NORTH CAROLINA AFTERSCHOOL COALITION

PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE MARCH 2006

Revisions in the NC Star Rated License System. 

v     Legislative changes have been made to the Star Rated license and became effective January 1, 2006. (http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/pdf_forms/Summary_rules.pdf).  

v     The rules to accompany these changes are being revised and there is complete information about these changes on the NC Division of Child Development website at http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/general/mb_revisedratedlicense.asp.  Also at this link is information about the transition grants which available to assist centers which have made progress under the current rated-license system to be able to transition to the new 2-component system.

President's Budget Level-Funds 21st CCLC, CCDBG; Proposed Funding Represents Loss of Real Money for Afterschool Programs.

On February 6, 2006, President Bush announced his proposed federal budget for FY 2007, leaving funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program at FY 2006 levels. While No Child Left Behind authorizes $2.5 billion for 21st CCLC in FY 2007, the President proposed just $981.166 million. That is approximately $20 million less than the funding height of $1 billion for 21st CCLC in FY 2002. In addition, the Child Care Development Block Grant, another federal funding stream for afterschool programs, was also funded at the same levels appropriated in FY 2006, $2.1 billion.

The No Child Left Behind Act established a multi-year roadmap for slow but steady growth in afterschool funding, reflecting a national consensus that afterschool programs should be expanded. If Congress agrees to the President's proposal for next year, none of the increases authorized in No Child Left Behind will be realized, reflecting the loss of opportunities after school for thousands of children around the country.

While not the final budget, the President's budget proposal acts like a roadmap; congressional appropriators use the funding levels in this budget to develop a budget that will eventually go to the President's desk for his signature.

Go to http://capwiz.com/afterschool/home to contact your Members of Congress and tell them how important these critical afterschool federal funds are to you and your community.

Th difference between the 21st CCLC authorized level of funding ($2.5 billion) and the requested level ($981 million) means for afterschool programs in North Carolina is 33,000 more children who could be safe and being inspired to learn while their families are working.

For more information please contact Claire Tate at 704-973-4567 or ctate@postcarolinas.org.