Children's Issues - a blog by Carole Stein and Friends

Request for Comments

2008-12-10T06:15:00.000-08:00

Many of you are probably aware that I have taken a strong position on the tragic accident at a child care ministry involving two-year old Vanessa Porter. My op-ed in The Indianapolis Star, “Unregulated often means unsafe for children,” which ran on Nov. 21, and Jeremy Brilliant’s recent report on WTHR in which he interviewed me and exposed the glaring differences between licensed and unlicensed child care centers brought significant local attention to this issue. However, much more needs to be done.

As tragic as Vanessa Porter’s story is, it provides an excellent opportunity for the larger community; that is, the residents of the state of Indiana, to move beyond mere discussion toward taking active steps to protecting children.

Child care is among the most critical decisions a parent must make. The government’s role should be to enact manageable, common-sense health and safety standards that apply to all child care facilities, including unlicensed ministries. Hundreds of thousands of Hoosier children are in child care situations every day. Let’s look at the current numbers:

Working Families Need:

· Number of children under 6 according to Census Data 2004 501,792

· Number of children with parents in the workforce 300,000

· In areas without full day kindergarten, that number would be rise to 400,000

Capacity to Meet the Need:

· Number of licensed child care centers 507 = 62,684 spaces

· Number of licensed child care homes 3,071 = 37,928 spaces

· Number of child care ministries 707 = 42,692 est. spaces

Voucher Program to assist low income families:

There are approximately 50,000 children on the federal child care voucher program

· There are 384 ministries with capacity of 25,000

· 25% of voucher children are in ministries = est. 6,250

Given what we know about the needs of working parents in Indiana and what we’ve learned about the dangers of unlicensed care, I suggest a vigorous debate on the following three items:

* Voluntary Certification for Child Care Ministries. The Voluntary Certification Program offers the tools, information and assistance necessary to attain health and safety standards. Ministries needing financial assistance can apply for funds. The goal for voluntary certification should be completion within four years. The Bureau of Child Care is pleased to announce that the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) has met the scoring requirements, and is considered an officially recognized accrediting body for child care providers in Indiana effective October 1, 2008. Child care providers meeting ACSI standards may be eligible for a 10% above market rate reimbursement for CCDF voucher children.

· Voluntary Certification Participation Requirement for Federal Vouchers. Parents are always free to choose unlicensed or ministry care if that is their wish; however, as taxpayers and citizens, we should hold our government accountable for the type of child care we fund with our tax dollars. In order to receive federal child care vouchers, ministries should be required to verify participation in the Voluntary Certification Program.

· Marketing and Parent Education. Many parents assume ministry child care is safe because it is provided in churches. These parents may not be aware of the differences between licensed and unlicensed care, and that unlicensed facilities do not meet the minimal health and safety regulations. An aggressive marketing campaign aimed at the education of parents, grandparents and businesses as to what constitutes quality care and how to find it should be developed. Such a campaign could include a video component for birth mothers and their families that can be viewed on in-room hospital networks. Healthy Families Indiana (HFI) could be leveraged for support.

These issue are open for comment. The first deadline for comments is December 16th and the second deadline is Jan. 15, 2009.

On December 19, lawmakers will be considering legislation for the coming session. Public input will be crucial in their decision to move forward. It is very important that I receive your comments. On Jan. 16, I will be meeting with a group of providers from across the state, as well as some political opponents of licensing for child care ministries.

Let’s finally take the step and say all child care facilities must meet minimal health and safety standards and that ministries receiving federal funds must meet health and safety standards as outlined in the Voluntary Certification Program.

Please take a few moments to respond about my suggestions above, or to offer your own thoughts. I can be contacted at the following email addresses: steingroup89@gmail.com and steingroup@comcast.net

Thank you so much for your help.

Carole

Child Care Supports Economic Development

2008-11-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

According to recent studies, 90% of parents using full-service child care centers say that access to a work-site center positively impacts their ability to be productive at work. Moreover, 96% of back-up child care users say that employer-sponsored back-up care would be important if they were to change jobs.

American businesses lose $3 billion in productivity annually due to breakdowns in child care - when their employees are not able to come to work because school is canceled or caregivers are ill among many other interruptions in meeting her work demands.

As Indiana strives to attract business to the state, we can look at what is being done in other cities. Indiana needs to support and recognize that an increase of available high-quality child care is a critical amenity that will help attract more young qualified workers to the area. Therefore it is a challenge for Indiana to meet this very basic need.

As Morton Marcus and I traveled the state on our "Economic Dimensions of the Child Care Industry" tour, we listened to business and community development leaders tell us that there is a shortage of young skilled workers to meet their workforce needs. We also heard from parents that there isn't adequate high quality child care for their very young children. We heard from Chamber of Commerce leadership in some counties that there is an interest and need for high-quality centers developed in the area where families work. And families won't be the only ones to benefit as companies realize the strategic benefits of sponsoring child care with increased productivity, retention of key employees, and improved recruitment of top candidates.

Indiana needs to recognize child care as an integral component of economic development.

Carole Stein

Where are the Children - Are they Safe?

