Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/31/2024 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: State Policy Choices Affect Healthy Child Development | |
| Presentation: All Alaska Pediatric Partnership (a2p2) | |
| Presentation: Alaska Head Start Program | |
| Presentation: Thread | |
| Presentation: Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children | |
| Presentation: Alaska Children's Trust | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
January 31, 2024
3:42 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Löki Tobin, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
Senator Jesse Bjorkman
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: STATE POLICY CHOICES AFFECT HEALTHY CHILD
DEVELOPMENT
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: ALL ALASKA PEDIATRIC PARTNERSHIP (A2P2)
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: ALASKA HEAD START PROGRAM
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: SOUTHEAST ALASKA ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF
YOUNG CHILDREN
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: THREAD
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: ALASKA CHILDREN'S TRUST
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
CYNTHIA OSBORNE, Executive Director
Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center Alaska
Nashville, Tennessee
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered the presentation State Policy
Choices Affect Healthy Child Development.
TAMAR BEN-YOSEF, Executive Director
All Alaska Pediatric Partnership (A2P2)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation on All Alaska
Pediatric Partnership (A2P2).
MARK LACKEY, Executive Director
Chugiak Children's Services
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation on the Alaska Head
Start Program.
NICK MOE, Public Policy Manager
Thread
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation on Thread.
NICCI LOVE, Creative Director
Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-offered a presentation on the Southeast
Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children.
EMILY THOMPSON, Program Manager
Parents as Teachers (PAT)
Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-offered a presentation on the Southeast
Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children.
TREVOR STORRS, President
Alaska Children's Trust
Anchorage Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation on Alaska Children's
Trust.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:42:58 PM
CHAIR LÖKI TOBIN called the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 3:42 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Stevens, Gray-Jackson, Kiehl, Bjorkman and Chair Tobin.
^Presentation: State Policy Choices Affect Healthy Child
Development
PRESENTATION:
STATE POLICY CHOICES AFFECT HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT
3:44:32 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of the presentation
State Policy Choices Affect Healthy Child Development by
Prenatal-to-3 Impact Center and Prenatal - to 3 Stakeholders.
3:45:06 PM
CYNTHIA OSBORNE, Executive Director, Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact
Center Alaska, Nashville, Tennessee, Offered the presentation
State Policy Choices Affect Healthy Child Development.
3:45:49 PM
At ease
3:46:21 PM
CHAIR TOBIN reconvened the meeting.
3:46:33 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slide 2 and stated that the purpose of the
Policy Impact Center is to serve as a resource for state leaders
working to improve the lives of all children from birth onward:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Who We Are
We are a nonpartisan research center at Vanderbilt
University. We focus on the rigorous evidence
connecting brain science with state policies and
programs.
What We Do
We work with state lawmakers, agency officials,
advocates, and academics to navigate the evidence on
effective and equitable state policy solutions that
ensure all children thrive from the start while also
leading to a thriving economy, strong families, a
proficient workforce, and safe communities.
3:47:21 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slides 3-5 and explained that the center's
work is rooted in scientific research emphasizing the importance
of the first three years of life for a child's development.
During this period, more than a million neural connections are
made per second. Children exposed to safe, stable, and nurturing
environments early on are set on a path toward health and well-
being, while those exposed to high levels of stress can suffer
brain and body system damage with lifelong consequences. Key to
healthy brain and body development are secure attachments
between caregiver and child, known as serve-and-return
interactions. Resource-rich environments lead to healthy brain
development in the prefrontal cortex, which aids in delayed
gratification and critical thinking. Although children have
similar levels of frontal gray matter in their earliest months,
socioeconomic status influences brain development over the first
three years. Chronic adversity early in life results in lifelong
health consequences. The more adverse experiences a child has,
the more likely they are to encounter poor health behaviors and
outcomes. The center aims to explore how states can promote the
healthy development of all children from birth.
3:50:09 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slide 6 and said the center operationalizes
scientific research into eight prenatal-to-three policy goals,
defining the conditions children need to thrive from the start.
