Smart Start Child Care Act
Summary: The Smart Start Child Care Act creates public-private partnerships to provide high-quality childcare and early learning services throughout the state.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This Act shall be called the “Smart Start Child Care Act.”
SECTION 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE
(A) FINDINGS—The legislature finds that:
1. The future well being of the state depends upon all of our children.
2. Every child can benefit from, and should have access to, high-quality childcare and early learning services.
3. The state can assist parents in their role as the primary caregivers and educators of preschool children.
4. There is a need to explore innovative approaches and strategies to aid parents and families in the education and development of preschool children.
(B) PURPOSE—This law is enacted by the legislature to support the education and welfare of preschool children by expanding the availability of high-quality, affordable child care in every county in the state.
SECTION 3. SMART START CHILD CARE
After section XXX, the following new section XXX shall be inserted:
(A) SMART START COMMISSION
1. The Smart Start Commission is established within the Department of [Health and Human Services].
2. The mission of the Commission is to expand the availability of high-quality, affordable child care in every county in the state. The Commission shall fulfill its mission by coordinating and funding Local Smart Start Partner organizations. Local Smart Start Partners shall develop and implement child care programs, and the Commission shall hold those partners accountable for the financial and programmatic integrity of the programs.
3. The Commission shall consist of the following members:
a. The Secretary of [Health and Human Services], or the Secretary’s designee.
b. The Superintendent of Public Schools, or the Superintendent’s designee.
c. The President of the state university system, or the President’s designee.
d. Three members of the public appointed by the governor, three members appointed by the Speaker of the House, and three members appointed by the President of the Senate. Among these nine members, there must be at least one childcare provider, healthcare provider, early childhood educator, representative of the business community, representative of the philanthropic community, and a parent.
e. An additional member, who shall serve as the presiding officer, shall be appointed by the governor.
4. Public members of the Commission shall serve for two-year terms and may be reappointed.
5. All members of the Commission shall avoid conflicts of interest and the appearance of impropriety. Should instances arise when a conflict may be perceived, any individual who might benefit directly or indirectly from the disbursement of funds shall abstain from participation in any decision or deliberations regarding the disbursement of funds.
(B) OPERATION OF SMART START COMMISSION
1. The Commission shall develop a long-term plan for providing childcare and early learning services throughout the state, accept proposals from Local Smart Start Partners to deliver childcare and early learning services, and allocate funds to implement those proposals.
2. The Commission shall give Local Smart Start Partners the maximum flexibility and discretion practicable in developing their proposals.
3. The Commission shall develop a formula to allocate direct services funds appropriated for this purpose. However, the Commission may adjust its allocations by up to ten percent on the basis of assessments of the performance of Local Partners. The Commission may contract with outside firms to conduct performance assessments.
4. The Commission shall develop and implement a comprehensive standard fiscal accountability plan to ensure the fiscal integrity and accountability of state funds appropriated to it and granted to Local Partners. The standard fiscal accountability plan shall, at a minimum, include a uniform, standardized system of accounting, internal controls, payroll, fidelity bonding, chart of accounts, and contract management and monitoring. All Local Partners shall be required to participate in the standard fiscal accountability plan.
5. In the event that the Commission determines that a Local Partner is not fulfilling its responsibilities under the grant, the Commission may suspend all funds until the Local Partner demonstrates that these defects are corrected. At its discretion, the Commission may assume the managerial responsibilities for the Local Partner’s programs and services until the Commission determines that it is appropriate to return the programs and services to the Local Partner.
(C) LOCAL SMART START PARTNERS
1. In order to receive state funds, the following conditions shall be met:
a. The Local Partner is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation that has as its mission the delivery of high-quality early childhood education and development services for children and families.
b. The Local Partner shall develop a comprehensive, collaborative, long-range plan of services to children and families for the service delivery area.
c. The Local Partner shall agree to adopt procedures for its operations that are comparable to [the state open meetings and open public records laws].
d. The Local Partner shall adopt procedures to ensure that all personnel who provide services to young children and their families know and understand their responsibility to report suspected child abuse or neglect, as defined in [cite state law].
e. The Local Partner shall participate in the uniform, standard fiscal accountability plan adopted by the Commission, and shall be subject to audit and review by the State Auditor.
