Bill jeopardizes early childhood partnerships

With the Governor’s Continuum of Care bill still in play at the Statehouse, I thought it would be important to discuss who it impacts.

I think we can all agree that in theory “continuum of care” is a good idea. We should be working on community partnerships. Partnerships that connect preschool programming and child care programming so that more young children receive opportunities for quality early childhood education.

Unfortunately, there are no new dollars going toward this legislation and the impacts for those that already providing continuum of care. The major players that this bill targets are Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) and Head Start.

In Iowa, through ECI (which focuses on ages birth to five), communities are able to be supported through local, informed decision making. ECI helps ensure that every child will have access to quality services, empowering them to be healthy and successful. “In 1998, Linn County was one of the first three areas in the state to be designated as an ECI area, which was established by Iowa Code Chapter 2561. This designation provides the local ECI Board with access to annual state allocation to fund local, quality early childhood services.” (linncountyiowa.gov) They follow priorities identified in their Early Childhood Community Plan and via collaborative system building efforts.

Linn County ECI has a large list of partners, some of those partners include the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Grant Wood AEA, HACAP, Iowa State Extension, Linn County Public Health, Tanager, Unity Point, and Young Parent Network. These partnerships and the partnerships in other ECI areas are now at risk to be reduced or eliminated.

Head Start is also on that list of partners that are also at risk of losing their Shared Visions funding through this legislation. Head Start has a proven history of preparing children for kindergarten, improving high school graduation rates, and strengthening children’s overall health, learning, and development. Head Start also has a long history of providing continuum of care.

I have a 26-year-old child who is a Head Start graduate; Head Start was offering full day programming when he attended all those years ago. Because of its wraparound services, I was able to go to work and attend school. Over the years, Head Start has expanded to not only offering full day programming, but full year (as it is traditionally closed in summer months). With this legislation, those wraparound services may no longer happen. Head Start is currently at risk of losing federal funding, and due to this pending legislation, state funding is also on the chopping block.

Removing dollars from programs that are successfully providing wraparound services and other valuable early ed supports to families of young children is not the way to go. Let’s expand the needed programming, not just move dollars and swap what programs will now receive it.

Democratic state Rep. Tracy Ehlert represents House District 79, is an early childhood educator, and a business owner.