By creating these conditions, children can be set up for success
both at school entry and throughout their lives. Key elements
include ensuring families have access to resources they are
eligible for, enabling parents to work and care for their
children, and providing sufficient resources like food security,
housing stability, and economic security. The goals also focus
on babies being born healthy, addressing both the physical and
mental health of children and parents, and ensuring parents have
the knowledge and skills to understand child development and
engage in nurturing and responsive relationships. Additionally,
children should experience nurturing relationships in childcare
and other settings when not with their parents, and any
developmental delays should be identified and addressed as early
as possible to support healthy development. The center aims to
understand how children are faring across each state by
identifying 20 outcome measures to evaluate progress on these
eight policy goals.
[Original punctuation provided.]
Eight Prenatal-to-3 Policy Goals
Access to Needed Services - Families have access to
necessary services through expanded eligibility,
reduced administrative burden and fewer barriers to
services, and identification of needs and connection
to services.
Parents' Ability to Work - Parents have the skills and
incentives for employment and the resources they need
to balance working and parenting.
Sufficient Household Resources - Parents have the
financial and material resources they need to provide
for their families.
Healthy and Equitable Births - Children are born
healthy to healthy parents, and pregnancy experiences
and birth outcomes are equitable.
Parental Health and Emotional Wellbeing - Parents are
mentally and physically healthy, with particular
attention paid to the perinatal period.
Nurturing and Responsive Child-Parent Relationships -
Children experience warm, nurturing, stimulating
interactions with their parents that promote healthy
development.
Nurturing and Responsive Child Care in Safe Settings -
When children are not with their parents, they are in
high-quality, nurturing, and safe environments.
Optimal Child Health and Development - Children's
emotional, physical, and cognitive development is on
track, and delays are identified and addressed early.
3:51:58 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slide 7 and highlighted a subset of the 20
outcome measures where Alaska's children and families are not
thriving compared to those in other states. The chart provided
percentages of for Alaska, the worst state, and the best state.
She noted that this information is useful for states to
prioritize their goals. She explained that the center aims to
provide the most rigorous evidence available on how to achieve
these goals. For example, if the focus is on helping parents get
to work or reducing infant mortality, the center offers evidence
on the most effective policies to improve these outcomes. Their
approach involved conducting comprehensive reviews of dozens of
state-level policies, summarizing findings from thousands of
documents and papers, and hundreds of the most rigorous studies
to identify policies with strong evidence that, if implemented,
could lead to positive changes in outcomes. The outcomes
measures selected for the subset:
• Low-income Women Uninsured
• Births to Women Not Receiving Adequate Prenatal Care
• Children <3 Without Any Full-Time Working Parent
• Children <3 Living in Crowded Households
• Number of Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births
• Children <3 Not Up to Date on Immunizations
• Maltreatment Rate per 1,000 Children <3
3:52:55 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slide 8 and stated that the center's four
primary findings from their research highlight policy choices
that can empower parents and lead to healthier child
development. They identified 12 effective policies, emphasizing
that states must understand that no policy focuses solely on
children. Instead, policies that lead to better outcomes for
children involve caring for the caregivers, such as parents,
childcare providers, and visitors. She stressed the importance
of supporting caregivers to enable them to care for their
children effectively. Another key finding is that no single
policy or program can achieve all desired outcomes. A
combination of broad-based economic and family support, along
with targeted interventions, is necessary to create a support
system where children and their parents can thrive in the
earliest years. Lastly, she mentioned that the center not only
identified the most effective policies but also examined their
implementation across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. They
found a patchwork of benefits and services for children,
indicating that the greatest predictor of resources available to
families for raising children is the state in which they live.
3:54:38 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slide 9, which shows the relationship
between goal setting, policymaking, and outcomes. She stated she
would share all 12 policies and strategies that have a strong
evidence base but began with those that Alaska is working on
this legislative session. Four broad-based economic family
support policies that significantly impact multiple Prenatal-to-
3 (PN-3) policy goals include ensuring families have access to
health insurance, providing paid leave after birth or adopting a
foster a child, establishing a state minimum wage of $10 per
hour, and implementing tax credits to promote greater work and
increased family resources, leading to healthier birth and other
outcomes. She emphasized that these broad-based economic and
family supports are fundamental for the well-being of families
and should be combined with more targeted interventions.
