Legislative Update
The session started two weeks ago, and a number of bills have been introduced, including several family- and child-related bills. They include:
S.B. No. 1 - "An Act Creating a Paid Family and Medical Leave System in the State," introduced by Sen. Looney
H.B. No. 5196 - "An Act Delaying the Bachelor's Degree Requirement for Educators at Certain Early Childhood Education Programs," introduced by Rep. Sanchez
H.B. No. 5197 - "An Act Requiring the Office of Early Childhood to Develop a Proposed Early Childhood Educator Compensation Schedule," introduced by Rep. Sanchez.
A longer list of bills has been added to the Alliance website, and they will be reviewed shortly by staff.
Early Childhood Cabinet Meeting Planned
The Early Childhood Cabinet will meet on Friday, January 20, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Old Judiciary Room at the State Capitol.
Building a Budget for Connecticut's Future: CT Voices Budget Forum 2017
On Tuesday, January 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the Old Judiciary Room of the State Capitol, CT Voices for Children will host its 16th annual budget forum. As advocates gear up for what is sure to be another difficult fiscal year, CT Voices will examine our budget from the perspective of current facts and future aspirations.
Participants include:
- Secretary Benjamin Barnes, Office of Policy and Management
- Comptroller Kevin Lembo, Office of State Comptroller
- Senator Chris Murphy, U.S. Senate, via video
- Representative Toni Walker, Co-Chair, Appropriations Committee
- Representative Vincent Candelora, Deputy Republican Leader
- Joseph McGee, Vice President, Public Policy and Programs, Fairfield Business Council
- Anika Singh Lemar, Associate Clinical Professor, Yale Law School
To register for the event, click HERE. Seating is limited.
In addition, CT Voices for Children has released its 2015 "The State of Early Childhood" report in December 2016. To read the report, click HERE.
What Role Do Parents Play in Good Oral Hygiene for Their Children?
The groundwork for good oral hygiene and healthy teeth is laid in a child's early years. Parents play a key role in making sure their children develop the proper oral hygiene routine. This document released by Colgate offers advice to parents and other important oral health information. Click HERE for more information.
New America Foundation Offers Early Ed Priorities for 2017
New America Foundation takes a look at what state and federal policymakers can do to help reform the country's education system. New America takes a look at what states are already doing and offers a number of suggestions going forward, including accessibility,workforce issues, etc. Click HERE for more information.
Implicit Bias Interview with Walter Gilliam
Anyone who attended the Community Conversations Conference, hosted by CEA and partners, may have sat in on Dr. Walter Gilliam's session on pre-k suspension and expulsion. Among the topics of that breakout session, an implicit bias experiment that was conducted at a national conference, where teachers were asked to watch a video and watch for challenging behaviors. Dr. Gilliam was recently interviewed by New America Foundation to talk more about the study and its results. Click HERE to read more about it.
Childhood Conversations Conference Registration Now Open
Mark your calendars and register for the 11th Annual Childhood Conversations Conference, being held this year in Farmington. The conference takes place Saturday, April 1, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hartford Farmington Marriott. Early bird registration is open until 3/17. For more information or to register online, click HERE.
Support for the Alliance comes from of our members and our funders: The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, Connecticut Health Foundation, Children's Fund of Connecticut, Connecticut Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, The Fund for Greater Hartford, and The Eder Family Foundation