August 2023 Email Update

SPECIAL SESSION CALLED AS LAWMAKERS REACH COMPROMISE ON STATE BUDGET

This week, Governor Glenn Youngkin called members of the General Assembly into special session on Wednesday, September 6th after budget conferees in the Virginia State Senate and House of Delegates reached a deal on amendments to the state budget. Lawmakers will convene next week to vote on amendments to the 2023-2024 Appropriations Act. 

Budget deliberations - which began during the 45-day General Assembly session convened in January - broke down earlier this summer over a package of proposed tax cuts and one-time tax rebates supported by the Youngkin Administration. 

While details of the compromise have not been disclosed, we are hopeful that the package includes additional funding to support Virginia's child care system. The Partnership has continued urging lawmakers to maximize investments in Virginia's early learning system and looks forward to reviewing the contents of the proposal. 

CALLING ALL ADVOCATES! REGISTER TODAY FOR SEPTEMBER 30 ADVOCACY SUMMIT

Join VPP member organization Save the Children Action Network for a state child care advocacy summit on Saturday, September 30 in Chesterfield, VA! 

During the day-long summit, participants will hear from keynote speakers, elected officials, and dynamic panelists; participate in hands-on trainings to hone your advocacy skills; and have the opportunity to network with fellow early childhood advocates.

Free lunch will be provided for all participants. Learn more and register here today! 

'PARENTS SPEAK UP!' IN NEW STORYBOOK PUBLICATION

This month, the Virginia Promise Partnership together with member organization the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy (CFFE) released a collection of firsthand stories highlighting the ongoing child care struggles faced by parents and families across the Commonwealth. Ten members of the Partnership’s Parent Advisory – representing communities across the state – share their child care experiences in this special publication, providing a glimpse into the child care challenges Virginia parents face every single day.

“Virginia families need quality, affordable child care so that parents can work and children can thrive,” said Tomashia Cornitcher, Vice Chair of the Virginia Promise Partnership Parent Advisory. “More must be done to secure thoughtful, long-term investments in Virginia’s early childhood education infrastructure in order to support our children, families, communities, and economy.”

Read the full press release here and the 'Parents Speak Up!' storybook here. 

VA COMMISSION ON EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION HOLDS SECOND MEETING

Virginia's Commission on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) held its second meeting on August 29 at Reynolds Community College Workforce Development and Conference Center in Richmond. The newly formed Commission is charged with providing recommendations for and tracking progress on the financing of Virginia’s comprehensive birth-to-five early childhood care and education system.

During the second meeting, Commission members heard presentations from policy expert and Chicago-based partner at Foresight Law + Policy Elliot Regenstein on the association among workforce, quality, and cost in early education. Next, child care financing expert and founder of Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies Simon Workman spoke on the cost of quality methodology. Members later heard from University of Virginia professor and Director for the Study of Early Education through Partnerships (SEE-Partnerships) Dr. Daphna Bassok on the strengths and challenges of the early childhood workforce. Following the presentations, members participated in small group discussions on values and priorities for early education quality and workforce that will inform the upcoming Commission report. 

The Commission's next meeting is scheduled for September 28, with the first annual report outlining Commission recommendations due to the Governor and the General Assembly by October 1. More information on the Commission's membership, meeting schedule, and history can be viewed through the Secretary of Education's website here and the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) website here. 

Interested in sharing your story? Contact us as info@vapromisepartnership.com! 

DID YOU KNOW?

Virginia voters agree that policymakers must do more to #InvestInChildCare! Read more on the Partnership's December 2022 poll through our website here. 

CHILD CARE IN THE NEWS

• ABC News | Parents navigate challenges and costs of child care
• Early Learning Nation | American Rescue Plan Act Funds Are On The Way to Help Child Care Providers - But Will it Be Enough?
• The Wall Street Journal | Why Child-Care Prices Are Rising at Nearly Twice the Overall Inflation Rate
• CNBC | Majority of parents spend 20% or more of household income on child care, report finds
• Augusta Free Press | COVID-19 pandemic funding of American child care set to expire in September
• WTVR | What can be done to help Virginia parents struggling to find childcare?
• AXIOS | To fix the labor shortage, economists point to women — and better child care

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