Policy Issues
Each year, the Mid-America Regional Council's Board of Directors approves legislative agendas that reflect regional priorities -- for early learning and other important issues -- for the Missouri and Kansas Legislatures and the U.S. Congress.
2007 Missouri Legislative Agenda:
MARC's Board of Directors urges the legislature to sustain its investment in early learning initiatives.
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Through HB1519, the state of Missouri provides proceeds from the Tobacco tax settlement for early education for pre-school children through school districts. The legislature is urged to maintain state funding through the Tobacco tax settlement for early education for pre-school children.
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MARC encourages the state to increase reimbursement rates to child care providers and provide a “tiered reimbursement” linked to programs that achieve quality performance. Recent data indicates children receiving subsidized care are more likely to be attending lower quality programs with lower teacher education, than children not receiving subsidized care. Tiered reimbursement rates will help address this problem by encouraging providers to improve program quality and enabling families to have greater access to quality and affordable child care options.
The more low-income children served, the lower the profit margin for child care programs. This discourages programs from serving these children. Therefore, financial incentives must be provided through the reimbursement rate structure. Rates should support quality through higher reimbursement to licensed and accredited programs. The disproportionate share rates should be tied to the Quality Rating System. -
MARC encourages the state to increase the income eligibility level for families to access subsidized child care. Missouri’s income eligibility level for families to access subsidized child care is the lowest in the nation. Under the current guidelines, a family of four with an income of more than $21,684 annually is not eligible to receive a child care subsidy. The income eligibility cutoff has remained constant for the last thirteen years, not even keeping up with inflation. Even with these restrictive limits, Missouri serves only 12 percent of eligible families and only approximately half of those who need paid care. Child care subsidies are essential for allowing low-income families to enter and remain engaged in the workforce.
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MARC encourages the legislature to require early learning programs to use a consistent rating system to evaluate program quality. A Quality Rating System is being piloted in the Kansas City region and throughout the state of Missouri. Based on a star rating system, the QRS measures quality of early learning programs and provides programs with information and assistance to improve care provided to young children. Recent data from this project has demonstrated that the QRS is very effective in improving quality, learning environment, family partnerships and children’s language and social skills. The states of Missouri and Kansas are working with MARC’s Metropolitan Council on Early Learning to develop a rating system that could be consistently applied at the regional and state levels. The Division of Social Services is pursing funding to expand QRS to approximately 10% of the early learning centers throughout the state. The Governor’s support and that of key legislators will be needed.
Through HB1519, the state of Missouri provides proceeds from the Tobacco tax settlement for early education for pre-school children through school districts. The legislature is urged to maintain state funding through the Tobacco tax settlement for early education for pre-school children.
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MARC encourages the state to increase reimbursement rates to child care providers and provide a “tiered reimbursement” linked to programs that achieve quality performance. Missouri’s income eligibility level for families to access subsidized child care is the lowest in the nation. A mother with an infant and a preschool age child is required to earn less than $17,784 yearly in order to be eligible for a child care subsidy. Even with these restrictive limits, Missouri serves only 12 percent of eligible families and only approximately half of those who need paid care. Child care subsidies are essential for allowing low-income families to enter and remain engaged in the workforce.
Recent data indicates children receiving subsidized care are more likely to be attending lower quality programs with lower teacher education, than children not receiving subsidized care. Tiered reimbursement rates will help address this problem by encouraging providers to improve program quality and enabling families to have greater access to quality and affordable child care options.
The more low-income children served, the lower the profit margin for child care programs. This discourages programs from serving these children. Therefore, financial incentives must be provided through the reimbursement rate structure. Rates should support quality through higher reimbursement to licensed and accredited programs that score higher on the Quality Rating System.