2008-11-15T17:54:00.000-08:00

The Story of Vanessa Porter - a Casualty

Two year-old Vanessa Porter was known for her bright eyes and sweet smile, two things that will never again be the same because while she was in the care of an unlicensed child care ministry, her face was crushed by a 40 pound television.

After the staff at St. Mary’s Playhouse Daycare in Greensburg pulled that television off the injured child, they phoned her mother instead of calling 911. When Vanessa was later examined at Riley Hospital for Children after being airlifted there, it was discovered that her injuries included a broken nose, broken cheek bones, a broken jaw and eye sockets that had been crushed.

Tragic stories like this get repeated all too often, because Indiana fails to regulate health and safety at taxpayer-funded, unlicensed child-care ministries such as St. Mary’s in the same way that it regulates licensed facilities. In fact, Indiana Code §12 17.2 6 provides an exemption to child care ministries from licensing.

The only thing state law requires of these ministries is that they “provide notice” to the parents of each child who attends daycare at their facilities stating that the ministry does not have the same level of fire safety protection as a licensed child care center. That’s it.

Typically, buildings used for ministry daycare are old and were not designed, nor are they inspected, with preschoolers in mind. Often these buildings lack proper safety exits and fire escapes, making fire the number one safety issue for their young inhabitants. In addition, old buildings often have deteriorating lead paint that children can ingest by breathing the lead dust or by eating paint chips. Lead poisoning, which can cause delayed development, stunted growth, hearing loss and nervous system damage, can have long-range and serious implications for a child’s ability to learn and live a normal life.

Another very troublesome safety issue with unlicensed daycare is the unspecified ratio of caregivers to children and the lack of education requirements for caregivers. Often in these situations there are too many children and too few properly trained caregivers, another prescription for disaster.

As taxpayers, you and I are paying for preschoolers to attend these substandard, unlicensed facilities. Twenty percent of federal child care voucher funds that come to Indiana are distributed to unlicensed child care ministries. An estimated 25 percent of the 50,000 children on the federal child care voucher program in Indiana attend these ministries.

As a community of caring citizens and as taxpayers, we need to raise our voice to reform the way our state regulates and licenses child care facilities. Indiana is one of only 10 states that supports child care without regulating health and safety.

All of our children deserve to be protected. Let’s finally take the step and demand that government funds flow only into licensed child care facilities. Parents are always free to choose unlicensed or ministry care if that is their wish. But we should hold our government accountable for the type of child care we fund with our tax dollars. If we had taken this step months ago, Vanessa Porter, and her family, would probably still be smiling.

Vision for Child Care

2008-10-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Colleagues,

Please read and review and comment on components. What can we do in Indiana to help move this important Vision forward. Indiana was one of the first states to receive the original Act for Better Child Care funds - Child Care Development Block Grant. And, now we have a chance to jump in and speak up.

http://www.naccrra.org/policy/docs/ChildCareReauthorizationVision.pdf

Please feel free to comment and I will forward your comments.

Carole Stein

WHAT WOMEN WANT AND NEED

2008-10-14T04:19:00.000-07:00

These poll findings are very relevant and critical as we are moving into some unchartered waters for employment and for women raising families. Please read and connect when possible.

Poll Findings: Women Are Worried About the Future and Believe Government Must Act

According to a recent poll by the National Women's Law Center, women feel the impact of economic insecurity and rising food, energy, education, and health care costs more deeply than men – and see government as a key to the solution.

Women want:

For more details on the poll, read NWLC's press release, the fact sheet, or the complete Interested Parties memo on the poll results.

A Platform for Progress

The National Women's Law Center also released A Platform for Progress – an agenda to address the unmet needs of women and their families in the areas of education, employment, economic security, health, and legal rights.

What's Your Take?

What's your take on the issues addressed by this poll? Tell us what you think.

Media Coverage

The polling data has been featured in:

EDUCATION - an election issue

2008-10-14T02:44:00.000-07:00

The Long Thompson approach to education reform:

Jill Long Thomson, a former college professor brings a unique commitment to improving the state's education system. In order to grow Indiana's economy and keep businesses here, I feel it is crucial that Indiana reforms its education policy to better equip the workforce for the future.
I have encouraged Jill Long Thompson to establish a priority of early childhood education. That is where it starts.

Jill Long Thompson has a plan but I am suggesting that another priority be established within her framework and it recognizing the value of high quality early childhood to allow women to enter the workforce and support their young families.

Early Childhood Education and Care: The child care needs of American women and their families have increased dramatically as women with children have entered the paid workforce in unprecedented numbers. Yet high-quality child care is too often unaffordable or simply not available. Women and their families thus have a tremendous stake in public policies that will help make high-quality child care available and affordable to those who need it. That is why I am working together with the National Women's Law Center to improve the quality, affordability, and accessibility of child care, with a special emphasis on ways to expand public and private financing of the changes needed to achieve these goals.

