American Recovery and Reinvestment American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)Act (ARRA)

Board of Early Education and CareJune 9, 2009

ARRA Requirements Overlay

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Existing Federal Law

ARRA Requirements

Federal Agency Guidance on ARRA

Governor’s Office, ANF, State Comptroller, and Legislature

EEC

Principles for ARRA Expenditures: Principles for ARRA Expenditures: EEC Board’s Fiscal and Budget CommitteeEEC Board’s Fiscal and Budget Committee

SustainabilityInvest one-time ARRA funds thoughtfully to minimize the “funding cliff”

AccountabilityEnsure transparency, reporting and accountability

Economic ImpactSpend funds quickly to save and create jobs

CollaborationDevelop cross-agency initiatives to maximize benefits to children

ReformUse ARRA to promote reforms and cost saving initiatives that will provide a foundation for future growth

Prioritization

Prioritize limited resources toward children with the greatest education and care needs and multiple risk factors.  EEC’s Strategic Plan emphasizes that the Department values all children and all families.  In a fiscally constrained environment, the Strategic Plan also recognizes that children with the greatest educational needs and multiple risk factors come first.

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Administration for Children and Families: Administration for Children and Families: ARRA GuidanceARRA Guidance

CCDBG

EEC Award: $23.9 Million $20.1 Million to Provide Access to Financial Assistance for Child Care For

Low Income Families $3.8 Million in Quality Set-Aside

$1.1 Targeted to Infant Toddler Quality

Wampanoag Tribe Award: $4,716 (Not Administered by EEC)

Guidance Assist those most impacted by the recession through the provision of

funds to expand services to additional children and families; Through targeted funds, improve the quality of child care to support the

health and well-being of children; Activities allowable must fall within EEC’s existing program

requirements, per State Plan.*

*Any changes to program requirements such as provider rates (e.g., provider rate increases), income eligibility guidelines, and sliding fee scale require State Plan amendment and federal approvalwhich may delay implementation of ARRA programming.

CCDBG ARRA Proposals

ACCESS Summer Learning Promotion Vouchers

Job Retention Policy for Existing Families (Continuity of Care)Self Sufficiency Voucher for New Working Families of (2 Year

Only/Preschool Aged Children)

QUALITY Summer Learning and Literacy Promotion Incentive Grants to Facilitate Local Coordination of Family

and Community Engagement ProgrammingStatewide Initiative to Advance Existing Quality Efforts/Support QRIS (e.g., assessment, UPK standards)

Sponsorship for Literacy-Based or other ARRA Related Training Opportunities

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Link Between Job Retention Policy and ARRA Goals

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 Research demonstrates that families with access to high quality stable child care are more productive and less likely to miss work.

Lack of stable child care has been identified as a barrier to employment and a primary cause of absenteeism that may lead to termination.

Access to regular and stable child care is associated with greater job stability and retention for low income families.

Sources: Institute for Women’s Policy Research, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, The Urban Institute, and Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan.

ARRA Investment: Job Retention Policy (Continuity of Care)

Purpose: Support existing working families receiving EEC financial assistance to retain and find work by providing continuity of care for their children for up to 2 years only in the following circumstances: Summer-only care; A sibling of children already enrolled; A child “aging up” of a current program; and/or A family who loses their job or has a reduction in hours below current

minimum eligibility (extend child care provided during job search/ work hour reduction up to 26 weeks total);

Proposed Allocation: ~$5M

Method of Distribution: Revision to existing “Continuity of Care Policy, ” and implemented through voucher for ARRA tracking purposes.

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ARRA Investment: Job Retention PolicyEstimated Demand and Annual Cost

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Continuity

Category

Infant/ Toddler

Pre-K School Age

Need Cost Need Cost Need Cost

Siblings 434 $4.23 M 74 $.56 M 260 $1.27 M

Aging Up n/a n/a 35 $.26 M 147 $.72 M

Job Search FY 2009 Caseload ~ 520 children (8 weeks $.7 M; 14 weeks $1.1 M)

73% remained eligible after job search period ended

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ARRA Investment: Job Retention Policy How does this proposal relate to current access limits?

Priority Code Access StatusAs of 11/03/08

Current #(May 2009)

Department of Children and Families Referral Open

(Supportive Expansion Only)DCF WL(~1200)

Department of Transitional Assistance Referral Open No WL

Child of Foster Care Closed81

Child of Homeless Family Closed59

Child of Military Personnel Closed12

Child of Teen Parent Open98

Child with Special Needs Closed807

Parent with Special Needs Closed486

Grandparent/Guardian Family Closed265

Continuity of Care (See Next Slide)1822

General Priority Closed12776

FY2010 anticipated funding levels for Income Eligible Child Care will require maintaining these current access limits throughout FY2010.

ARRA Investments: Job Retention Policy How does this proposal relate to current continuity of care policy?

Continuity of Care Categories/Priorities

Current Access Status Proposed under ARRA Job Retention Policy*

Aging-upClosed, infants/toddlers in

contracts open Open

Siblings Closed Open

Supportive/Teen Parent Open n/a

Non-Traditional Hours Open n/a

Homeless Open n/a

Geographic Relocation Open n/a

Child Left within 3 Months (e.g., approved break in service or lost eligibility/regained within 90 days of termination)

Closed n/a or could substitute for

extending job search benefits

10*One-time/time limited to ARRA funding period and allocations.

ARRA Investment: Job Retention Policy Advisory Council, Operation Working Group and Policy and Program’s Committee Comments

To focus on most vulnerable in terms of job loss:1. Prioritize children already in care (aging-up)2. Prioritize families already in care (siblings)3. Prioritize age-groups with highest waiting list

numbers (infants/school-age) Job reduction support more important than job

search (still actually working); fund job search as “break in service”

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ARRA Investment: Job Retention Policy Discussion questions/options

1. prioritize among categories; 2. prioritize specific age groups (e.g.,

infants) across categories3. eliminate some categories; 4. fund up to allocation on first come, first

serve basis;5. provide only part-time care for job

search/during work hour reduction6. other?

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