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December 2014
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Momentum is building across the country to ensure our youngest children get off to the right start. Here’s a quick roundup of what’s going on – and easy ways for you to add your voice to the growing call for more investments in our youngest children. Obama Promotes Early EducationToday, President Obama is hosting an early learning summit at the White House. The event brings together elected officials, community leaders and advocates to support investments in high-quality early learning opportunities for young children. Tune into by live stream between 10:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. at www.whitehouse.gov/live. Rally4Babies in Social MediaTo build on the summit’s momentum, ZERO TO THREE will Rally4Babies – a social media day of action from 4-5 p.m today. You can join thousands of advocates across the country to send the clear message that learning happens from the start --- and so should our investments in children. We need your help to make sure that the White House and Congress knows this too– and that the voice of babies is heard. Good news on the child care homefront…The recently passed Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 marks a critical step toward building a strong early learning system in New Jersey and across the nation.
State legislation makes it easier for parents to keep subsidiesWhen a New Jersey parent moves to another county they are treated as a "new applicant," who can earn only up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $47,000 for a family four. Once in the program, a parent’s income can go as high as 250 percent of the poverty level and remain eligible for assistance. State legislation, S-2343, would allow parents to keep their current “enrolled” status when they move to a different county, making it more likely that they will continue to qualify for a subsidy. The measure passed the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and now heads to the Senate floor for a full vote. It still needs to pass the Assembly to make it to the governor’s desk. New Report on the Cost of Child CareChild Care Aware of America’s 2014 report, Parents and the High Cost of Child Care, summarizes the cost of child care across the country, examines the importance of child care as a workforce support and as an early learning program, and explores the effect of high costs on families’ child care options. This year’s report continues to expose child care as one of the most significant expenses in a family budget, often exceeding the cost of housing, college tuition, transportation or food. |