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WHSA Community Relations Work Group
The purpose of the Community Relations Work Group (CRWG) is to advocate on behalf of all Wisconsin Head Start and Early Head Start programs, especially for desirable state and federal funding or regulations. Because WHSA does not directly receive federal or state funding (unlike Head Start and Early Head Start programs), it is in a position to speak for its membership and carry its messages to state and federal legislators. Additionally, the CRWG directs the Association on opportunities for and involvement in coalitions, at both the state and national levels, that seek to improve early child care and education services for low-income children and families. It is the responsibility of the CRWG to advise the WHSA membership and Board of Directors to act and secure positive outcomes for Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Wisconsin.
CRWG duties include:
Being the origin for policy development and change and, further, recommending when it is appropriate for WHSA to be the agent of change.
Creating political strategies to achieve Association goals.
Developing grassroots strategies and training members to execute these plans.
Analyzing the impact of Association positions in the state of Wisconsin to larger, national and federal trends.
Building Association capacity to act in the best interest of Head Start programs.
Monitoring and maintaining Head Start's participation and influence with the early childhood education and care community.
The CRWG fulfills the above responsibilities by:
Conducting CRWG meetings at each WHSA Quarterly meeting.
Providing updates to the general membership at WHSA Quarterly meetings.
Facilitating the development of WHSA's legislative priorities by the general membership and the Board.
Issuing alerts to local programs about important legislation and regulations.
Providing updates, when appropriate, for local programs on pending legislation or other issues.
Preparing membership for Capitol Visits during the WHSA Spring Quarterly meeting.
Developing position papers, to be approved by the Board, on critical issues.
CRWG Membership:
All WHSA members are considered part of the CRWG. Any member, at any time, is invited to join the CRWG and attend its meetings.
CRWG Leadership:
Federal Lead WHSA Board President
Tim Nolan, Executive Director Cathy Howe, Director
Center for Learning Excellence, Inc. Marathon County Child Development Agency, Inc. Head Start Program
N4W22000 Bluemound Road 720 Grant Street
Waukesha, WI 53186 Wausau, WI 54403
(p) 262-548-8080 (p) 715-845-2947
(f) 262-548-8084 (f) 715-8450909
timfuture@aol.com chowe@mccdahs.org
Shelley Cousin, Executive Director
Wisconsin Head Start Association
122 E. Olin Ave., Suite 110
Madison, WI 53713
(p) 608-442-6879
(f) 608-442-7672
At each WHSA Spring Quarterly meeting Head Start & Early Head Start parents, program Directors, and Staff visit the Wisconsin State Capitol to meet with their Legislators. These visits are an opportunity for you to advocate on behalf of children in Wisconsin's Head Start and Early Head Start programs by educating your Legislators on the value of programs in your local communities, highlighting successful practices, and sharing lasting mementos like children's artwork.
The WHSA Community Relations Work Group has developed a Wisconsin Federal & State Legislative Roster and a guide of Wisconsin Legislators by Head Start Program to help you get in touch with your Legislators.
Wisconsin Budget
Since the 2007-2009 biennium budget's approval last fall, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau has announced a projected $652 million deficit by the biennium's end. In light of the projected deficit, the State budget is going through a budget repair process where the Governor, Assembly, and Senate propose budget repair Bills.
Legislative Fiscal Bureau - Memo: Comparative Summary of 2007-09 Budget Adjustment Bill Proposals
Wisconsin Budget Project - "A Comparative Summary of the Budget Repair Bill"
"The Wisconsin Deficit: $652 Million (and Growing?)
The projected deficit has already effected low-income children and families. For example, Wisconsin Shares, the State's child care subsidy program is underfunded by $18.6 million in the 2007-09 biennium. As a result, on March 23, 2008, DWD implemented its UU50 Absence Policy, a monitored attendance-based (vs. enrollment-based) reimbursement methodology which "does not reimburse providers at the 100% level when children are in their care for less than 50% of their authorized time."
Early Learning Coalition 2009-11 Proposed Policy Agenda
1. GREAT START QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Wisconsin would launch a bold new statewide initiative to ensure that children through age 5 have access to high quality early learning opportunities. The centerpiece of the initiative would be a Great Start grant program that provides resources directly to programs and parents to improve nurturing and early learning for children.
2. WISCONSIN SHARES: GREAT START FOR CHILDREN AT RISK
The Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy program would provide fiscal incentives to improve the quality of child care received by children of low-income working families. These children from low-income families are precisely the children that research tells us are most at risk for school failure.