3:55:39 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slides 10-12 and explained that she began
identifying specific strategies states are implementing that
have evidence of impacting various policy goals. She said she
reviewed these strategies to assess Alaska's progress and slide
11 shows a total of eight strategies. She stated that a roadmap
was created for each state and slide 12 summarizes Alaska's
roadmap information. The summary highlights that Alaska is one
of 30 states that have expanded the Affordable Care Act,
allowing families with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal
poverty level to access health insurance. This is crucial for
mothers during the prenatal period, ensuring they can obtain
health insurance early and throughout their pregnancy. Alaska is
also among 46 states that have expanded 12 months of postpartum
coverage for mothers, instead of cutting off at 60 days.
MS. OSBORNE noted however, Alaska does not currently have a
statewide paid family leave program. There is pending
legislation considering paid leave for state employees and an
opt-in paid leave program for businesses or individuals. She
said when the roadmap was produced in October, Alaska's minimum
wage was $10.85, but as of January 1, it has increased to
$11.73. Although Alaska does not have a state income tax, many
states are considering a working tax credit similar to a state
earned income tax credit to encourage families to work.
Washington, for example, does not have a state income tax but
has an equivalent policy, and seven states are considering
similar measures.
3:59:35 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slide 13 and said the center aimed to
identify not just effective strategies, but also specific policy
levers states can implement to make these strategies more widely
available, equitable, and effective. For example, while
childcare subsidies help families work and access preferred
care, the center also sought to guide states on implementing
these strategies more broadly.
MS. OSBORNE said one key policy lever is reducing administrative
burdens so families can more easily access eligible benefits.
Alaska recently made its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) application available online, simplifying the 27-
page process and significantly helping families in need.
Comprehensive screening and connection programs, such as Family
Connects or Healthy Steps, are effective strategies states can
implement. These programs screen all children and families,
connecting them to resources that meet their specific needs.
MS. OSBORNE stated that other effective strategies include
childcare subsidies, group prenatal carewhich reduces social
isolation during pregnancy and improves outcomesand community-
based doulas. Alaska's state-sponsored doula program helps
improve outcomes during the prenatal period, labor, and the
early postpartum period. Evidence-based home visiting programs
and Early Head Start, supported by Alaska as one of 23 states
providing direct state support, are also crucial. Although the
level of support has been stagnant, it remains essential. Early
intervention services are another evidence-based strategy to
help children achieve optimal development.
MS. OSBORNE said these are the 12 policies identified by the
center and that these policies intersect to provide resources
for parents.
4:02:24 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slide 14 and explained that the center
created a simulation of a stylized family to analyze the level
of resources available across all states to family based on
state policy choices. The mother in this stylized family is
Lina, who has an infant and a toddler, works full-time year-
round, and earns the state's minimum wage. Lina applies for and
receives all the benefits she is eligible for, which is not the
case for all families in her position. After giving birth, she
took 12 weeks of leave, protected under the Federal Family
Medical Leave Act. To work, she sends her children to center-
based childcare that charges the 75th percentile of the market
rate, which the federal government considers the equal access
target. This rate means that 75 percent of all childcare
providers charge less than this amount. This setup allows for a
consistent comparison across all states.
4:04:10 PM
MS. OSBORNE moved to slide 15 and stated it shows the variation
in resources Lina's family experiences based on where she lives.
Lina has over $47,000 a year in resources if she lives in the
District of Columbia, compared to just over $20,000 in resources
if she lives in Georgia, despite her doing the exact same
things: working full time and sending her children to care. Good
state policy choices make a big difference. In Alaska, Lina has
about $42,700 in resources each year.
4:04:58 PM
MS. OSBOURNE moved to slide 16 and said Alaska ranked number 10.
Although Alaska's cost of living is higher, its rank doesn't
change much after cost-of-living adjustments. The chart shows
that if Lina works full time at the state's minimum wage and
takes three months off, she has about $17,000 in income. After
paying for childcare, her income is reduced by about $2,000 a
year. She receives another $23,000 in SNAP and WIC benefits,
federal Earned Income Tax Credits, and Child Tax Credits, plus
close to $4,000 from the Permanent Dividend Fund. This reflects
the family resources in Alaska today, though the recent minimum
wage increase that began in January needs to be updated.