The Long Thompson administration will do the following:

Create a public private partnership to offer free books to all Hoosier children from birth through age five: Modeled after Tennessee's partnership with Dolly Paarton's "Imagination Library." Children who enter kindergarten with the skills and love of reading are far more likely to graduate from high school and become productive and successful in the workforce.
Reduce the high school dropout rate by putting more flexibility into our schools and personalizing education: Jill Long's approach will restructure the high school experience, provide more options and opportunities so that more students, including special education students, graduate with the ability to succeed in future endeavors.
Improve access to higher education and lifelong learning opportunities by creating a seamless education system that allows easier transfer of credits and courses: Jill believes we need to make college level courses for credit more available to students in their junior and senior years of high school and transferable to any public post-secondary institution in Indiana, at no additional cost to the students or families.
Expand the 21st Century Scholars Program: Jill will seek to expand the program to embrace a large percentage of lower and middle income families. She will research new ways of accessing college funding mechanisms.
Create a Higher Education Fund for additional 21st Century Scholarships. She will immediately work to create its own higher education foundation to tap billions of dollars available in philanthropic aid just as other municipalities have done, and use these funds to pay for expanding the Scholars program so more deserving students can attend college.

Please log on to http://www.collegeloanmarket.com/for new and innovative ways to assist families access lending for college.

There is much to do - and with some ingenuity, we will prevail.

Carole Stein

New Child Care Agenda - National Women's Law Center

2008-10-10T20:58:00.000-07:00

October 8, 2008

Dear Friend of Child Care,

Over the past several months, a group of national and state organizations has been working to craft a shared agenda or “blueprint” for the future of child care, and we are now asking national, state, and local organizations to endorse this agenda. This historic collaboration has been a comprehensive process that has engaged a broad group of voices across the country. Most importantly, it has produced a solid framework for guiding the reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and other opportunities for child care improvements in the new Administration and new Congress that take office next year.

We are pleased to share the product of this historic collaboration -- Developing America’s Potential: an Agenda for Affordable, High-Quality Child Care. The Agenda recognizes that high-quality child care helps children, families and communities prosper. It helps children learn and develop skills they need to succeed in school and in life. It gives parents the support and peace of mind they need to be productive at work. It also helps our nation stay competitive, by producing a stronger workforce now and in the future. But for many families – especially, but not only, low-income families – high-quality child care is unaffordable or unattainable. This Agenda for Affordable, High-Quality Child Care proposes comprehensive reforms to ensure safe, healthy and affordable child care that promotes early learning. It has five key objectives and proposes increased federal funding to meet these objectives:

· Children will be in healthy and safe child care settings.

o States will develop specific minimum health and safety standards for all child care providers caring for children not related to the provider for a fee on a regular basis.

o States will require these providers to have comprehensive background checks that include an FBI fingerprint check, participate in 40 hours of appropriate health and safety pre-service training and 24 hours of annual training.

o States will inspect child care settings at least twice a year, once on an unannounced basis.

· Children will be in child care settings that promote early learning.

o States will develop a Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). The QRIS will rate providers on the quality of care they offer, beginning at the level of quality needed for providers to become licensed and regulated, and increasing to nationally recognized high standards.

o States will make grants available to help programs achieve and maintain the higher standards of the QRIS, including to assist providers in obtaining training, credentials, and degrees, as well as to increase providers’ compensation commensurate with their education. Programs and providers serving low-income children will receive priority for these grants.

o Grants and loans will be available for facility renovation and construction, with a specific focus on providers in low-income areas.

· High-quality child care for infants and toddlers will be expanded.

o States will administer grants to top-level QRIS providers to provide high-quality, comprehensive child care and development services.

o States will support organizations that operate family child care networks and provide technical assistance to other infant and toddler providers in their communities, including relative caregivers.

o States will support a statewide network of specialists to provide training and consultation on high-quality infant and toddler care.

· More families will have help paying for child care.

o States will double the number of children in low-income families who currently receive child care assistance.

o States will set a one-year, assistance-eligibility period for families.

o States will reimburse providers who serve children receiving assistance at no less than the 75^th percentile of currently valid market rates; and will develop strategies to increase the supply of care for underserved children including, such as children with disabilities and other special needs, children in limited- English-speaking families, and children whose parents work non-standard hours.

o The Dependent Care Tax Credit will be made refundable to help low-income families, the sliding scale for determining the amount of the credit will be expanded to help middle-income families, and the credit will be indexed for inflation to preserve its value to all families.

· A strong infrastructure will provide both research to guide policy development and technical assistance to states to improve the quality of care.

o States will conduct studies on compensation and other characteristics of the child care workforce.

o Technical assistance will be provided to states on conducting valid market-rate surveys and developing QRIS.

o Collaboration will be encouraged across early childhood programs.

The Agenda provides concrete policy proposals to achieve these objectives.

Your support is important to our success.

As many important issues compete for attention in the new Administration and a new Congress, a strong, collective voice will be a key component to our success. To strengthen the call to action on child care, we are asking our partners across the country to show their support for this comprehensive Agenda. (A list of the partners that have already endorsed the Agenda is attached.)

We are hosting a webinar on Monday, October 27^th at 2 pm EST to discuss the content of the Agenda and its relationship to new legislation. Future webinars and conference calls will focus on strategies for moving the Agenda forward in the coming months.