(D) ANNUAL REPORT—The Commission shall make a report no later than December 1 of each year to the legislature that shall include the following:
1. A description of the program and significant services and initiatives.
2. A history of Smart Start funding and the previous fiscal year’s expenditures.
3. The number of children served by each type of service.
4. The type and quantity of services provided.
5. The results of the previous year’s evaluations of the programs and services.
6. A description of significant policy and program changes.
7. Any recommendations for legislative action.
(E) FUNDING
1. The Commission shall receive funds from the state and any other public or private source. With the approval of the Secretary of [Health and Human Services], these funding sources may include federal programs such as Head Start.
2. The Commission shall require Local Partners to match grants at a ratio of at least one dollar raised from private sources for every ten dollars granted from Commission funds. The Commission may require higher ratios of matching funds for all Local Partners, some Local Partners, or particular projects of Local Partners.
3. The Commission shall ensure that granted funds do not replace current county and municipal expenditures for childcare and early learning.
4. Not less than 30 percent of the funds spent in each year of each Local Partner’s direct services allocation shall be used to expand childcare subsidies. The Commission may increase this percentage requirement up to a maximum of 50 percent when, based upon a significant local waiting list for subsidized child care, the Commission determines a higher percentage is justified.
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.
Impact of the Childcare and Early Education Sector on the Economy Act
Summary: The Impact of the Childcare and Early Education Sector on the Economy Act commissions a study of the costs and benefits of childcare and early education programs.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This Act shall be called the “Impact of the Childcare and Early Education Sector on the Economy Act.”
SECTION 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE
(A) FINDINGS—The legislature finds that:
1. There is a shortage of high-quality childcare and early education options in communities throughout [State].
2. Childcare and early education programs provide a substantial economic payoff to their communities.
3. It is crucial for the governor and legislators to obtain reliable, objective information about the economic benefits and burdens of investing in expanded childcare and early education programs in [State].
(B) PURPOSE—This law is enacted to study the economic impact on the state economy of quality childcare and early education programs for children aged zero to four years, and afterschool programs for children aged five to 12 years.
SECTION 3. ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CHILDCARE AND EARLY EDUCATION SECTOR
(A) DEFINITIONS—In this section:
1. “Department” means the Department of [Economic Development].
2. “Child care and early education” includes:
a. Licensed full-day childcare and early education programs and centers.
b. Licensed part-time childcare and early education programs and centers.
c. Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
d. Public pre-schools.
e. Family childcare homes.
f. Afterschool programs for children aged five to 12.
(B) STUDY OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY—The Department shall conduct a study of the economic impacts on the state economy of quality childcare and early education programs for children aged zero to four, and afterschool programs for children aged five to 12.
(C) NATURE OF THE STUDY—The study shall include:
1. An evaluation of child care and early education as a sector of the economy, including:
a. Number of workers directly employed at childcare and early education facilities, and the gross value of their wages.
b. Gross receipts of the industry, that is, total number of dollars that flow into the sector in the form of payments for care from parents and from public and private subsidies.
c. Value of goods and services purchased by the childcare and early education industry.
d. Federal dollars that flow to the state for child care and early education.
2. An evaluation of the degree to which available child care and early education:
a. Enables parents to work outside the home and earn income.
b. Enables parents to attend educational programs.
c. Decreases absenteeism at work, reduces turnover, or increases productivity.
d. Attracts businesses to the state.
3. An analysis of demographic data to identify the relative gap between the needs in [State] and available resources, and the return to the economy if that gap is closed, including:
a. Number of children aged zero to 12 with both parents in the labor force, or with their single parent in the labor force.
b. Trends of likely future growth in the number of children aged zero to 12 in the population for the next decade.
c. Demographic makeup of parents in the labor force and demographic makeup of adults with children who might wish to join the labor force.
d. Cost of child care and early education, and its relationship to family income.
e. Availability of child care.
f. Number of children eligible for state or federal aid.
g. Number of children eligible for, but not receiving, state or federal aid.
4. A review of available literature on the impact of childcare and early education programs on children’s future ability to contribute to the workforce, including:
a. An evaluation of school readiness at kindergarten and first grade.
b. An evaluation of positive outcomes in school, from elementary through high school graduation.
c. An evaluation of resulting savings in public spending, for example from:
(1) Less likelihood of being assigned to special education classes relative to those not in quality care or preschool;
(2) Greater likelihood of graduation from high school;
(3) Less likelihood of involvement with the criminal justice system and prison;
(4) Greater likelihood of being employed;
(5) Less likelihood of being on public assistance.
(D) REPORT—The Department shall report the results of this study to the governor and the legislature on or before January 1, 2008.
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.