4:06:35 PM
MS. OSBOURNE moved to slides 21-22 and said the level of benefit
for paid family leave (PFL) varies substantially across the
country. However, if Alaska were to implement the least generous
PFL program and apply it to Lina's situation, she would have
around $19,000 in wages, increasing her overall resources each
year by about $1,800. This change would move Alaska's ranking
from ten to seven.
4:07:38 PM
MS. OSBOURNE moved to slides 26-27 and said the market rate for
childcare in Alaska is lower than in Washington or Oregon but
higher than in Montana. Out-of-pocket childcare expenses, shown
in navy and teal on the graph, are a substantial burden on
families' finances. She explained that if Alaska increased
reimbursement rates to the 75th percentile of the market rate,
which is now common among states, Lina's family would benefit by
almost $1,400 a year. This increase would enable Lina to work
more, likely remain in the workforce, send her children to
higher quality care, and boost her household resources.
4:09:02 PM
MS. OSBOURNE moved to slide 28 and stated that if Alaska
implemented both the Paid Family Leave (PFL) program and
childcare subsidies to the 75th percentile, Lina would have
almost $46,000 in resources, significantly improving her
children's well-being. She added that the Prenatal-to-3 Policy
Impact Center has many more resources to share.
4:10:00 PM
CHAIR TOBIN asked about the difference between chronic versus
single episode adversity. She mentioned hearing from some
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) partners about
redefining Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) scores. She
noted that experiences like the death of a family member or a
divorce might contribute to a single episode of adversity, which
is different from chronic adversity. She requested further
explanation of this difference.
4:10:30 PM
MS. OSBORNE replied that there are three different types of
stress to consider. One is normal stress, which is healthy for
development. Children learn boundaries and understand that they
can't always get what they want, which is important for healthy
growth. The second type is tolerable stress, such as losing a
family member or moving to a new place and losing connections.
With the support of a loving, caring adult, children can cope
with this stress without long-term negative consequences. The
third type is chronic stress, which includes ongoing issues like
poverty or having a parent with mental illness. This stress,
especially without the presence of a supportive adult, is called
toxic stress. Toxic stress can negatively affect brain and body
development, leading to long-term adverse outcomes and lifelong
consequences.
CHAIR TOBIN thanked the presenter for a presentation grounded in
policy and research.
^Presentation: All Alaska Pediatric Partnership (A2P2)
PRESENTATION:
ALL ALASKA PEDIATRIC PARTNERSHIP (A2P2)
4:12:25 PM
CHAIR TOBIN introduced Alaska Pediatric Partnership, a Prenatal
-to- 3 Stakeholder.
4:12:44 PM
TAMAR BEN-YOSEF, Executive Director, All Alaska Pediatric
Partnership (A2P2), Anchorage, Alaska, offered the following
testimony on the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership (A2P2):
Thank you for inviting me to testify today on how
Alaska can better support its population of mothers
and young children. The Alaska Pediatric Partnership
is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to the health and
wellness of Alaska's children and the families that
care for them. Our organization has been working in
collaboration with partners and stakeholders
statewide, from public and private entities to
communities and tribal health entities, since 1995 to
find innovative solutions and drive transformations to
the systems of care for children and their families,
so that every Alaskan child has the opportunity to
reach their full potential.
4:13:34 PM
MS. BEN-YOSEF continued:
Thank you for that excellent presentation from the
Prenatal-to-Three Policy Impact Center. We heard some
stark examples of where we stand as a state in both
best practice policies and strategies related to the
prenatal and pediatric population. In our state, we've
seen a negative growth rate for the last decade, and
we're feeling it heavily in Alaska's ability to
recruit medical providers and military families who
need services for their families and dependents. So,
what will it take to make Alaska a great place to
raise children? The good thing is that we already have
a lot of what we need. We don't need to recreate the
wheel. Everything required to make measurable change
exists in several well-crafted documents developed by
a diverse group of Alaskans who have been engaged in
prenatal and early childhood work for years, some of
whom are sitting right here in the room.
