Start programs affected by Hurricane Katrina and to waive certain Head Start rules through March 2006. The bill was referred to the...

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) has introduced S. 1807 with seven others to provide help to small businesses affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita.(New Bills)
October 5, 2005... Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) has introduced S. 1807 with seven others to provide help to small businesses affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita. The bill will go to the Small Business Committee.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has introduced a bill to allow Puerto Rico residents to claim the refundable portion of the child tax credit.(New Bills)
October 5, 2005... Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has introduced a bill to allow Puerto Rico residents to claim the refundable portion of the child tax credit. The bill, S. 1757, was referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Snowe also introduced a bill to modify the income threshold for the child tax credit.(New Bills)
October 5, 2005... Snowe also introduced a bill to modify the income threshold for the child tax credit. S. 1775 will go to the Senate Finance Committee.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has proposed legislation to make a 5 percent across-the-board cut in all non-defense spending, exempting only homeland security funds.(New Bills)
October 5, 2005... Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has proposed legislation to make a 5 percent across-the-board cut in all non-defense spending, exempting only homeland security funds. The bill, H.R. 3906 was referred to the House Appropriations Committee. She...

Battles looming.(Slants and Trends)
October 19, 2005... BATTLES LOOMING. In taking a long-term look at Hurricane Katrina cleanup costs, Republicans in Congress are considering deeper-anddeeper cuts in numerous federal domestic spending programs. Congress' 2006 budget resolution already calls for...

Child care centers in Mississippi face difficult task in reopening.
October 19, 2005... With some public schools re-opening along the flood-ravaged Gulf Coast, the lack of available child care for young children is hampering the recovery effort, advocates say. In coastal Mississippi, many public schools reopened last week, but...

Head Start bureau outlines steps to rebuild damaged Gulf sites.
October 19, 2005... With more than 200 Head Start facilities suffering damage from Gulf Coast hurricanes, the Bush administration is outlining steps for program grantees to take in launching the rebuilding process. In most cases, grantees will work through...

Lawmakers seek child care help in Hurricane Katrina aid plans.
October 19, 2005... Lawmakers in both the House and Senate are trying to attach child care and Head Start provisions to Hurricane Katrina-related legislation moving through Congress. The comprehensive Louisiana Katrina Reconstruction Act would provide $600...

R&Rs, Pentagon collaborate on military family outreach.
October 19, 2005... The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies is teaming up with the Department of Defense to help meet the child care needs of military families displaced by Hurricane Katrina. All of these displaced families are...

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has proposed legislation to expand the child tax credit refund for more working families.(New Bills)
October 19, 2005... Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has proposed legislation to expand the child tax credit refund for more working families. Her bill would extend eligibility to families earning less than $11,000 a year, since they currently are ineligible for the...

Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) has proposed the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Recipients' Lifeline Act, which would extend funding for welfare programs.(New Bills)(Brief Article)
October 19, 2005... Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) has proposed the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Recipients' Lifeline Act, which would extend funding for welfare programs. Among other provisions, the bill would repeal the five-year time limit on welfare...

Hurricane relief efforts.(National Head Start Association and Southern Early Childhood Association)(Brief Article)
October 19, 2005... Organizations such as the National Head Start Association and the Southern Early Childhood Association are seeking donations to help families, staff and others affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The following agencies are coordinating...

Survey finds varied family benefits among large, small companies.
October 19, 2005... Large and small companies each carve out their own niche in providing family-friendly benefits, with large employers offering the most far-reaching programs, a new study says. The report from the Families and Work Institute says smaller...

NAEYC cites steady growth in accreditation program.(National Association for the Education of Young Children)(Brief Article)
October 19, 2005... After a period of continued growth, more than 1 million children now attend child care, preschool or other early childhood programs accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the association reports. In...

Study finds no positive effects from kindergarten retention.
October 19, 2005... Retaining children in kindergarten does not improve a child's future academic achievement, say two scholars in a new study on the practice that has drawn controversy from some early childhood experts. The report finds "no evidence" of...

Pew trusts plan new campaign on pre-K quality, accountability.
October 19, 2005... A major charitable organization is launching a National Early Childhood Accountability Task Force to promote quality, standards and outcomes in pre-k and other programs. The Pew Charitable Trusts is funding the initiative, to be chaired by...

