Legislative Victory for Toddler Programs

Governor Jerry Brown has signed AB 762 (Mullin) into law. This new statute will extend the age of the toddler program option to 36 months effective January 1, 2016. The age range for the optional toddler program component will be 18 to 36 months. While the extension of toddler option only represents part of our legislation as originally introduced, it will serve to bridge the gap in care for centers serving toddlers, providing much needed flexibility and supporting continuity of care for our children. We are delighted with this new law, even as we continue to work on our longer term vision of an integrated, birth to age five license. CHSA thanks the many early childhood professionals, organizations and advocates who helped make this happen.

CHSA thanks the many early childhood professionals, organizations and advocates who helped make this happen.

The AB 762 document page: Visit 

Presidential Proclamation -- 50th Anniversary of Head Start

"I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 18, 2015, as the 50th Anniversary of Head Start.  I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that recognize the importance of this vital program and support high-quality education for all Americans."


Read the full proclamation here

Early Math Initiative

CHSA was recently awarded a grant for a statewide Training for Trainers, to be offered through CHSA’s regional Clusters in 2015 and to support programs during the 2015-16 school year.  The project will focus on professional development for both teachers and family service workers, supporting parents engaging their children in activities that build early math thinking.  

A consultant job announcement and project description are available at:

Project Manager Job Announcement

Early Math Initiative Project Description

2015 Awards Nomination Form- Nominate Today! Deadline: November 26, 2014

One of the many benefits of membership in the California Head Start Association is the opportunity to participate in our statewide awards program. The winning nominees will receive their awards at the Annual Education Conference Awards Dinner on Thursday, February 5. This year’s theme- 50 Years of Opportunity provides a great setting to help honor the exceptional people in your program who have played a role in creating opportunities for our Head Start families. 

We are pleased to invite you to nominate up to seven special individuals from your program or community for the following awards:  Administrator of the Year, Program Services Staff of the Year, Educator of the Year, Support Staff of the Year, Parent of the Year, Friend of Head Start and Lifetime Special Award

Nomination Deadline: November 26, 2014

Link to the Nomination form

September 23 is National Voter Registration Day 2014

 
This fall is a valuable opportunity for Start staff and parents to exercise their civic rights.  CHSA encourages programs to share information on Voter Registration Day and to check out: voting registration resources on the CHSA website.

Supporters can follow National Voter Registration Day activities through social media on September 23 by searching #CelebrateNVRD.

For more information visit: NVRD

Opinion L.A. - Don't cut funds for preschool again, Gov. Brown

A pro-early education piece posted on the LA Times Opinion Blog by Joel Silberman articulates the case for early education and makes a direct call to Brown not to veto the new funding the legislature passed.

Read the post: Don't cut funds for preschool again, Gov. Brown

 

A Call to Action on Behalf of Babies

A Call to Action on Behalf of Babies

For Our Babies is a national movement promoting healthy development in U.S. children from conception to age 3. It's mission is to advocate for the types of environments, experiences, and relationships that infants and toddlers need in order to thrive. To learn more visit: fourourbabies.org

WestEd recently published an article about the rationale behind the For Our Babies campaign and the call for comprehensive support for infants and toddlers. To read the article visit: A Call to Action