March 17, 2009
*NAEYC Webpage on the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
*President Signs Final Spending for Fiscal Year 2009 Appropriations
*New Report from ZERO TO THREE
NAEYC Webpage on American Recovery & Reinvestment Act - Resources To HELP YOU ADVOCATE IN YOUR STATES AND COMMUNITIES
NAEYC has launched a dedicated page on its website for information on the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) with a variety of links to government agencies and organizations for more description and guidance on the funding streams and other provisions relating to helping children from birth through age 8. NAEYC will update the page weekly as new federal guidelines, briefs and other resources are published.
Fiscal Year 2009 Completed With Some Increases for Education
Last year, several appropriations bills were left uncompleted. Congress passed a Continuing Resolution to keep the government funds flowing based on the previous fiscal year's levels until March 2009. The President has signed the appropriations for fiscal year 2009 (which is separate from the stimulus bill and the request for fiscal year 2010 funding). Here are highlights:
- Child Care & Development Block Grant $65 million increase
- Head Start/Early Head Start $234 million increase
- Title I of Elementary & Secondary Education Act/NCLB $593.5 million increase
- IDEA Part C $3.77 million increase
- IDEA preschool grants same level as previous year
- IDEA Part B grants to states $557.7 million increase
- Even Start same level as previous year
- Early Reading First same level as previous year
- Reading First eliminated
- 21st Century Community Learning Centers (after school) $50 million increase
- CAMPIS $500,000 increase
ZERO TO THREE RELEASES "Early Experiences Matter: A Guide to Improved Policies for Infants and Toddlers"
ZERO TO THREE has released a comprehensive set of tools for use by policymakers and advocates. It includes 11 issue briefs, infant-toddler data, a compilation of the evidence for investing in the infant-toddler policy agenda, a strategic look at ways to get started with sample policy options and state examples, and other tools. It is available for download from the ZERO TO THREE website. A limited number of print copies are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. To request a single print copy of the complete Early Experiences Matter Policy Guide, please email policycenter@zerotothree.org