3. ESTABLISH GREAT START EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL
Wisconsin would establish a state-level Great Start Early Learning Council to examine ways to improve educational opportunities for children through age 5. The Council would review data and trends in early care and education, identify needs, coordinate policies across agencies, examine efficient use of resources, and plan for a system of high quality services available to families and their children.
4. TIE CHILD CARE TAX DEDUCTION TO QUALITY
Wisconsin’s child care tax deduction would be doubled when parents use a high quality child care setting for children through age 5. For those who have insufficient income to receive the tax deduction, a tax credit would be available. The concept is to use the tax system to encourage parents to place their children in higher quality child care settings.
Department of Children and Families
The Department of Children and Families will open on July 1, 2008. It will be located at the G.E.F. #1 building at 201 East Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53703 with separate entrance on South Webster Street. Reggie Bicha was named the Department's Secretary-Designee in February 2008. DCF is devoted to helping and protecting Wisconsin's kids and families and will merge W-2, child care services, child support, child welfare, and more into one agency.
Overarching Goals:
- Ensure that children are nurtured and safe from abuse and neglect.
- Enhance prevention and early intervention efforts throughout Wisconsin.
- Ensure that families have access to high quality and affordable early care and education.
- Ensure that parents, especially fathers, are engaged and contribute in meaningful ways to their children's lives when safe and appropriate.
Priorities:
- Developing and implementing integrated approaches to strengthen Wisconsin families.
- Streamlining government and improving efficiency and effectiveness of services to assure that families get the best service at the right time.
- Focus our efforts on performance and outcomes rather than process.
- Improving the quality and consistency of service interventions for children across Wisconsin.
- Identifying new strategies to engage consumer and the public in the shared responsibility of caring for our children.
Organizational Structure:
There are four divisions (Early Care and Education, Safety and Permanence, Family and Economic Security, Enterprise Solutions) and two offices (Prevention and Service Integration, Performance and Quality Assurance) reporting to the Secretary's office. In early May, DCF offered the following organizational chart detailing the Department's structure.
Health and Human Services News
On March 3, 2008, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced the names of 8 individuals nominated to his Advisory Committee on Re-Designation of Head Start Grantees. Please read the Press Release for more information.
FY 2008 Appropriations
HR 3043, the 2008 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education was vetoed by President Bush on November 13, 2007. The bill included funding for both Head Start and Child Care Block Grants. The House did not have the required 2/3 majority votes to override the Presidential veto. As a result, it is possible that the many policy changes brought about about Head Start Reauthorization will not be realized without additional funds.
The Omnibus Bill includes $6.9 billion for Head Start. This figure matches 2007 funding and is $89 million over the President's funding request (which cut Head Start funds by $100 million).
The WHSA CRWG has prepared a position paper on Head Start funding shortfalls, which amounts to a .15% decrease in funds from FY2007 levels. Please read, "Head Start: A Diminishing National Funding Priority" to understand the widening gap between Head Start funding allocation and need.
For information about the Federal budget and appropriations, please visit the following links.
House Committee On Appropriations - FY 2008 Omnibus Summary: Labor, Health, and Education Subcommittee
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) - "President's Budget Disregards Sound Investments for Young Children"
Wisconsin Rep. Dave Obey, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee issued the following statement: "The same President that is asking us to spend another $200 billion on the misguided war in Iraq and is insisting on providing $60 billion in tax cuts next year to folks who make over a million bucks a year, is now pretending to protect the deficit by refusing to provide a $6 billion increase to crucial domestic investments in education, healthcare, medical research and worker protections that will make this country stronger. That is not responsible and that is not credible. This is a bi-partisan bill supported by over 50 Republicans. There has been virtually no criticism of its contents. It is clear the only reason the President vetoed this bill is pure politics."
Head Start Reauthorization
President George W. Bush signed HR 1429, "The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007," into law on Wednesday, December 12, 2007. The law reauthorizes Head Start for the next 5 years.
On November 14, 2007, both the US House and Senate passed HR 1429, the "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007." The Act passed the House 381-36 and Senate 95-0. ALL Wisconsin Congresspersons voted for the bill.
More information about the bill can be found in the:
Conference Report Agreement and Key Issues Table; and
Or, read the Bill in its entirety using a PDF version, "Improving Head Start Act of 2007."
Resources & Contact Information
Feature: Who Are My Legislators?
Type in your location (municipality or address) and get links to
your Wisconsin and U.S. Congressional legislators immediately!
