Changes include new Associate Secretary for Early Learning Support, new grant funding, doubling of ECAP

WILMINGTON, Del.—Governor John Carney and the Delaware Department of Education on Monday announced a few notable early childhood education updates, ranging from governance updates to additional CARES Act funding to the state’s commitment to double Early Childhood Assistance Program (ECAP) funding.

The state is pleased to announce that Yvette Sanchez Fuentes has been hired as the first Associate Secretary for Early Childhood Support.  This position, created by reallocating existing roles, will oversee both the Office of Early Learning (OEL) and the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL), the latter of which recently moved to the department.  This effort to consolidate early childhood governance has been a priority of the administration’s and has been supported by numerous early childhood advocates and leaders.  Ms. Sanchez Fuentes served as the director for the Office of Head Start in the Obama Administration and served for two years as the President of the National Alliance for Hispanic Families.  She will start Nov. 9.

The state is also announcing the creation of the Child Care Remote Learning Grant to support licensed child care facilities that are supporting school-age students’ remote learning.  Licensed child care centers and homes are going above and beyond to help care for school-age children during remote learning, often times incurring additional costs to do so.  The state has set aside $1 million in federal CARES Act funds for the grants, which will range between $500 and $7,500 depending on the need of the child care provider.

This grant is in addition to the Enhanced Reimbursement Program Delaware created in April.  The Enhanced Reimbursement Program provides additional funding to hundreds of child care homes and centers each month. Through September, child care centers and homes received more than $75 million in Enhanced Reimbursement funding.  This funding helps keep staff paid, helps child care providers meet strict health guidance, and assists with increased operating costs child cares face due to the pandemic.

“Providers have stepped up to fill an important need for Delaware families, and this grant funding will help them with the additional costs they face to expand their operations to support school age students,” said Governor Carney.  “I’ve seen firsthand the challenge these child care providers are dealing with to support remote learning.  Our state is grateful for our remarkable early childhood workforce, and we are excited to offer these grants to support our providers who are serving school age children.”

The Child Care Remote Learning Grants can be used to pay or reimburse providers for specific expenditures they’ve made or are making necessary to assist remote learning for school age children.  Many child care providers are serving children from more than one district/charter, making their work doubly hard.  The application will be available on www.de.gov/coronavirus by the end of the week.

“The Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood at the University of Delaware is excited to partner with the state on this important initiative and to administer the grant,” said Rena Hallam, DIEEC director.  “These funds will help early childhood professionals support effective remote learning for school-age children in early care and education programs.”

Secretary of Education Susan Bunting noted that whether districts and charters opened for some in-person instruction or full remote learning, the need for a safe place for children to complete their remote learning is critical.

“These centers and homes are providing students a safe environment in which to engage in remote learning while their parents work in order to provide for their families,” said Secretary Bunting. “We appreciate how they have supported our students during this time and need to support their efforts.  Many child care providers have been working through this pandemic to provide care to children of essential personnel, and we are grateful for their contributions to our state and our children every single day.”

Finally, the state recently announced a settlement in the ongoing education funding lawsuit.  Among the provisions of the settlement, Delaware commits to doubling the funding dedicated to the Early Childhood Assistance Program (ECAP).  The ECAP program is Delaware’s state-funded pre-k for disadvantaged children.  Beginning in FY 2024, funding for ECAP will have a new floor of $12.2 million.

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NEW CASTLE (July 25, 2018) – With back-to-school shopping already well underway for many Delaware families, the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) asks you to consider helping students in need get off to a good start this school year by participating in the annual Adopt-A-Student program.

DHSS, in partnership with the Human Services Council, Inc., is seeking individuals, businesses and organizations to help thousands of the state’s children living in poverty or in low-income households by providing much needed backpacks, school supplies, and gift cards to purchase uniforms. The deadline for donations is Aug. 3.

“Providing resources and support for low-income students has always been high on my list of priorities,” said Governor John Carney. “The work done by the Adopt-A-Student program – thanks to the generosity of sponsors and donors – helps make sure all Delaware children are ready to start learning with the first school bell of the year. I urge Delawareans to donate to Adopt-A-Student so our most vulnerable students are ready to take that next step toward success.”

Designed to encourage a positive attitude toward school by helping with the supplies students need to achieve success, Adopt-A-Student accepts backpacks and school supply donations, as well as $50 gift cards to retail stores that carry school uniforms such as Forman Mills, Rainbow and Walmart.

“This year we shared the poem ‘Children Learn What They Live,’ written by Ms. Dorothy Law Nolte many years ago, with our sponsors – a poem that has been an inspiration to many over the years,” said Lisa MB Johnson, Program Administrator for the Adopt-A-Family program in the Division of State Service Centers. “Our goal is to decrease the stress level of vulnerable families as parents and children prepare for a successful school year.

“We are excited about the support we have received from the Delaware community at-large and want to reiterate the point that our sponsors continue to be an inspiration to the many children and parents whose lives they encourage by the annual educational support they provide.”

In 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 12 percent of Delawareans lived below the poverty line.