To join the growing list of local, state, and national organizations supporting Developing America’s Potential: an Agenda for Affordable, High-Quality Child Care, please register your support at our website. Your endorsement is an important contribution to making child care a top priority for policymakers.

We are eager to work with you, and your endorsement is the first important step in this shared campaign to make the Agenda a reality for children and families.

If you have any questions, please contact me at hblank@nwlc.org or (202) 319-3036.

Carole Stein, The Stein Group and Helen Blank, NWLC

child care tax credits

2008-10-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

Comment: Consider what it took for the government to act on such recommendations from all children's care national and state organizations. Please be certain to pass this information to your colleagues.

Carole

Article from the October 9, 2008 edition of the CHN Human Needs Report:

On October 3, its final day in session, Congress passed and the President signed into law a major improvement in the Child Tax Credit that will help 13 million low-income children. The provision makes families with earnings of $8,500 or more eligible for a partial Child Tax Credit although they don't earn enough to owe federal income taxes (called a “refundable” credit). Approximately 2.9 million children will become newly eligible for the credit and 10.1 million will receive a larger credit. Without the improvement families would have had to earn at least $12,050 in 2008 to be eligible for the partial credit. The reduced earnings requirement was enacted for one year; although advocates have hopes it will not be too difficult to persuade Congress to extend it.

Seventy percent of the children who benefit from the change in the Child Tax Credit live in families in which a parent works 30 or more hours per week year around, and nearly one in ten of the children live in families where either a parent or child has a disability. Many of the parents who would be assisted work in low paying and difficult jobs providing critical services, such as health care to the elderly or ill and teaching young children. For state-by-state estimates of the number of children who will benefit from the Child Tax Credit expansion see the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report at: http://www.cbpp.org/5-15-08tax.pdf .

A tax package which included changes in the Child Tax Credit, an Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) ‘patch,' renewal of expiring annual tax credits often referred to as ‘extenders,' and a number of new tax incentives for the production and use of renewable forms of energy for months had been caught up in a standoff between the House and Senate. House Democrats insisted that the entire cost of the package should be paid for (offset) by raising revenues elsewhere in the tax system. Senate Republicans opposed paying for the AMT and expiring credits; they only supported partially offsetting the remaining provisions. They stymied efforts to bring the fully paid-for House bill, H.R. 6049, to the Senate floor by preventing it from receiving the 60 votes needed to move forward. See Human Needs Report for July 1 for more details: http://www.chn.org/humanneeds/080701b.html .

It looked as though Congress would recess without passing the tax package until the financial rescue bill provided a potential vehicle for passage. After the rescue bill failed in the House, the Senate revised the bill by adding the stalled tax package plus tax benefits for regions of the Midwest, Texas, and Louisiana affected by Hurricane Ike and major flooding. The Senate gambled that the increasing pressures on the House to pass a rescue plan plus the desire by many House members to adopt some or all of the tax cut/disaster relief package would overcome House opposition to the Senate approach. It worked. Ultimately the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (H.R. 1424) easily passed the Senate by a vote of 74-25 and garnered enough votes in the House (263-171) to become law. The partly offset tax provisions have a net 10-year cost of $110 billion, added to the $700 billion potential price tag for the bailout.

How and are we protecting our children?

2008-10-06T03:28:00.000-07:00

Issue: Child Abuse and Neglect - No Family Left Behind: Where are the Families? Who are the Families?

The rate of reported and substantiated abuse, neglect and fatalities is not being reduced. All families identified at risk of abuse and neglect need a level of prevention service before an intervention is indicated.

Current Statistics and Problems:

Lack of a multi level comprehensive Abuse and Neglect Prevention approach to reach all families at risk of abuse and neglect.

# 1.

If 50% of all newborns screened meet the risk factors for eligibility for HFI and only 20% are offered or accept participation in the home visiting program, where are the other 30% of at risk infants?

# 2.

Are the abuse fatalities found in Hoosier families who met the risk factors but were not offered home visiting services?

# 3.

Does Indiana have a follow along process to track those 30% of at risk infants and families?

Prospective Solution:

Create unique identifiers for families screened and identified as at risk but not offered home visiting services. Place these families in a confidential and discrete file where outreach efforts could be systematically offered for purposes of breaking the problems of isolation and depression and the myriad of social issues faced by these families.

Creative Opportunity:

HFI, the home visiting service provider will partner with Prevent Child Abuse/The Villages, Inc., the education and outreach specialist and become a state of the art integrated multi level abuse and neglect prevention service model for the state and the nation.

How:

The integration of Prevent Child Abuse into The Villages, Inc. can serve as the vehicle to offer outreach opportunities to the 30% of infants and families.

· PCA has public awareness skills, networking experience and access to contacts in local communities.

· PCA has credibility in conducting workshops, preparing written materials, developing audio visual and information sessions for young families.

· PCA can offer in-service trainings to early childhood program providers. Workshops assisting child care providers in early identification and recognition.

· PCA can develop and facilitate the skillful approach to parents without shutting the child out of the program. This has been requested by providers for many years.