2007 Kansas Legislative Agenda
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The MARC Board urges the state legislature to sustain current levels or increase funding for important early learning programs. Nationally, one in three children arrive at school without the skills necessary to succeed; quality early learning programs are the single most effective way to improve young children’s school readiness. It is critical that current funding of $8.4 million be maintained for Smart Start Kansas. Smart Start Kansas provides community-based partnership grants through the Kansas Children’s Cabinet, to improve the quality and availability of services for young children and families. A collaboration serving Johnson, Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties has received Smart Start funding to enhance early learning services by reducing staff turnover in 22 programs from 45 to 22 percent and impacting over 1,100 children.
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MARC encourages the legislature to require early learning programs to use a consistent rating system to evaluate program quality. A Quality Rating System is being piloted in 130 programs in the Kansas City region, and provides programs with information and assistance to improve care provided to young children. Based on a star rating system, the QRS measures quality of early learning programs and provides programs continuous technical assistance and supports needed to improve and maintain higher quality services. Recent data from this project has demonstrated that the QRS is very effective in improving quality, learning environment, family partnerships and children’s language and social skills. The Kansas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (KACCRRA) finalized a contract with the Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) to pilot the Kansas Quality Rating System (KQRS) in 16 classrooms located in Sedgwick and Saline counties. Smart Start grants in Butler, Finney, Reno, Scott, Sedgwick and Seward counties have provided funding for an additional 48 classrooms. SRS is committed to assisting in funding the KQRS infrastructure. A recent evaluation of the pilot program shows improvement in the quality of programs and improvements in young children’s language and social skills. The states of Missouri and Kansas are working with MARC’s Metropolitan Council on Early Learning to develop a rating system that could be consistently applied at the regional and state levels. The state is encouraged to begin using this rating system for early learning programs.
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Support "tiered reimbursement" for subsidized child care, to be linked to the Quality Rating System and award higher child care subsidy payments to programs that attain higher quality levels. Recent data indicates children receiving subsidized care are more likely to be attending lower quality programs with lower teacher education, than children not receiving subsidized care. Tiered reimbursement rates will help address this problem by encouraging providers to improve program quality and enabling families to have greater access to quality and affordable child care options.
The more low-income children served, the lower the profit margin for child care programs. This discourages programs from serving these children. Therefore, financial incentives must be provided through the reimbursement rate structure. Rates should support quality through higher reimbursement to licensed and accredited programs and programs participating in the Quality Rating System. Tiered reimbursement will provide incentives for programs to receive higher subsidies and compensation based on their star ratings. -
MARC encourages the legislature to maintain the income eligibility for families to receive child care subsidies at 185 percent of the poverty level. Child care subsidies are essential to allow low income families to enter and remain in the workforce. Child care subsidies are essential for allowing low-income families to enter and remain engaged in the workforce. The maximum qualifying income before taxes each month for a parent with two children is $2,480. In Kansas, the average cost of child care for one child is $750 per month, almost a third of a parent’s income.
2007 Federal Legislative Agenda:
MARC, through its Metropolitan Council on Early Learning, has supported the development of a system of high quality early learning programs and services for metropolitan Kansas City since 1989. MARC works with early learning programs operated in public, private and not-for-profit settings, and supports program improvement through a new Quality Rating System, scholarships for early learning teachers and grants to programs. In 2005, MARC became the grantee for the Head Start program serving Jackson, Clay and Platte counties.
ISSUE: Head Start
Congress should increase appropriations for Head Start and Early Head Start to allow programs that could use additional slots to serve more eligible families.
Head Start is a comprehensive program that focuses on children’s educational, social, emotional and physical needs, as well as parental involvement and family support. Early Head Start provides services for pregnant women and low-income families with children from birth to age three.
MARC is the grantee for Head Start and Early Head Start for the three Missouri counties of Jackson, Clay and Platte, serving 2,733 children. The federal allocation provides minimal funding to support comprehensive services, and there is a need for funds for quality improvement.
ISSUE: Child Care and Development Block Grant Program
This program provides funding support through the states to assist low income working families with their child care needs. Congress has not increased funding for this program since 2002, and inflation and increased demand is resulting in services to fewer eligible families.Congress should consider an increase in funding levels for this program.