To “adopt” a student or make a donation, please contact the closest Adopt-A-Family office:

• New Castle County: Contact the Adopt-A-Student program at 302-792-6510 or email sharon.brown@delaware.gov. Donation hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Kent and Sussex counties: Contact the Adopt-A-Student program at 302-424-7260 or email elizabeth.senato@delaware.gov. Donation hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Any donor who needs to drop off donations outside of these hours may call either office for an accommodation. More information can be found at www.adoptafamilyde.org.

In 2017, the Adopt-A-Student program, through the leadership of the Human Services Councils, Inc., helped more than 1,400 Delaware students. Year-round, the various Adopt-A-Family programs aid families in crisis – those struggling with illness, homelessness, domestic violence, poverty or unemployment. The program, begun in 1973, is coordinated by the Division of State Service Centers in all three counties.

For these programs, Adopt-A-Family accepts financial and in-kind donations. All donations are tax deductible (Federal Tax ID# 51-0292966). Checks can be made payable to: Adopt-A-Family, and mailed to either 3301 Green St., Claymont, DE 19703; or 13 SW Front St., Milford, DE 19963.

For more information about Adopt-A-Family, go to www.adoptafamilyde.org/ or contact your nearest state service center.

DOVER – In his weekly message, Governor Markell talks about efforts to improve early childhood education in Delaware, including expansion of the Delaware Stars for Early Success quality-rating program, which provides technical and financial assistance to enable early care and education providers to achieve higher standards.

“Education cannot start the moment a child shows up for his or her first day of kindergarten,” said the Governor.  “Kids who arrive years behind their peers that first day can take years to catch up—at substantial cost to their school districts and themselves. Research has demonstrated clearly that investing in early childhood education is one of the best investments a state can make in its own economic growth.  Children receiving quality early care and education are less likely to be disruptive and much more likely to be successful.”

Delaware is focused on getting more providers enrolled in the voluntary quality-rating system – so they can benefit by providing even better care and our state’s youngest minds can benefit from even stronger instruction.  The state isexpanding the reimbursement rate for providers caring for children eligible for Delaware’s Purchase of Care system – so providers can help keep top talent, and these children can keep learning.

“Our commitment to improving K-12 education is clear and constant – because it gives children a much better chance to graduate ready to succeed in the work world,” said the Governor.  “ Our commitment to early childhood education is becoming more clear as well – because children need every opportunity to show up, ready to learn, ready to succeed, and ready to make the most of the great public schools our state provides –  all critical components to keep our state, moving forward.”

About the Governor’s Weekly Message:
At noon every Friday, a new video message is posted to the Governor’s website and YouTube channel and is distributed to Delaware media outlets.   Transcripts of the messages are posted and the audio version of the Governor’s message is available on iTunes as a podcast for distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers.   The Governor’s weekly message is currently being carried on the air and posted on websites by various media outlets, and the direct link is:   http://youtu.be/TLVM20NvTBY

Constituents, media outlets and others are free to link to the Governor’s video message on YouTube –http://www.youtube.com/user/GovernorMarkell – or on his Facebook page – www.facebook.com/governormarkell – or on the Delaware State website at http://governor.delaware.gov/information/podcast_video.shtml.  All are also invited to follow him on Twitter – www.twitter.com/governormarkell – and submit ideas throughhttp://ideas.delaware.gov

TRANSCRIPT / TEXT OF SCRIPT

Efforts to improve public education in Delaware are well underway – thousands of people are putting in countless hours to give our state the strongest possible public schools and give our state the strongest possible argument to make to potential employers the First State their first choice to locate new jobs.

It’s a reform effort that brings together teachers, students, parents, administrators, public officials and private sector employers – all committed to the same cause of helping great teachers make a real difference in our children’s lives.  But it’s an effort that’s made more clear lately that education cannot start the moment a child shows up for his or her first day of kindergarten. Kids who arrive years behind their peers that first day can take years to catch up- at substantial cost to their school districts and themselves.

Research has demonstrated clearly that investing in early childhood education is one of the best investments a state can make in its own economic growth.  Children receiving quality early care and education are less likely to be disruptive and much more likely to be successful. They are less likely to drop out and more likely to succeed in school, become better citizens, earn more, contribute more, and require far less in government services.

It’s an investment that clearly pays dividends. That’s why we are expanding the Delaware Stars- for-Early- Success quality rating program, which provides technical and financial assistance to enable centers to achieve higher standards. It’s why we are focused on getting more centers enrolled in the optional quality rating system – so they can benefit by providing even better care and our state’s youngest minds can benefit from even stronger instruction.

Just as great teachers are the bedrock of great success in a public school classroom, great staff at these centers can make all the difference for the children in their care. That’s why we are also expanding the reimbursement rate for centers caring for children eligible for Delaware’s Purchase of Care system – so centers can help keep top talent, and these children can keep learning.

Our commitment to improving K-12 education is clear and constant – because it gives children a much better chance to graduate ready to succeed in the work world.   Our commitment to early childhood education is becoming more clear as well – because children need every opportunity to show up, ready to learn, ready to succeed, and ready to make the most of the great public schools our state provides –  all critical components to keep our state, moving forward.