In 2019, through several federal funding
opportunities, including the Birth through Five
Preschool Development Grant, a joint task force
conducted a statewide needs assessment and analyzed
numerous other documents and data that informed the
development of the Alaska Early Childhood Strategic
Plan. This plan has been adopted and endorsed by the
Alaska Early Childhood Coordinating Council (AECCC),
which is co-chaired by the Department of Education and
the Department of Health. I'm glad to say that the
strategies recommended in the presentation from the
Prenatal-to-Three Policy Impact Center are included in
the Early Childhood Strategic Plan throughout the
written objectives. Another resource that informed the
strategic plan is the Alaska Mental Health Trust
Comprehensive Integrated Mental Health Program Plan,
and both documents are linked in the slide. These
documents lay a firm foundation for actionable
strategies that will move the needle on outcomes for
children.
4:15:20 PM
MS. BEN-YOSEF continued:
What we don't have is the architecture or the
infrastructure to support the execution of these
plans. For years, Alaska has managed its programs and
services for children and families using a reactionary
approach that leans on individualized solutions and
initiatives to target some of its biggest challenges
related to education and children's health. Picking
single efforts or projects lifted up by individual
stakeholder groups will not move the needle on
outcomes and has led to the situation we find
ourselves in today. What we need to do is work
together on a comprehensive approach in the Early
Childhood Strategic Plan that has been agreed to and
ratified by both education and health sector experts
and has been informed by the communities where the
changes need to take place. The planning has already
been done. We need to partner with each other, with
you all, and with the Children's Caucus for the hard
work of implementing the mapped-out strategies that we
know will work, and I look forward to doing that work
with you all.
The strategies these plans lay out represent work
traditionally found in several sectors, such as
health, education, and other departments that
intersect with children and families. However,
families don't approach these as separate systems.
They are simply looking to get what they need for
their children and find ways to help their families be
in a position to support their children so that they
can be ready to learn when they arrive at school. The
more coordinated the system, the better the outcomes
will be for the families, for their children, and for
our state.
^Presentation: Alaska Head Start Program
PRESENTATION:
ALASKA HEAD START PROGRAM
4:17:30 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of a presentation by
Chugiak Children's Services.
4:17:53 PM
MARK LACKEY, Executive Director, Chugiak Children's Services,
Wasilla, Alaska, stated he is an active member of the Alaska
Head Start Association. He provided the following testimony:
Head Start is the safety net of our nation when it
comes to early childhood. We have an almost 60-year
history of providing services across the country and
in Alaska as well. My own agency is one of 17 grantees
in the state of Alaska. We provide services in the
Mat-Su Borough and serve over 3,000 children across
the state in more than 100 communities. In many rural
villages throughout Alaska, where there is no licensed
childcare program, Head Start programs fulfill the
need for the entire community.
4:19:08 PM
MR. LACKEY continued:
Every year, $62 million of Alaska's federal tax
dollars flow back into the state for operational
funds, not accounting for capital funds. There is
significant capital investment in Alaska that comes
from your tax dollars, specifically for Head Start
programs and early childhood education. In my program
alone, in the Mat-Su, we have built three facilities
over the past six years, bringing approximately $14
million into our community for capital projects,
serving children and families.
Federal grants require a 20 percent match, and the
state of Alaska committed to help grantees meet that
federal match until 2010. As our previous speaker
noted, funding stopped increasing even though costs
continued to rise and federal funding increased with
the cost of living. Programs expanded to meet
community needs. Currently, the state match is down to
11 percent, which has consequences for individual
communities.
4:20:46 PM
MR. LACKEY continued:
In my own community, my board of directors recently
decided to close a school. We have waiting lists a
mile long, and the need has only increased in the Mat-
Su. Many children and families qualify for our
services. Our services are provided to the families
who are most at risk and vulnerable, such as very low-
income families, families with children in foster
care, and families experiencing homelessness. In our
program, half of the children we serve are either in
foster care or homeless. By closing that school, we
will serve about 60 fewer children next fall, half of
whom will be in foster care or homeless. These
children will be unserved, leading to increased costs
for the state in providing care, special education,
OCS involvement, and criminal justice.
Early Head Start and Head Start are foundational
pieces in our state's early childhood system,
especially for children from zero to three. The
federal investment will continue to grow in this
realm, but we must protect and nurture this
investment. Otherwise, our tax dollars will support
services in other states.
