In November, WAEYC informed you of new guidelines for STARS reimbursement. This month we were told by the Department of Early Learning (DEL), that the new guidelines will NOT be effective January 1, 2010 due to the 2009-2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington and SEIU Local 925 (“family child care contract”).

Article 14 Training and Incentives, 14.1 Training – Licensed
For Licensed Providers who need assistance, the State will continue to provide scholarship funds (at the same level as provided in the 07-09 biennial budget or more as DEL determines necessary) to help pay the cost for the initial twenty (20) hours of STARS training or equivalent training, and ongoing ten (10) hours per year.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. Although both DEL and WAEYC recognize this to be a sound idea as well as a strong incentive for providers to complete college-based training, it cannot be implemented at this time. Both DEL and WAEYC are continuing to seek ways to assure quality training for providers and we will keep you informed of any and all changes.

The early care and learning coalition is taking two actions at the federal level and needs your help.

1) Early Learning Challenge Fund Sign On Letter by state and local organizations

We're urging the Senate to advance a bill that supports a new Early Learning Challenge Fund after they finish their work on health care reform. As you know, the House passed its version but the Senate has published or taken up the bill. We know it can't come up before they finish health care reform on the floor, but want to make sure it's the next thing they take up.

Our goal is to have hundreds of state, local, and national organizations signed on the letter. Please help us reach our goal by forwarding this e-mail to organizations that support early childhood education.

Attached is the letter. We need to hear from you and other groups by Monday December 14 with name of organization, city, and state. You and other organizations should contact me at arobinson@naeyc.org

For a summary of the House-passed bill, go to www.naeyc.org/policy/federal/07_17_09

2) Calls to White House next week on FY 2011 budget

We want to give you a heads-up that we and other groups are planning a two-day call to the White House (Wed Dec 9 and Thur Dec 10) with what we want the President's budget to recommend for FY 2011 for CCDBG, Head Start/Early Head Start, Part C and preschool special ed. (Can't do an exhaustive list in a call) We'll put out the alert to Children's Champions on Wednesday with the call number and an email for the White House. This is NOT a call to the Congress - the Administration is finalizing its next budget request, Congress is dealing with the health care bill.

Adele Robinson
Associate Executive Director, Public Policy
NAEYC
1313 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-350-8837
Fax: 202-328-2604

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8. NAEYC is committed to becoming an increasingly high performing and inclusive organization.

Founded in 1926, NAEYC is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 90,000 members, a national network of over 300 local, state, and regional Affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations.

Matt Seiler
Affiliate Relations Coordinator
202-350-8821


Matt Seiler
Affiliate Relations Coordinator
202-350-8821

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8. NAEYC is committed to becoming an increasingly high performing and inclusive organization.

Founded in 1926, NAEYC is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 90,000 members, a national network of over 300 local, state, and regional Affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations.