Agenda - 06-29-1993 - VII-A - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 Smart Start . The goals of Governor Hunt's initiative are: • Early childhood education and other crucial services will be available for every child who needs them. • Early childhood programs and family services will meet high-quality standards and performance measures. >- Parents and families will be involved in early childhood programs. Healthy, nurturing families are the foundation of positive child development and growth. Smart Start includes three key components which are designed to ensure that every child has access to high-quality, developmentally appropriate, affordable early childhood services: V Immediate, statewide early childhood services for all children ($16.1 million in 1993-'94, $22.8 million in 1994-'95) The initiative would improve standards and incentives for early childhood programs across North Carolina and would make child care more affordable for working families. This comprehensive package would: • A lower child care staff ratios for infants and toddlers to no greater than the following: Age Ratio Group size Birth - 12 months 5 10 12 - 24 months 6 12 2 - 3 years 10 20 >- raise eligibility standards for receiving child care subsidies to provide help for more families. >- expand state staff who monitor and assist child care centers/registered homes. > offer financial incentives for child care providers to meet higher quality AA care standards. > help child care teachers improve skills and knowledge by providing tuition/stipends through the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (TEACH) program. > increase (on a sliding scale) the amount of child care tax credit that can be claimed by families earning less than $40,000. >- ensure that within three years all children (birth to age 19) are fully immunized (infants up to one-year-old already covered by Medicaid). > provide additional matching funds for the federal At-Risk Child Care Grant_