CHAIR TOBIN thanked the presenter.
^PRESENTATION: THREAD
PRESENTATION:
THREAD
4:23:20 PM
CHAIR TOBIN stated Mr. Moe would provide a presentation on
Thread.
4:23:35 PM
NICK MOE, Public Policy Manager, Thread, Anchorage, Alaska,
Offered the following presentation on Thread:
Thread is Alaska's Childcare Resource and Referral
organization. We serve around 10,000 Alaskan families
across more than 400 childcare and infant learning
programs. We offer direct services to 2,000 early
educators across the state. We have recently partnered
with the state to help administer COVID relief funds
to centers across Alaska and recent one-time funding
from the state to help support the early education
workforce.
Infant and toddler care for the zero to three age
group is the largest age group in Alaska that needs
quality childcare. More than 60 percent of Thread's
childcare referrals for families are from those
needing infant and toddler care. Unfortunately, and
mostly due to costs, we've seen programs offer less
and less infant and toddler care over the last five
years. Recognizing that this care is difficult to
find, I want to emphasize that Thread supports paid
family leave policies, which are even more important
given the lack of supply. We support this policy and
recognize that parents are the child's first and most
important teachers.
4:25:12 PM
MR. MOE continued:
I appreciate today's presentation and comments. I
thought I would offer a broader perspective and
discuss some of the challenges and solutions for
increasing infant learning and toddler opportunities
in Alaska. The COVID relief funds and one-time funding
from the state have been absolutely essential to keep
programs open and childcare providers employed. What
we desperately need now is sustainable funding from
the state.
We can't expect the small business owners and
entrepreneurs who run many of these programs to make
long-term decisions and adjustments like hiring staff
and modifying physical spaces with only one-time
funding. We can't expect our early educators and
childcare providers to forego better career
opportunities with better benefits based on a one-time
award or bonus that might not be available next year.
We can't expect Alaskan families to commit to full-
time employment or enter the workforce without
certainty about childcare costs.
We need to offer stability to the childcare and infant
learning sector in Alaska so that long-term
investments and improvements that are desperately
needed can be made. Specifically, we need to increase
the childcare program office's operating budget line
item to support small businesses, Alaskan families,
and early educators who make infant learning possible.
This would help match the federal funding already
received, allow local control to support more programs
and families than are currently funded, and help grow
opportunities for more children in our state.
4:27:06 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked about the $7.5 million appropriated by the
legislature and signed by the governor for the current fiscal
year. He inquired how these funds are being distributed and if
Thread had observed any impacts from the funds.
4:27:34 PM
MR. MOE replied that there was an enormous response to the
program. He explained that Thread typically runs the award
program Retaining Our Outstanding Teachers (ROOTS) for six
months but had to condense it to six weeks between November and
January. Despite this, Thread received more than 1,700
applicants and is currently processing these applications and
distributing the funds. He expressed excitement about continuing
the program and the desire to make it a sustainable initiative
offered to early educators every year.
4:28:17 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked what proportion the 1,700 applicants
represent out of the total number of potential applicants; how
many would Thread like to see apply.
MR. MOE replied that Thread would like to see 100 percent
participation but recognizes that early educators are often
overworked, stressed, and unable to handle additional paperwork,
even though the application is very streamlined. He stated that
the program has still seen a lot of participation.
4:28:56 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked what percentage of early educators is 1700.
4:29:05 PM
MR. MOE replied that early estimates by Thread previously
indicated there were about 3,000 early educators, but there has
been almost a 20 percent reduction in childcare centers since
2019. The current number is closer to 2,000. He opined that
Thread is reaching more than 75 percent of the early educators
in licensed centers around the state.
CHAIR TOBIN thanked the presenter.
4:29:39 PM
At ease
^Presentation: Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of
Young Children
PRESENTATION:
SOUTHEAST ALASKA ASSOCIATION FOR
THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN
4:30:14 PM
CHAIR TOBIN reconvened the meeting and announced a presentation
by representatives from the Southeast Alaska Association for the
Education of Young Children.
