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SPRING/SUMMER SCHEDULE for the TASK FORCE May 7&endash;Irma Zuckerberg, Interim Director, Bureau of Family Services, DCIS, which oversees child care licensing June 4&endash;Nanette Bowler, Director, FIA; Public Hearing on Child Care Development Fund State Plan NO MEETINGS in JULY & AUGUST September 3 &endash; Resume monthly meetings. Meetings are held on the 1st Wednesday from 9:30 a.m.&endash; noon, State of Michigan Library, Lake Ontario Room, 3rd floor, 717 West Allegan, Lansing, Michigan. Co-chairs Lisa Brewer and Kristen McDonald-Stone called the meeting to order shortly after 9:30. Each person gave a self introduction and the group adopted the agenda. MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION, Early Childhood & Parenting Programs, FINANCING EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS Bob Redmond, Branch ISD Superintendent, discussed the possibility of the Legislature reinstating one-half mill in school property taxes that was cut from the statewide school mileage rate for 2003. This could raise considerable money, though on a one-time basis, for early education programs. REAUTHORIZATION TANF - Jane Zehnder-Merrell, Michigan League for Human Services reporting:TANF reauthorization is moving slowly in Congress. President Bush's announced plan has drawn criticism from both parties in Congress. The Bush plan would require states to put more welfare recipients to work, and require each recipient to work more hours. It would tighten the definition of what counts as work, making it harder to enroll in vocational education, and job search would not count at all. The proposal did not offer any new child care money, though the administration now supports a modest increase in spending. Because the Senate failed to renew the program last year, the 1996 law is currently extended through June 30, 2003. Some legislators have expressed reservations about significant new requirements on the states. It does seem apparent that the Senate bill will eventually look much different than the administration's proposal and the House bill. HEAD START REAUTHORIZATION Kristen McDonald-Stone, Michigan Head Start Association, reporting: Reauthorization is delayed because of the war, though the bill is expected to move from the U.S. House to the U.S. Senate by Memorial Day. The Senate seems opposed to block granting Head Start to the states. However, Governor Granholm will probably opt for block granting if offered the opportunity. She has indicated that she wants Michigan to retain Head Start's performance standards if the block grant comes to our state. The President seems intent on moving Head Start to the U.S. Department of Education from Health & Human Services. This will be hotly contested in Congress. Michigan U.S. Reps Fred Upton and Vern Ehlers will be on the committee that develops the Head Start legislation. NEWS FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION CHANGES IN CHILD DAY CARE LICENSING The Task Force discussed needed changes in child day care licensing. There was broad agreement on the need to advocate for returning to the case load management approach used for many years until late last year. Moving licensing to FIA is also desirable. Under the recent reorganization of licensing, records of applicants for new and renewal licensing/certification has been delayed because the various forms that come with each application have been separated with no idea of how to put them back together. Thousands of paper forms will have to be sorted out then reunited, application-by-application. Area managers, who lost much managerial power under the reorganization, will have more managerial decision-making power under the new administration. Consistent with this, records that had been taken from field offices will be returned so local decisions can be made. Feel free to contact DCIS Director, David Hollister, P.O. Box 30034; Lansing 48909 &endash; ask him to get these problems cleaned up ASAP. People who have stories that demonstrate needed changes in child care licensing should share those stories with Kristen McDonald-Stone (kristen@mhsa.ws) and Lisa Brewer(Brewer@mi4c.org). GUEST SPEAKER: There was no guest speaker this month. OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS: *Governor Granholm appeared
before a large crowd at the Michigan AEYC conference held in
Grand Rapids in late March. Ms. Granholm presented a
proclamation noting that April is the Month of the Young
Child®. The NEXT MEETING will be on May 7, 9:30 a.m. - noon, State of Michigan Library in Lansing, the Lake Ontario Room. SPEAKER: Irma Zuckerberg, Director, Bureau of Family Services, DCIS. Ms. Zuckerberg is the interim director of the agency that handles child day care licensing. She will discuss changes in child care licensing practices expected to occur in the Granholm administra-tion. ALSO: Minutes taken by Steve Manchester, Michigan AEYC; Jennie McAlpine, Washtenaw Regional 4C; a mystery person (sorry). o Please FORWARD THIS NOTICE
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