Child Care Task Force Report: Ambassadors for Children
Recommendations for Improving Accessibility, Affordability and Quality of Child Care
The three Advocacy committees submitted a variety of recommendations to the Children's Fund Committee. These recommendations are available for consideration by other community funders and several did receive funding in the City of Austin's 1999/2000 budget. All these recommendations are for programs that already exist locally or in other communities.
RECOMMENDED FOR IMMEDIATE & ONGOING COMMUNITY IMPLEMENTATION:
1. Teacher Training, Retention and Compensation Program (Teacher TRAC)
The level of early childhood development education held by classroom teachers and center directors is one of the best predictors of quality in classroom and program environments. Because of the low wages, poor benefits and perceived low status of early childhood work, the present supply of trained staff is drastically inadequate. An important first step to remedy this situation was taken in April, 1999 when the Teacher TRAC program was initiated on a very limited basis.
The Teacher TRAC program pays college tuition, books and 75% of small incentive bonuses at predetermined progress points. The child care organizations provide 25% of the bonuses and wage increases upon program completion. The teachers agree to remain at their center during and for one year after completing the planned course of study.
The current level of funding by the City of Austin in the 1999/2000 budget is $100,000. The program has experienced a high level of demand and additional funding is needed.
2. Watson Fellowships (formerly Salary Incentive Project)
The Watson Fellowships program is a special initiative to provide low paid preschool teachers with monetary supplements that are tied to their individual levels of education. The project builds on and coordinates with Teacher TRAC by completing the incentive circle. While Teacher TRAC rewards those seeking more education, the Watson Fellowships program rewards those who have already attained more education. Both programs have goals to lower turnover and increase retention and are based on North Carolina's Smart Start program.
A teacher or family child care provider earning less than the hourly wage set by the Watson Fellowships program may be eligible for a wage supplement. The recipient must work with preschool aged children in a child care program that is licensed or registered and have some formal child development credential beyond a high school diploma. The amount of the supplement is determined by the recipient's level of education or type of credential.
Eligible participants receive a check every six months from the Watson Fellowships program for half their yearly award. If a participant were to change employment within the six month period, then the six month period would have to start again beginning with their new employment site. This policy is designed to discourage participants from changing programs. Less staff turnover provides more stability and continuity of care for children in their care. Participating child care centers must agree to provide verification of an applicant's employment status and wages and agree to not use participation in the Watson Fellowships program to offset normal wage increases.
The Watson Fellowships program received $100,000 from the City of Austin in the 1999/2000 budget. This is the first year that this program received funding from the City. At the current level of funding, approximately 125 child care staff will receive wage supplements during the current fiscal year.
3. Fix it! Problem Solving for Child Care Programs (formerly Child Care Center Mentoring Program)
The Fix It! Program provides immediate assistance to a maximum number of child care programs to improve quality of programs, classrooms and teachers. Qualified child care consultants work with individual child care programs to address areas of concern, e.g., room arrangement, parenting, curriculum and program management. The Fix it! Program is of particular importance to smaller child care programs with limited resources. Consultants help directors and/or owners identify needed training and materials, make program improvements and guide programs pursuing Designated Vendor Status or NAEYC Accreditation. The Fix it! Program is available to day home providers and center-based child care providers.
Funding received from the City of Austin in the 1999/2000 budget: $90,000
4. Family Scholarships
The standard used to determine the affordability of child care is that it not exceed 10% of a family's gross income. For a single parent making minimum wage, the cost of child care for one child may often approach 50% of gross family income (CCC report, 1998). The inability to afford child care increases the chances that children will be placed in unregulated and/or inadequate care or left at home alone. It also restricts parents' ability to work, receive job training or attend school.
Family scholarships as recommended by the Advocacy committees would pay a portion of the child care costs for those not eligible for current publically subsidized care(CCMS) with special emphasis on infant care which is more expensive. Various models can be used to provide assistance, such as contracts with specific child care providers, voucher programs or reimbursements to parents. The Advocacy Committee also recommended that employers reduce the costs for employees by providing family scholarships for child care and paid parental leave for employees.
Funding received from the City of Austin in the 1999/2000 budget: $125,000.
5 & 6. Business-to-Business Mentoring Initiative on Child Care & "Family-Friendly Business" Designation
According to the Department of Labor, companies can benefit substantially by providing options that help employees address their child care concerns. Policies that help employees balance their work and family needs can benefit companies by helping them recruit from a much larger talent pool, retain committed and motivated workers and be more creative and productive. To address this issue, two programs were recommended.
The Business-to-Business Mentoring Initiative on Child Care is a new program implemented by the Women's Bureau, Department of Labor. The initiative promotes awareness among industry leaders that affordable and safe child care is a top concern for families. It partners a business wanting to expand its family-friendly policies and benefits with a business that has effective family-friendly policies/programs in place and is willing to share its knowledge and expertise.
The "Family-Friendly Business" Designation publicly recognizes a business's efforts to support its workforce. Businesses receive gold, silver or bronze seals indicating their level of family-friendly policies and practices.. The Family Friendly Designation has proved to be a successful program in Louisville, Kentucky where it is under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce.
The two business initiatives will be implemented initially by the Executive Director of the Fund which received $50,000 in the 1999/2000 budget from the City of Austin.
Return to Top
RECOMMENDED FOR FUTURE COMMUNITY CONSIDERATION :
1. Master Teacher Program (Pilot Project)
Use matching funds to supplement the salary of a role model/trainer at a number of child care centers. The Master Teacher would work half day as a classroom teacher running a model classroom and use the other half of the day to assist other staff as an Education Director/Consultant.
Received $70,000 for a pilot program in the 1999/2000 City of Austin budget.
2. Benefits Pool
Create a benefits pool for child care employees including medical insurance, life insurance and retirement. Funds may be available on a matching basis. Arrange for child care providers to purchase health care benefits from an existing benefits pool.
3. Satellite Learning Locations
Identify locations in neighborhoods as places to house training equipment and provide space for required training and for individuals studying for college courses. Encourage churches, large child care centers, community centers, etc. to donate space. Purchase equipment and supplies for use by centers, individuals and trainers.
4. Consultant
Provide technical assistance to child care programs for activities such as grant writing and accreditation preparation.
5. Public Awareness
Develop a Distinguished Lecture Series to bring the Austin area highly regarded individuals to speak on issues pertaining to young children. Produce training modules by arranging with the speakers to allow videotaping of their lectures for provider training and public education purposes. Collaborate with the Education Service Center on the production of the training modules.
Use Public Service Announcements and billboards to educate all segments of the community about the importance of early childhood development. Create a Speakers Bureau to provide experts to talk to parents, providers, businesses, neighborhoods and organizations.
6. Ombudsman
Designate an ombudsman to lobby for broad-based state legislation related to early childhood issues and to raise awareness of city and county officials.
7. Resource Kits
Compile Resource files for use with employers, funders and the community at large to explain quality issues and the part each group can play in enriching the lives of children.
Return to Top
