No Time to Rest

On Friday April 20^th, Florida Governor Rick Scott vetoed HB 5103.  In terms of children in afterschool programs, this means the current eligibility criteria for school readiness remain as is. This is a great relief.

However, some version of HB 5103 will be brought up next legislative session. Because of that, we must begin now with our education efforts to legislators and legislative candidates of the importance of quality afterschool programs, particularly as these programs impact academic achievement.

We need to take immediately as we head full steam into the 2012 election season. Now is not the time to sit back and relax. Now is the time for us to get moving so we can avoid what almost happened this year. It is critical that legislators hear from you directly on this important issue that will negatively impact so many children and families throughout Florida.

Please visit www.myfan.org for important data and facts you can use. If you need additional information from FAN, all you have to do is ask.

We thank you for your support!

Larry Pintacuda

Chief Executive Officer

Florida Afterschool Network

www.myfan.org

Davant Named Florida Afterschool Champion of the Year

Florida Afterschool Network (FAN) board member Claudia Davant has been named the Florida Afterschool Champion of the Year. She will be honored at the National Afterschool All Challenge Conference in Washington D.C. on May 8-9, 2012.

“Claudia is being honored because of her unwavering work, support and dedication  for quality afterschool  opportunities  for all Florida’s youth, “ said Larry Pintacuda, FAN Chief Executive Officer. “I can think of no more deserving person than Claudia to be selected.”

Davant is the former Managing Partner of NSI, Florida where she led the national firm’s Florida practice for almost four years. While with NSI she built a broad multi-client practice that included local government, telecommunications, transportation, gaming, appropriations, healthcare, aging, education, and environmental issues. She has extensive experience in government and private sectors.

In addition to her corporate experience, Davant has worked in government on both the state and federal levels.  She served as U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond’s Legislative Aide in Washington, D.C. for three years providing legislative analysis, constituent service and external communications.

Besides her work with FAN, she serves on the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) IT Council, Florida TaxWatch Board’s Executive Steering Committee and the Take Stock in Children Board.

The Florida Afterschool Network (FAN) is a non-profit organization that strives to provide unified leadership to advocate for the development, enhancement and sustainability of innovative, high quality afterschool programs and policies statewide.  The organization’s original funding was provided by the Mott Foundation in 2005.

“We are thrilled that the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has decided to continue its relationship with the Florida Afterschool Network,” said FAN Executive Director Larry Pintacuda. “We are encouraged that the Foundation has confidence in our organization to deliver quality afterschool program initiatives to children throughout the state of Florida.

The mission of FAN is to provide unified leadership to advocate for the development, enhancement and sustainability of innovative, high quality afterschool programs and policies statewide.  FAN believes that every child should have high quality afterschool programs available that are accessible, affordable, accountable and inclusive.

FAN’s stakeholders include a diverse group of organizations whose common thread it the desire for all children to receive high quality afterschool case. For more information, please visit www.myfan.org.

New Partnership Allows for Training Session for Afterschool Providers

We have some exciting news! The Electric Company, WFSU and the Florida Afterschool Network (FAN) are partnering to deliver  training sessions for afterschool providers on  summer learning and extended learning.

Kim Kelling Engstrom, Director of Educational Services, WFSU and FAN Champion has been coordinating among the three entities to bring the workshop(s) to fruition.

The Electric Company is an educational children’s television series produced by Sesame Workshop for PBS in America. WFSU is the PBS public television station in Tallahassee licensed through Florida State University.

The Electric Company’s Summer Learning and Extended Learning programs”bring math and literacy to life through engaging videos, hands on activities, online games, and dynamic activity pages.”  The content is designed to “bridge the gap” in out of school time learning for children in 1^st – 3^rd grade. Besides offering quality resources to afterschool providers, much of the content is free to providers.

The live training session(s) will be held May 15^th.  We will advise you as soon as the actual time is set. The training will be provided to about 50 practitioners from the Tallahassee area. We are also trying to work out the logistics to have the training provided via satellite to other parts of the state.

 This is a tremendous opportunity for afterschool providers and practitioners in Tallahassee and the surrounding areas, and hopefully throughout the state.  We hope this is the first of a long partnership among the Electric Company, WFSU.

Launch of the Expanded Learning and Afterschool Project

The Florida Afterschool Network invites you to join a growing community of people who are speaking out for school-community partnerships that provide opportunities for student success. We are seeking supporters who agree with the expanded learning principles below.  Your name and/or organization will be part of a powerful cadre announced at the upcoming launch of the Expanded Learning and Afterschool Project.  

Dedicated to helping schools and communities leverage the time beyond school to accelerate student achievement by sharing research and best practices, this 50 state initiative is supported by a coalition of foundations led by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, including the Florida Afterschool Network.

Principles of Expanded Learning: Quality Expanded Learning and Afterschool opportunities will:

·         Build upon school-community learning partnerships where teachers and school leaders work closely with community-based professionals, sharing a common vision, goals, leadership and professional development opportunities.

·         Incorporate learning that is hands-on, engaging and helps children and youth gain the skills and knowledge they need for success in school and life.

·         Add time for learning and enrichment that complements the school day.

·         Engage family to participate in their children’s lives and learning.

·         Utilize financial models that are affordable, scalable and sustainable.

·         Link to meals and related learning supports for eligible children and youth and their families.

Please join the effort by lending your name.  Sign on now at http://www.expandinglearning.org/signon/ . More opportunities to learn, share and engage will be announced soon.

I appreciate your early support.

