Early Childhood Education and Care

0-3 Programs  administered by the Children’s Trust Fund -- (child abuse and neglect prevention through nurse home visitation, parent education):

·       0-3 Secondary Prevention Collaborative Grant Programs (child abuse & neglect prevention):  Increase appropriations in three state budgets to $10 million total – School Aid Budget, Community Health Budget, Human Services Budget. 

·       Support reintroduction of measure to codify the Children’s Trust Fund 0-3 Secondary Prevention Program in state law

·       Support reintroduction and promote passage of a joint resolution memorializing Congress to pass the Education Begins At Home (EBAH) Act.

Nurse Family Partnership (child abuse and neglect prevention through nurse home visitation, parent education):

·       Nurse Family Partnership Program (child abuse & neglect prevention):  Increase state funding to provide for ten pilot programs.  Currently, only five NFP pilot programs in state.  Focus attention on Tri-City project for Saginaw, Bay City & Midland.

Great Parents Great Start (parent education 0-5):

·       Continue $5 million in the School Aid Budget for the Great Parents Great Start parent education programs.

Early Childhood Investment Corporation (0-5 collaboration):

·       Support the Executive recommendation in the Department of Human Services Budget and the School Aid Budget for the Early Childhood Investment Corporation and Great Start Collaborative programs.

Great Start Readiness Program (state-funded preschool for at-risk 4-yar-olds):

·       Increase by $10 million to provide approximately 7,000 additional eligible at-risk 4-year-olds with state-funded preschool experience.

·       Increase per slot reimbursement from $3,400 to $3,500.

·       Require greater collaboration of state preschool providers with Head Start to ensure appropriate recruitment.  Keep allowance for use of the two half-day programs for a full-day program for eligible preschoolers.

·       Remove Parents Involved in Education (PIE) Boilerplate language and allowance from GSRP allowed expenditure.

Child Day Care: 

·       Increase eligibility from 150% of federal poverty level to 185% of federal poverty level.

·       Increase subsidy to recipients by up to 25%.

·       Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG):  Promote and pass a joint resolution memorializing Congress to approve significant increases in discretionary funding and increase percentage of CCDBG funds set aside for quality improvement.