4:30:50 PM
NICCI LOVE, Creative Director, Southeast Alaska Association for
the Education of Young Children, Juneau, Alaska, stated she is
proud to say the Southeast Alaska Association for the Education
of Young Children (SEAAEYC) has been operating in Southeast
Alaska for 40 years.
MS. LOVE gave the following testimony:
I just want to share some recommendations that we've
come up with, starting with the shortage of quality
childcare, especially for infants and toddlers. As
we've heard, in Alaska, this poses significant
challenges for families. Parents are struggling with
limited choices, resulting in compromised work-life
balance, increased stress, and hindered economic
productivity. Recognizing the importance of early
childhood development, families must have access to
various childcare options to meet their unique needs.
Infants and toddlers require specialized care that is
responsive to their developmental milestones. The lack
of diverse childcare options impacts both working
parents and our youngest members.
To address the shortage effectively, it's crucial to
consider policies and initiatives that support the
creation and sustainability of quality childcare
facilities catering to the needs of all our children.
Among the following recommendations, several have
already been implemented by our agency, and we have
had, in some cases, several years of success. One
recommendation is to explore opportunities to provide
financial incentives and support for childcare
providers specializing in infant and toddler care to
promote the establishment of more facilities and
spaces for these children. Another recommendation is
investing in training and certification programs for
providers focused on infant and toddler care, ensuring
these workers have the necessary skills and knowledge
to promote healthy development during these crucial
years.
4:32:48 PM
MS. LOVE continued:
Additionally, collaboration between government, local
communities, and private sector entities is essential
to collectively address the shortage of care and
create networks of reliability and stability. Flexible
funding models that support a range of childcare
options, including home-based care, center-based care,
and community-based initiatives, should also be
considered to cater to diverse needs. By addressing
the shortage of care, we not only support the well-
being of Alaska's families but also lay the groundwork
for future success.
4:33:25 PM
MS. LOVE continued:
Our agency has noted that it is very difficult for
families to access childcare, especially in the
future. While increasing subsidies is fantastic, there
often will be no care available. Thus, we need to
incentivize the workforce. Our agency has worked with
COVID funding, but even prior to that, we developed a
program called HEARTS, which stands for Hiring,
Educating, and Training Teachers. This was implemented
with support through the city and borough in 2012. It
was on that foundation and through those relationships
that we built a strong and robust program, which
allowed us to bring in COVID dollars to increase wages
in the last two years. The average wage for a
childcare worker in Juneau has gone from $12 an hour
up to $18 and $20 an hour. Consequently, we've seen
very few program closures; I think only one closed
during COVID, and we are now seeing more programs
open. We have been very fortunate and unique in our
state by fostering relationships between private and
government entities.
4:34:47 PM
EMILY THOMPSON, Program Manager, Parents as Teachers (PAT),
Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young
Children, Juneau, Alaska provided the following testimony on the
Parents as Teachers program:
I am the program manager for Parents as Teachers, one
of the programs housed within the Association for the
Education of Young Children (AEYC). We are actually
the largest PAT program in the state. We serve Juneau
and some of the outlying southeast areas as well. PAT
is an evidence-based home visiting program and one of
the strategies you heard about in the presentation
from the Prenatal-to-Three Policy Group this morning.
4:35:10 PM
MS. THOMPSON continued:
Parents as Teachers serves as a lifeline to Alaska
families, offering crucial resources and support to
pre- and postpartum parents during the critical early
years of a child's development. The program empowers
parents to be their child's first and best teacher,
providing guidance and resources that foster healthy
development and early learning. Children do not arrive
at kindergarten as empty vessels; all development is
sequential, meaning one skill is built upon another.
For instance, to learn to read, a child first has to
regulate emotions and engage in serve-and-return
interactions, the dance of the wiring of the brain.
All that work takes place during infancy, and PAT
helps parents understand the importance of those early
years and use brain development knowledge to make
choices about how to raise their children.
4:35:56 PM
MS. THOMPSON continued:
With its unique geographical challenges, Alaska can
significantly benefit from programs like PAT. Many of
our families are far from extended families down south
and find themselves struggling in their new roles as
parents. When parents struggle, children struggle. PAT
works to build the relationship between the trained
home visitor and the family so parents have a lifeline
of information and support. With over 40 years of
experience, PAT is an evidence-based program that
reduces child abuse and neglect, increases school
readiness, and helps support families during the
vulnerable first three years.