Prepared by Carole Stein, The Stein Group

TANF Transfer to Child Care

2007-10-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

My concerns and questions are included in RED within this press release.

FSSA ANNOUNCES TANF TRANSFER TO RAISE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL

INDIANAPOLIS (October 3, 2007) - Today the Family and Social Services Administration’s (FSSA) Bureau of Child Care (BCC) announced the 2007 TANF transfer of an additional $10 million into the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF). Ultimately, this transfer will move Indiana from 49^th to 30^th in the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) served.

These dollars are targeted for TANF families – these funds are not focused on support for parents already in the workforce. How do we establish another child care funding stream?

“This funding gives our low-income Hoosiers piece of mind in knowing that their children are cared for in a safe environment while they work to provide for their families,” said Lt. Governor Becky Skillman. “The extra dollars in the Child Care Development Fund will help serve nearly 2,000 additional children whose parents are transitioning out of the welfare system.”

The focus here is on parents transitioning out of the welfare system. We must shift that focus to support families who are already in the workforce and paying taxes. That would mean an increase in income eligibility. In every county we visited during the Economic Impact of Child Care public awareness tour, the issue was always the same: not enough well trained young skilled workers; the region does not attract and retain young families and not enough high quality available and affordable child care.

Effective immediately, the TANF transfer will increase the FPL from 141% to 170% and increase reimbursement rates to licensed child care providers by an average of 3%.

According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, Indiana is recognized as one of only 13 states that has done this in the past two years. In addition, starting in January 2008, the BCC will begin implementation of the Quality Rating System (QRS) for providers.

How does this increase in the FPL impact the income eligibility for the voucher program? The original purpose of CCDBG was to support working families up to 250% - Indiana assisted families to 200% of poverty. At that time, AFDC child care program or the IVA program funds supported the current TANF families. When all child care was consolidated into one grant – Child Care Development Fund, we lost child care support for families in the workforce struggling to pay for quality child care. That is why we need an additional child care funding stream and we need to adopt the refundable tax credit for low income working families. This would be another progressive step for Indiana.

“Research shows that high quality learning experiences prepare children for future success,” said FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob. “Quality Rating System’s are a vital tool for parents as they make decisions about what child care settings are best for their children.”

We certainly agree that high quality learning experiences prepare children for future success. But, in every county during our public awareness tour, we learned that there was a shortage of high quality care available and affordable. The national model of QRS always includes as a critical component that of provider financial incentives. So, how do we do what we say we believe?

In addition to an FPL percentage increase and the QRS, expected results of this transfer include: an increase in the number of licensed capacity, an increase in the number of children with vouchers and an increase in the percentage of children with vouchers enrolled in licensed child care. The funds became effective October 1, 2007.

What will ensure that more children will have access to licensed care? If the income eligibility remains at $20,000 for a family of three – how can a family afford $8 -10,000 a year for child care? The only assistance to low income working parents would be the refundable tax credit or a working family child care stream of funding. The credit was offered to the GA last session, but Senator Kenley did not hear the bill. We had House support, but no hearing by the Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee.

Carole Stein
The Stein Group

Is BiPartisanship Really Alive and Well in Indiana

2007-08-30T06:44:00.000-07:00

The Indianapolis Business Journal printed the following article on Governor Daniels' spirit of bipartisanship. My experience with the Daniels' administration was very different. As I said in my response to Mr. Maurer, I am pleased that the Governor has seen the value of working together. I am sharing my views on his article and reprinting the article for your reading.

I enjoyed reading your article on “The right man for a tough job.”

I compliment the Governor on his creation of the Commission and also on the diverse composition. I appreciate his bipartisanship in this effort. But, to think he has always been bipartisan in his management is not completely accurate.

My personal experience with Judge Payne speaks directly in contrast to this philosophy. I gave testimony on behalf of the Governor’s appointment of Jim Payne. I had worked with Jim at the Juvenile Court when NCJW was heavily involved in the Guardian Ad Litem program/CASA. I thought he was very committed to the health and safety of young children. After he received the official appointment, I went to see him and offered to assist him, in a voluntary role, to bring the democrats on board with his future initiatives. He told me straight – “We don’t work with Democrats.” And that was the end of my relationship with the Department of Children’s Services. He was aware that it was under my leadership in FSSA that we developed Healthy Families Indiana – the diamond in the crown of abuse prevention. Getting the public private funding to put HFI in every county in the state took working the Rs and Ds.

And my experience with Mitch Roob also speaks in contrast with bipartisanship. When Mitch looked across the table from me with high level professionals of IUPUI schools of law, health, business research council, Solution Center and Fox 59 in attendance and told me that I was no longer in the majority and my work was not going to be supported by him. It was after that meeting that The Stein Group contract was taken off the table of the Bureau of Child Care.

Perhaps the Governor has learned that we must work together. But, in truth it was not always his operative style.

Keep writing your great articles. You and Morton Marcus certainly make the IBJ an exciting paper to read.