Partners launch effort to promote literacy among Latino children.
October 19, 2005... Scholastic and the National Council of La Raza are joining forces on a new project to engage parents and promote reading achievement among young Latino children. With additional help from the Verizon Foundation, the Lee y seras (Read and...

The Administration for Children and Families is awarding $75 million in bonuses to two states and the District of Columbia for their progress in reducing out-of-wedlock births.(Brief Article)
October 19, 2005... The Administration for Children and Families is awarding $75 million in bonuses to two states and the District of Columbia for their progress in reducing out-of-wedlock births. D.C., New York and Utah each will receive $25 million bonuses for...

The federal Head Start Bureau will provide a non-competitive $600,000 grant to the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices to help governors design early childhood systems that promote coordination and quality.
October 19, 2005... The federal Head Start Bureau will provide a non-competitive $600,000 grant to the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices to help governors design early childhood systems that promote coordination and quality. The center will...

The Head Start Bureau is publishing revisions to the Program Review Instrument for Systems Monitoring system for fiscal year 2006.
October 19, 2005... The Head Start Bureau is publishing revisions to the Program Review Instrument for Systems Monitoring system for fiscal year 2006. The changes are designed to promote national consistency and to provide a national system to collect and maintain...

Infants who experience oxygen deprivation during birth may benefit from efforts to lower their body temperature during the first six hours of life, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development says.
October 19, 2005... Infants who experience oxygen deprivation during birth may benefit from efforts to lower their body temperature during the first six hours of life, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development says. The study published in the...

As part of its Hurricane Katrina relief package, the Department of Health and Human Services will provide $500,000 for the Closing the Gap on Infant Mortality partnership with the March of Dimes.
October 19, 2005... As part of its Hurricane Katrina relief package, the Department of Health and Human Services will provide $500,000 for the Closing the Gap on Infant Mortality partnership with the March of Dimes. The initiative provides services to pregnant...

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) has signed legislation that would require immunizations against pneumococcal diseases for children in child care.(Around The Nation)
October 19, 2005... Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) has signed legislation that would require immunizations against pneumococcal diseases for children in child care. The bill took effect in September in all child care facilities in the state. Pneumococcal diseases are a...

Delaware lawmakers will provide $3 million to expand full-day kindergarten programs in the state.(Around The Nation)
October 19, 2005... Delaware lawmakers will provide $3 million to expand full-day kindergarten programs in the state. Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (D) has identified fullday expansion as a priority for her administration, setting a goal to offer the service to all...

Powerful Magic: Learning from Children's Responses to Fantasy Literature.(Resources)
October 19, 2005... Powerful Magic: Learning from Children's Responses to Fantasy Literature, by Nina Mikkelsen, is $26.95 from: Teachers College Press, 525 W. 120th St., Box 303, New York, NY 10027, (800) 575-6566, www.tcpress.com. Also available from the...

Room Arrangement as a Teaching Strategy.(Resources)
October 19, 2005... Room Arrangement as a Teaching Strategy, led by Diane Trister Dodge and Bonnie Kittredge, is available in VHS format for $39.95 or DVD format for $49.95 from Teaching Strategies. The resource provides techniques to build a classroom community...

Safe Active Play: A Guide to Avoiding Play Area Hazards.(Resources)(National Association for the Education of Young Children's handbook)(Brief Article)
October 19, 2005... Safe Active Play: A Guide to Avoiding Play Area Hazards is a video and guide with a 70-page training module. The resource is $69 for members and $76 for non-members from: National Association for the Education of Young Children, (800) 424-2460,...

The federal Child Care Bureau will provide an urgent grant award of $99,999 to the South Plains Community Action Association on behalf of the South Plains Early Childhood Council of Levelland, Tex.(Federal Register)(Brief Article)
October 19, 2005... The federal Child Care Bureau will provide an urgent grant award of $99,999 to the South Plains Community Action Association on behalf of the South Plains Early Childhood Council of Levelland, Tex. The grant will help the council with emergency...

The Advisory Committee on Head Start Accountability and Educational Performance Measures will meet Nov. 1-2 in Washington, D.C. to hear presentations on existing Head Start evaluations and implementation of the Head Start National Reporting System for young children.(Federal Register)
October 19, 2005... The Advisory Committee on Head Start Accountability and Educational Performance Measures will meet Nov. 1-2 in Washington, D.C. to hear presentations on existing Head Start evaluations and implementation of the Head Start National Reporting...