4:36:23 PM
MS. THOMPSON continued:
While the road to adequate support for prenatal care
seems long and difficult, the PAT program can be an
easy win for Alaska. We already have a structure in
place to provide PAT services in many regions of the
state, but we need more funding. I cannot speak to the
other programs, but within our Southeast program, we
have a waitlist of over 50 families. It is a highly
effective and in-demand program. If the state is
serious about boosting school readiness skills and
supporting birth to three development, increasing
funding for Parents as Teachers is a tried-and-true
solution.
CHAIR TOBIN noted that the PAT program had expired but was
reauthorized in the Alaska Reads Act, but funding did not meet
the level of need.
^Presentation: Alaska Children's Trust
PRESENTATION:
ALASKA CHILDREN'S TRUST
4:36:55 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of a presentation on the
Alaska Children's Trust.
CHAIR TOBIN asked that Mr. Storrs touch upon the connection
between the Prenatal-to-Three System of Care and primary and
secondary performance.
4:37:42 PM
TREVOR STORRS, President, Alaska Children's Trust, Anchorage
Alaska, replied that a child, family, and community cannot be
looked in pieces. He mentioned research, like the Heckman
report, that shows that the return on investment is much higher
when consideration of brain development starts at an early age.
When families start off on the right foot, it positively impacts
all aspects, whether K through 12, post-secondary, or preparing
kids for trade systems. Starting early enables them to generate
the income needed to thrive and support their families in
Alaska, rather than in other states, which is a significant
issue.
4:38:41 PM
MR. STORRS provided the following testimony:
One of the things we were asked to address is what we
can do here in Alaska to set roots. To build on the
previous discussion, home visiting is really
important. The federal government is expanding
Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting
(MIECHV) funding. We get the dollars, but they will
require a match. Home visiting is an essential program
that helps new families or parents start off right in
raising their children by providing necessary
supports. The exact amount Alaska will receive is
still being determined, but a 75 to 25 percent match
will be required. This expansion could enhance our
home visiting efforts and extend to our tribal
partners, fostering strong relationships by not
expecting them to find the match on their own.
4:40:05 PM
MR. STORRS continued:
Another topic currently being discussed in our
legislature is paid family leave. It's crucial for
allowing families to be with their children. For
instance, the Children's Trust has instituted a policy
allowing family members up to 12 paid weeks of leave.
Many other countries offer up to a year. This time is
critical for child development, particularly from
birth to three years, providing bonding opportunities
and promoting economic stability. A key to preventing
not just child abuse and neglect but other issues that
families deal with is about economics. Concrete
supports, such as housing and food security,
significantly reduce family stress and prevent issues
like child abuse, neglect, homelessness, and diabetes.
We want to make it easier for families who need
support to get out of poverty or other situations. One
strategy to support families is making it easier for
them to access necessary supports, like in South
Carolina's First Five centralized system. This system
allows families to input their information once and
access food stamps, Medicaid, Head Start, and other
services, eliminating silos and reducing the time and
complexity involved. Streamlining these processes
removes barriers and frustration, making it less
likely for families to give up or resort to unsafe
childcare options.
4:43:10 PM
MR. STORRS continued:
Investing in our state's systems is crucial,
particularly given current technological challenges.
Clear direction to the department on implementing a
system like First Five would significantly benefit our
state.
4:43:24 PM
CHAIR TOBIN thanked the presenter and noted that Iceland has
paid family leave for six months and adoption by men is 90
percent which a chief factor in closing the country's gender pay
gap.
4:43:51 PM
MR. STORRS commented that Iceland allocates much less money to
jails and tertiary care. After visiting Iceland with the Mat-Su
Health Foundation, he learned they prioritize upstream
investment over expanding jails. He emphasized that this
prioritization is a key difference.
4:44:53 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Tobin adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting at 4:44 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Prenatal to 3 Policy Impact Center Presentation 01.31.2024.pdf |
SEDC 1/31/2024 3:30:00 PM |