Thanks,

Carole

The article written by Mr. Maurer in the IBJ is below:


EDITORIAL: Leaders needed for tougher times
No easy fixes for region’s problems Sat. August 25 - 2007

IBJ Staff

Mark Miles returned to Indianapolis last year to take over as CEO of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership because he sees this as a city where leaders “can get things done.” That’s what Miles told reporter Peter Schnitzler in a profile that ran in IBJ last week. We hope the city doesn’t disappoint. Much has changed here since 1990, when Miles left Indianapolis and a 16-year career in politics and business to lead the men’s professional tennis tour. There’s plenty to brag about, no doubt. The transformation of downtown into a magnet for residents, tourists and convention-goers took off with the opening of Circle Centre mall and continued with more than one convention center expansion and millions of dollars in hotel and residential development. The NCAA moved here, the city’s sports star continued to shine, and the country’s largest publicly traded health insurer (WellPoint) and retail developer (Simon) now call the city home. Universities are collaborating to help build our life sciences economy. We have a lot to be proud of.

Yet the seeds for much of what Indianapolis accomplished while Miles was away were sewn in a different era. Maybe this is still a city where leaders can get things done, but bold achievements have been in short supply in recent years. No one has been able to both propose and sell solutions to our most vexing problems:

Our city has grown to cover a nine-county region, but the competing interests of local governments pit counties and neighborhoods against one another and stifle our ability to efficiently and fairly fund government services that people region-wide depend upon. Only strong leadership can persuade people to look beyond their narrow interests.

Our region lacks the public transportation infrastructure most cities take for granted. Economic isolation and clogged roads are the result. The problem has been studied and restudied, but leadership on the issue is in short supply.

Public education, especially in Indianapolis Public Schools, has continued its downward spiral. Perhaps the district is too far gone and needs to be merged with its neighboring districts, but no one of influence is willing to champion such a controversial endeavor.

It’s likely the city’s inability to solve big problems is a result of today’s more divisive political climate. The gogo days of the 1970s and ’80s were nothing if not politically bland. The mayor’s office and City-County Council were both solidly Republican the entire time and the governor’s office was in GOP hands over most of those two decades. A lack of political opposition gave the leaders of that era more freedom to pursue ambitious agendas.

Maybe the problem is that today’s challenges are more problematic than building state-of-the-art sports facilities. Poor public education and the high crime rates that follow are the result of myriad social ills that have stumped problem solvers nationwide.

It’s clear we need leaders now more than ever.

We hope Miles and other leaders get things done here in the years to come. If they do, it’ll be because of the bridges they build to get beyond politics and paralyzing self-interest—obstacles that barely existed here when Miles left. •

What do you think of Senator Dodd’s proposal?

2007-08-15T13:54:00.001-07:00

What do you think of Senator Dodd’s proposal?

Dodd: Reform No Child Left Behind
MSNBC - USA
Dodd called for No Child Left Behind to be reformed -- not scrapped as other Democratic presidential candidates have proposed. He also repeated his call for ...
See all stories on this topic

Response from Parents and Teachers:

From Teacher in Arizona:

We know it is up for review in October. It will never go away.... we are hoping for some grandfather clause or some explanation of how they will handle so many unfilled classrooms. Of course we need these answers from the state too. They are going to be in trouble when looking for teachers appropriately certified. They ill end up with other non appropriate teachers in the classrooms... like subs or people they recruit without teaching experience. It will be a turning point for our city/state when this happens next year...whatever does happen is still a guess.

The only pathetic thing currently is that the district is offering us only us a 1% raise. They feel this is a good offer. Sick!!!! 1% does not cover the money they are taking back(repayment to the district) for an insurance error they made three years ago. In addition, still our retirement is going up so the 1% would not even cover that stuff. Another year they think is ok to have us make less than the year before...three years in a row. Sick!!!!

From a Parent in Massachusetts:

I think Dodd is pretty far off base on all his educational proposals.

His idea of eliminating the lender subsidy for federal student loans is ill-conceived. If you completely eliminate the subsidy then 75% of the federal loans which are run through private banks will no longer be booked. The direct loan program cannot be quadrupled in size to make up the difference. His proposal is purely pandering to people who don't understand anything about how student loans work. His proposals regarding private loans are equally off base.

I think that No Child Left Behind is too flawed to fix and should be scrapped. Congress can come back in a year or two and try again to get it right, this time by funding some of the mandates and setting realistic standards.

Report on Child Poverty in Indiana - July 2007

2007-08-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

Is there a Public Will to Address this Neglect?

The Indianapolis Star presented highlights of the new Child Poverty report released by the Indiana Youth Institute on July 25th.

"We are moving in the wrong direction, and we need to find a way to turn that around," said Bill Stanczykiewicz, president of the Institute. "Poverty crushes hope. Poverty crushes aspirations. And kids stop trying because they don't see the adults around them with good jobs, educations and opportunities."

I encourage Indiana to look at the role of economic and tax policy. Last session the legislature had an opportunity to give assistance to low income working parents through a child care tax credit - but that bill did not even receive a hearing. What is the message being sent to parents struggling to go to work and give quality care to their preschoolers?

Let me say that I understand and support the major improvements being made in the city and state. I will certainly enjoy the new sports' stadium and I will enjoy the comforts of our new airport and certainly the exquisite museums. I understand the importance of schools building expanded physical fitness facilities and libraries and other up-scale projects.

