Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Praises Senate Budget
Subcommittee for Protecting Child Care Funds
Threatened by Governor's May Revise Proposal
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today commended the Senate Budget Subcommittees for blocking a proposal in the Governor's May Revision to eliminate state-funded child care programs and support services. The item was heard before the Senate Education Budget Subcommittee this afternoon. Earlier this week O'Connell also applauded the Assembly Education Budget Subcommittee and the Assembly Health and Human Services Budget Subcommittee for stopping the proposal last week.
"Both the Assembly and State Senate Budget Subcommittees demonstrated foresight and a true concern for California's working families by keeping child care funding in the state budget. Assembly and Senate budget leaders who blocked the Governor's misguided proposal to eliminate $1.45 billion in funding for subsidized child care programs and support services maintained a vitally needed service for approximately 100,000 of California's working parents and their children, including babies and toddlers.
"Quality child care provides a critical start to the development of young minds and is a valuable tool in the efforts to help close the achievement gap. Access to child care is essential as it allows parents to continue to work and contribute to the economy. At a time when the state's child care network is already overburdened, the elimination of the subsidized child care programs and support services would be devastating.
"State-funded child care programs also employ more than 130,000 child care professionals who provide child care services in many different settings, including child care and development centers and licensed family child care homes. Eliminating these programs would simply add thousands more to the rolls of the unemployed and underemployed. Protecting child care funding in the state budget keeps adults contributing to California's economy while keeping children safe. The legislative committees acted wisely."
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