Larry Pintacuda

Chief Executive Officer

Florida Afterschool Network

Setback Does Not Stop Our Work – Next Session Can’t Come Fast Enough

After many long weeks and countless sleepless nights, we lost the non-siblings. The Tampa Bay Times nailed it in the editorial of March 1^st when they called the Early Learning Bill (HB 5013) the “Latchkey Key Kid Creation Act.” Despite the last ditch efforts of Claudia Davant, Jack Cory, Steve Wilkerson and Ted Granger, we were not successful in having the legislature maintain non-siblings of low income “working families” as a school readiness eligible category this session. I use the words “this session” because we will be successful in having non-siblings of low income “working families” reinstated as an eligible group next session!

So here is where we stand for FY 2012/2013:

·         The current 32,000 afterschool children enrolled in the school readiness program are grandfathered in. They will have their eligibility re-determined under the current statutory criteria.

·         Siblings of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers enrolled in the school readiness program maintain their eligibility.

FAN will immediately pull together a small planning group to develop strategies for getting this turned around next session. Among the strategies will be:

·         Messaging

·         Data

·         Pre-election and post-election initiatives (During the election we need to ask incumbent and challenger(s) their stance on this specific issue)

·         Increased funding opportunities

·         Substantive legislation  development

·         Key executive branch and legislative targets

·          Major Business consortiums

This is certainly not an all-inclusive list, but a few quick thoughts to tell you initial thinking. While we are all disappointed, this set back will not discourage us. We will keep fighting for our children!

Next session can’t come fast enough!

Larry Pintacuda

Chief Executive Officer

Florida Afterschool Network

Ladies and gentlemen, it is crunch time!

The conference committee on Senate Bill 1974 and House Bills  5103 and 7119 will soon be appointed and should begin deliberations next week. As of today, we have lost almost 50% of school age children of low income “working families” currently enrolled in the school readiness program. Of the 31,096 school age children currently served through the school readiness program, almost 15,000 (14,898) will lose their eligibility upon their redetermination date. The sole reason is they do not have a sibling under the age of eligibility for kindergarten. 

There is precious little time to get this turned around. Below is a one page talking point sheet. Once we know who the conference committee members are, we will notify post information. Please make sure these legislators hear (and hear quickly) from you, whether by e-mail or phone call. 

Action Needed! At this time, the Florida Afterschool Network is requesting that you craft your own message utilizing the attachment. It is critical that legislators hear from you directly on this important issue that will negatively impact so many children and families throughout Florida.  Just so you are aware, there are a lot of folks working hard to turn this around. Besides myself and Joe Davis, FAN Board members Claudia Davant, Ted Granger, Phyllis Kalifeh, Mike Lannon, and Steve Wilkerson have all been significantly involved. Danny Lyons (also a FAN Board member) Executive Director of the Florida Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs has had Club presidents calling from all over the state. The same goes for Todd Rosenbaum, Executive Director of the Florida YMCA’s. The YMCA directors have been making similar calls. Brittany Birken, President and CEO of the Children’s Services Councils, and their team have been walking the capital since the beginning of session. Additionally, Art O’Hara President of the R’Club in St. Pete (and a FAN Champion), Suzette Harvey, Executive  Director of PrimeTime (another FAN Champion) in West Palm Beach, and Ellen McKinley, President of the Kids CDE Alliance, and Roy Miller, and Linda Alexionok of the Children’s Campaign, have all contributed their time and talents to working this issue.

My point in sharing this list of folks is to let you know that we have and will continue to work very hard to retain the eligibility of all school age kids of working families and in order for us to ultimately be successful, we need your personal involvement.  Please take a few moments to read the fact sheets and send a message that will help make a difference. 

Please contact Joe Davis or me if you have any questions about your approach and message.

Larry Pintacuda

Chief Executive Officer

Florida Afterschool Network

Legislative Fact Sheet

Current Statutory Language in the School Readiness Act, Section 411.0102, provides for school age children ages 5 through 12, of low income working parents to participate in the school readiness program. Both Senate Bill 1974 and House Bill 5103  only provide  for “siblings” of children younger than the age for kindergarten enrolled in the school readiness program to participate. Statewide, 15,000 school age children of low income working families will no longer be eligible for services.

Why is quality afterschool important?  What does the research tell us?

Attendance in quality afterschool programs has been linked to higher test scores, greater gains in scores, and upward shifts in proficiency levels on standardized test scores.

·        The Legislative Office of Program Policy Analysis and Governmental Accountability (OPPAGA) found that elementary and middle school participants in the Boys and Girls Clubs performed better on the FCAT in reading (in elementary school) and math at grade level versus a comparison group of students who were not in quality afterschool programs.

·        Florida Tax Watch study of Boys and Girls Clubs: found participating students to have gains on both reading and math standardized test scores.

·        University of Florida evaluation of Florida’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers:

found that students participating at a minimum of 12 hours per week consistently have higher math and reading scores on standardized tests.

Former Florida State Health Officer, Dr. Will Blechman states “Childhood and education during childhood are ongoing processes during which the brain continues its development building upon the foundation created during those early years. It makes no sense to focus only on a limited age group, for example, zero to five , then ignore six to ten or vice versa. If the foundation is flawed, that which follows is less likely to be optimally functional. At the same time, even with a good foundation, if following experiences of the child are inadequate or in appropriate for learning, the effect on the brain will also be less than desired.”

Both the Senate and House Bills’ eligibility criteria need to be amended to provide for school age children up through 12 years of age of low income working families to retain their eligibility in the school readiness program.

Recommended language – Add a new subparagraph in the eligibility priorities to read:

Priority shall be given next to a child who is younger than 13 years of age who is eligible for any federal subsidized child care program.