But at the same time, we need to look into the lives and faces of children living in poverty to realize that we are supporting a society that is ignoring the greatest risk factor of all and that is poverty. Family poverty is relentlessly correlated with high rates of school age childbearing, school failure, violent crime, abuse and neglect and child fatalities. Low income is an important risk factor in itself and so is relative poverty - having significantly less income than the norm, especially in a society that places such a high value on economic success.

If you missed the Star highlights - just take a minute to look at these statistics on How Indiana Stacks Up!

Where we are slipping

Percentage of low birth-weight babies increased 9 percent, from 7.4 percent to 8.1 percent. The national average is 8.1 percent.

Percentage of children living in families where no parent has full-time, year -round employment increased 19 percent, from 27 percent to 32 percent. The national average is 34 percent.

According to Census data, in 2005 there were 311,655 children younger than 6 whose parents had jobs. However, Institute data show there were only 138,269 lots available for children in licensed child care.

According to this month's Licensing Report from FSSA, there has been a decrease in available licensed care since 2005 to 98,135.

Percentage of children in single parent families rose 3 percent, from 29 percent to 30 percent. The national average is 32 percent.

The infant mortality rate increased from 7.8 deaths to 8 for every 1,000 live births. The national average is 6.8

So let's continue building a beautiful city and state - but let's stop for a moment and consider the findings in this report. Let's look at the future for the state. That future resides in our children.

I would encourage you to access the full Kids Count report funded by Annie E. Casey Foundation through the Indiana Youth Institute. For more information, call the Star Reporter Tim Evans at 317-444-6204.

I suggest you read the following excellent response to the Star coverage as prepared by Jennifer Pope-Baker of the Women's Fund of Central Indiana.

My View: Jennifer Pope Baker Help for women can lift kids out of ...
Indianapolis Star - United States
Closely related to a woman's ability to make a living wage is the availability of safe, affordable and high-quality child care. The number of child-care ...
See all stories on this topic

Carole Stein

No Child Left Behind - Where are We?

2007-07-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

There are teachers at risk of losing their jobs and children at risk of losing dedicated teachers.

Test scores alone will not create a learning and teaching environment best suited to most children.

Continue to read the links from around the country - this is one way to learn and respond. Keep your legislators informed of your position on education reform.

Changes needed in No Child Left Behind Act
DesMoinesRegister.com - Des Moines,IA,USA
The US House Education Committee is moving very quickly to write the next version of No Child Left Behind/Elementary and Secondary Education Act before ...
See all stories on this topic

27 schools face sanctions
OCRegister - Orange County,CA,USA
These are No Child Left Behind scores that determine whether schools have met federal goals for achievement. The Academic Performance Index, STAR results, ...
See all stories on this topic

'No Child' leaves behind many vulnerable kids
The Free Lance-Star - Fredericksburg,VA,USA
The "Failing grades" editorial [July 6] commented admirably on the deficits of No Child Left Behind. For once, I was glad to see someone take on the "highly ...
See all stories on this topic

Carole Stein

High Quality Child Care - Mental Health Prevention

2007-06-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

High-quality Child Care for Low-income Children Offset the Risk of Later Depression

This study reinforces my belief that children and families in the Indiana Healthy Families program should have unlimited access to high quality infant and toddler care. The HFI program serves the families during the period of time they are receiving home vistor services. Choices for child care as moms go to work or return to school need to become a high priority of the HFI program. These special preschoolers need every opportunity to access the highest quality child care provided by the best trained and skilled providers.

This is the reason I want to share the following research with you.

Young adults from low-income families who were in full-time early educational child care from infancy to age 5 reported fewer symptoms of depression than their peers who were not in this type of care, according to a new report. The early educational intervention also appears to have protected the children to some extent against the negative effects of their home environments.

Newswise — Young adults from low-income families who were in full-time early educational child care from infancy to age 5 reported fewer symptoms of depression than their peers who were not in this type of care, according to a new report. The early educational intervention also appears to have protected the children to some extent against the negative effects of their home environments.The report, from the FPG Child Development Institute (FPG) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, uses data from the Abecedarian Project, a longitudinal study begun in 1972 in which 111 high-risk children were randomly assigned to early educational child care from infancy to age 5 or to a control group that received various other forms of child care. The study is published in the May/June 2007 issue of the journal Child Development.
Research has shown a relationship between poverty in early childhood and an increased risk for mental health problems in adulthood. A number of early intervention programs have been found to enhance the cognitive development and academic outcomes of children living in poverty, but less is known about the long-term effects of these programs on children’s mental health.

In the Abecedarian Project, 98 percent of the children were black and all came from low-income families with demographic factors known to predict developmental delays or academic problems. As part of the study, developmental and demographic data were collected regularly during the early childhood years with follow-up assessments in adolescence and young adulthood.

The study followed up with 104 study participants when they were 21 and found that those who had participated in the child care program had fewer symptoms of depression than those who did not.

Early child care also moderated the effects of the children’s home environments on subsequent feelings of depression. For children in the control group, the more negative the early home environment, the greater the likelihood of signs of depression.