Federal & State Legislators
Wisconsin State & Federal Legislative Roster
Wisconsin Legislators By Head Start Program
US Senate
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Pensions, and Labor (HELP)
US House of Representatives
House HomepageRepresentative Paul Ryan, Congressional District 1
Representative Tammy Baldwin, Congressional District 2
Representative Ron Kind, Congressional District 3
Representative Gwendolynne S. Moore, Congressional District 4
Representative F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Congressional District 5
Representative Thomas E. Petri, Congressional District 6
Representative David R. Obey, Congressional District 7
Representative Steven L. Kagen, Congressional District 8House Committee on Education and Labor
National
White House, President George W. Bush
United States Department of Health and Human Services
Wisconsin
Governor Jim Doyle
608-266-1212
Office of the Governor Home Page
Head Start programs and staff are limited by the Head Start Act and annual Appropriations Acts in how they may legally engage their Congresspeople.
You may not lobby to influence any member of a legislature, staff, or government employee specifically to persuade the individual to propose, support, oppose, change or otherwise influence legislation pending before Congress.
However, you can respond to Congressional requests for Head Start related information, educate federal officials (without asking for their support or opposition), and belong to associations that provide educational or informational services that directly benefit your program.
Consider educating your Congresspeople by:
Sending your Congressperson a copy of reports you send to the Regional Office with a brief cover letter letting him/her know how you are doing.
Sending a letter of thanks for continued support when you complete a grant. Include pictures.
Sending Congressional aides updates on program activities.
Sending copies of your newsletters.
Inviting your Congressperson and his/her spouse to your center. Take photos, have brief parent testimonials, share classroom accomplishment, and provide demographic information about the kids and families you serve.
Providing your Congressperson with children's artwork and information about the artists.
Creating monthly parent success stories, written by the parents in their own hand, which relate the parents' positive experiences in Head Start.
Holding an open house at your center during a legislative recess. If s/he can't attend send photos and updates.
Sending a short note telling him/her how well you are doing and expressing your thanks for his/her support.
Sharing great peer reviews demonstrating your ability to operate a high quality center and spend money wisely.
Updating your Congressperson on the educational pursuits of your staff and their dedication to Head Start.
For an expanded and printable version of the above list, click here.
Thanks to the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families (WCCF) for this great list.
Do's:
-Form relationships now!
-Be open to talking to Legislative staff.
-Be informed. Know the issue, the system, and the key players.
-Give personal examples.
-Be honest. It's okay to admit that you don't know something and that you'll get back to the Legislator with more information later.
-Be concise. Keep all visits, call, testimonials brief and to the point.
-Practice, practice, practice. Explain your opinion & make your case to family, friends, and colleagues before you make your case to policymakers.
-Seek out new partnerships & alliances with others who share your views.
-Be specific. Know what you want your Legislator to do and ask for it!
-Stay active by maintaining communication with policymakers.
-Think of ways to involve other constituents in the issue.
-Be patient, persistent, and positive.
Don'ts
-Wait until you need something to contact policymakers.
-Ignore or be disrespectful to Legislative staff.
-Send form letters or emails.
-Make threats.
-Expect the impossible or insist on immediate action.
-Try to speak for everyone.
-Bury them with paper.
-Argue. If it is clear a policymaker won't support your position, just give him/her the fact and ask that the Legislator consider your viewpoint.
-Give up!
Disability Rights Wisconsin
Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities
http://www.disabilityrightswi.org/
Milwaukee Child Care Alliance
Supporting Families Together Association
Making Child Care Work
Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health (WAIMH)
Early Relationships Matter!
Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB)
Leadership in Public School Governance
Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners (WECCP)
An Online Community for Parents, Administrators and Staff of Early Education Programs throughout Wisconsin
http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/
Wisconsin Child Care Administrators Association (WCCAA)
Champions for Quality Care and Education
Wisconsin Community Action Programs Association (WISCAP)
Community Action . . .Creating Local Opportunities for Economic Self-Sufficiency
Wisconsin Council on Children and Families (WCCF)
Raising Voices to Make Every Kid Count
Wisconsin Council for the Exceptional Children, Division of Early Childhood (WCEC)
The Voice and Vision of Special Education
http://www.geocities.com/soozeej/WCEC.html
Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA)
Building a Foundation for a Lifetime of Learning for Wisconsin's Young Children
Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC)
Wisconsin Family Child Care Association (WFCCA)
Supporting Family Child Care Since 1982