“The early intervention does not appear to have changed home environments,” according to Frances A. Campbell, a senior scientist at FPG and one of the authors of the study. “Rather, it buffered, or protected, the children from the adverse effects of less-optimal early home environments. This evidence, indicating that good early childhood experiences can make a positive difference in the mental health of individuals born into poverty, underscores the importance of investing in high-quality early childhood experiences for poor children.”

The study was funded, in part, by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, the National Institute of Early Childhood Development and Education, and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement.

© 2007 Newswise. All Rights Reserved.

FSSA's Quality Rating System - Who Pays?

2007-06-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

"Recognizing the positive impact of Paths to Quality, a rating system for child care, Mitch Roob, secretary of Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration, has announced the program is going statewide next year.

Paths to Quality helps parents identify and select the best early care for their children by establishing four levels of quality for early care programs. 1: health and safety needs; 2: an environment that supports children's learning; 3: a planned curriculum that fosters optimal development; and 4: national accreditation indicating the highest quality for children.

Paths to Quality was launched in Allen County in 2000 and has since expanded to five more counties in northeast Indiana and 12 counties in southwest Indiana. This program grew out of a Foellinger Foundation grant invitation and is funded by the Child Care and Early Education Partnership, which includes the Foundation, the Early Childhood Alliance, and several other foundations and organizations with a vested in interest in early childhood development.

Reaching these quality levels will definitely improve the quality of care. But, how do we expect providers to reach these levels without additional private partnerships or without government investment?

Let's consider the following:

Facts:

Out of nine major industries in Indiana, child care employment is 4th from the bottom at $25,204 annual salaries - that is less than gasoline attendants, and personal and laundry services.
There are over 400,000 children in out of home care for working parents with only 100,000 high quality licensed spaces.
Business and economic development leaders throughout the state have expressed concern that there are not enough well trained young workers in the state; there is difficulty in attracting and retaining young workers; and, there is a child care shortage, especially for infants and toddlers.
Each region of the state expressed a desire to improve the workforce and the child care situation.

The challenge to expand Paths to Quality to a statewide program requires a financial commitment by FSSA to directly assist the child care industry along with an aggressive effort to build additional private partnerships.

If we do not rise to this challenge, the child care industry will remain an unrecognized and undervalued industry - families will continue to be forced to confront the challenges of family time, the growing conflict between work and home and a pervasive anxiety about the future of their children.

It is also a challenge to Indiana to decide how our culture will participate in the reshaping of childhood.

ARE WE LEAVING CHILDREN BEHIND?

2007-06-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

The Indianapolis Star's study of June 7th asked the question "Are Indiana Schools Passing or Failing? And the answer depends on whom you ask! Data suggests states satisfy NCLB law by expecting less from their students. If that is the case, then we are leaving children behind. It is yours to study!

Even before the NCLB Act raised the stakes in 2002, The Stein Group team was exploring how and if schools, parents, providers, and teachers were meeting the needs of young children. Early childhood education research has captivated the country during the last decade.

Introduced by President Bush in 2002, NCLB stresses accountability in public education, and instituted a slew of requirements around school testing and performance. The Act is up for re-authorization.

But critics have pointed to how NCLB mandatory testing, and penalties for not meeting certain bars, has schools more focused on preparing for these exams than on teaching children to think about what they are learning. The NCLB fails to look at the gains a student has made, and is instead focused on statistics.

One example is the required testing of students who have been in the United States for at least a year. This includes students who are limited English proficient. While the progress of English Language Learners should be regularly gauged, it doesn’t take an expert to guess that it takes more than one year to achieve English proficiency, especially for high school aged students.

A new NCLB should change the one-year requirement for English Language Learners.
It should also include “value-added” measures for teachers, as recommended by a bipartisan commission that has studied NCLB, and resources for drawing quality teachers. NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has emphasized the critical difference that NCLB-designated funding would make in providing incentives to attract and keep quality teachers in the schools that need them the most.

The NCLB commission recognized that the U.S. educational system was not only leaving students unprepared for a globalized, high tech economy but not even helping them achieve proficiency in reading and math. While a good step toward remedying this deplorable status, NCLB needs tinkering that will further accountability without crucifying schools.

Children's Issues - a blog by Carole Stein and Friends

Request for Comments

Child Care Supports Economic Development

Where are the Children - Are they Safe?

Vision for Child Care

WHAT WOMEN WANT AND NEED

What Women Want

Poll Findings: Women Are Worried About the Future and Believe Government Must Act

A Platform for Progress

What's Your Take?

Media Coverage

EDUCATION - an election issue

New Child Care Agenda - National Women's Law Center

child care tax credits

How and are we protecting our children?

TANF Transfer to Child Care

Is BiPartisanship Really Alive and Well in Indiana

What do you think of Senator Dodd’s proposal?

Report on Child Poverty in Indiana - July 2007

No Child Left Behind - Where are We?

High Quality Child Care - Mental Health Prevention

FSSA's Quality Rating System - Who Pays?

ARE WE LEAVING CHILDREN BEHIND?