The legislature will be discussing Youngstar and state subsidy programs tommorow. DCF reports that they have had no complaints or negative commentary on Youngstar. Conversations I've had with countless providers and parents tell me otherwise. Specifically, we would like to see less weight given to formal education (and some given to experience and informal education), and we would like reimbursement rates for family childcare to go back to enrollment based pay as it was before.

If you have a little time at nap today to give your input, please send an email to Representative Johnson @ rep.johnson@legis.wi.gov

She is ready to "go to bat" for us. Here is the letter I wrote. Please feel free to do use any of it for your own, and send your letter as an attachment to her. Thank you!
_____________________________________


my name
my dc name
address
address

RE: Wisconsin Childcare Policies

March 26, 2013

Dear Committee on Children and Families,

I am writing you today regarding the Youngstar Initiative and reimbursement system for childcare assistance in Wisconsin.

I have approximately 20 years’ experience providing high-quality childcare to the children in our area. As a provider in Madison for many years, and now in (my county) County, I have always prided myself in giving the children entrusted to me a safe, nurturing, environment where they could thrive and learn.

In 2011, Wisconsin adopted a Quality Rating System known as Youngstar. This system rates programs on a 2-5 star system (1 start programs are only those programs that are in the process of being shut down). Programs are rated in four areas: Provider Qualifications, Learning Environment and Curriculum, Business and Professional Practices, and Health and Wellness. Unfortunately, the main focus of these ratings is the college credits a provider/program can display. While education is certainly important, this system does not reflect the real quality of care, because it weighs too heavily on the formal education component, and not enough on the program’s environment and provider interactions. Providers who have scored the highest ratings in all other areas, and who have years of experience and informal training (continuing education) under their belts can never be above a 2-star rating.

Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on creating Youngstar. Unfortunately, instead of helping families be able to afford high quality care, the bulk of the money is being used for administration and very little goes into the programs; directly benefiting the children. The system is overly complex; requiring each program to work with first a technical consultant, then a formal rater. Not enough money is actually being invested to increase the quality of the programs with training opportunities, grants for equipment, and increased subsidies for low-income families using those programs.

Dane County Providers who are accredited through the City of Madison or those providers who are nationally accredited are automatically given a 4 or 5 star rating (a college degree is still required for a 5 star program). While this is unfair to providers who do not have access to City of Madison programs, it does demonstrate that a teacher/provider’s formal education does not alone represent quality child care.

I propose:

Many tax dollars could be saved by helping providers become nationally accredited, or using the national accreditation model as a tool for rating programs. As with City of Madison Accreditation, * NAEYC and *NAFCC are proven models of high-quality care. Once accredited, a program must reapply only every 2 years vs. each year under the current Youngstar system. Because both NAEYC and NFCA have been accrediting programs for many years, they have “worked out the bugs”, so to speak. This would allow more programs to become 4 or 5-star rated, while saving the state money in administrative costs.

The majority of all child care programs rate at a 2* level. Current policy has cut governmental assisted child care payments to these programs by 5%. It is very hard to invest and increase the quality of care for children when cuts are made. Low income families can not afford to pay the difference.

I propose:

Give the 5% back to 2-star programs if they are working towards quality improvement with their technical consultants, so that we can increase the number of quality programs across the state.

During the past 6 years child care reimbursement rates for low income families have been frozen. Families have been expected to pay a higher portion for care or child care programs have had to make devastating cuts. Then, in August of 2011 families were faced with an even bigger challenge: if you chose to place your child in a family child care program you must cover the cost of any absent days, and the subsidy was capped at 35 hours per week ( Group centers remained at a weekly tuition rate, but are also capped at 35 hours).

So, if a parent stays home with their sick child, they are now expected to pay additional money for child care on that day or, the program must forgo the tuition. If a child is in care 45-hours per week (which is standard for a 40 hour work week), the provider must absorb the additional hours.

Ironically, this poor business practice would lose a program points under the quality rating system. This creates a situation where high-quality programs are now forced to turn away low income families in order to make their budgets.

Most providers in the state work 45-60 hours per week, and make less than minimum wage. We are asking more and more of providers; college degrees, written curriculums, increased documentation, and more outside observation. Yet, we are decreasing their earning potential.

I propose:

Increase to reimbursement rates to reflect the current market rates and reinstate enrollment based authorizations so that families can choose the care that best meets their needs and family child care programs can afford to care for low income children. All children deserve the best start in life.

Thank you for your consideration. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Sincerely,



*NAEYC: National Association for the Education of Young Children
*NAFCC: National Association for Family Child Care

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So...one of the providers I asked to write a letter said "I am not doing it. I am so sick of the whole Youngstar thing".

This person has been a provider for 40 years, and has TAUGHT many, many classes and written curriculum for countless classes. But, because she doesn't have a degree, she is a 2 star program. There is something wrong with that, clearly, but she didn't understand at first that this is exactly what we are fighting.

These letters will be read aloud as testimony, so please use your own words, or they will be snoring...lol

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Here is a related article:

http://host.madison.com/news/local/w...a4bcf887a.html

Look...I know everyone is busy and has more immediate concerns. It's really not my style to be political or spend time writing letters to legislators. But, unless you think reimbursement rates are fair and Youngstar is the best thing since sliced bread, please help!

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If I lived in Wisconsin I would fight along side ya! Good luck!

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Ditto

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Are you referring to reimbursement rates paid to a provider?

Are you allowed to charge the family the difference if you charge more than the state pays?

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I will send it. I am currently working with an advisor and it sucks that the only points I'm missing are the education to receive a 3 star!! I'm starting my preschool credential schooling this summer so I will be a 2 until that is complete in 1.5-2years! Luckily I haven't had any W2 clients so far.

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yes and yes...but just because we are allowed to do it, doesn't mean the families can pay it.

My dcm makes $8.50 per hour. My weekly rate is $130. They will cover up to 35 hours per week at $3.00 per hour, but only the hours he's actually in attendance. She works in fast-food (and goes to school fulltime online), and in the winter, they cute her hours to about half. Of course, because it's fast food, they are not consistent..like 8-1 every day or anything. She could get a second job or work second shift, but then would have no daycare anyway, kwim?

So, she makes $170 a week gross, takes up a full-time slot, and they cover $60. In theory, she should be covering the other $70, but after taxes, rent, utilities, etc, there is no way she can afford that. She gets some child support, but it's nothing to write home about.

Oh...and they will cover a maximum of 35 hours per week, even when a parent works full-time. So, the most they will pay is $90 for her, and they stopped covering sick days, etc. For centers, they pay enrollment based, though, although they cut-off at 35 hours for them, too.

So, I take the hit... Because he is under 2, he takes up 2 of my 8 slots.

I do it for her because I love her son and I know she is working her butt off to make a better life for her kids. Eventually, she will graduate, get a better paying job, and hopefully no longer need assistance.

Most people in her shoes give up and end up quiting their jobs.

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Thank you thank you! Please be sure to mention that your experience and training, and how you are stuck at a 2 star because you don't have the formal education component.

The legislators who vote on this stuff really dont KNOW what is happening. We need to teach them.

Representative Johnson was a dcp, that is why she's in our corner.

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I've decided to create a social group for just for Wisconsin since we have so many members from that state. I can make it private or public.

https://www.daycare.com/forum/group.php?groupid=14

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I didn't know Rep. Johnson was a dcp; good to know! I'm not participating in YS but have sent many letters/emails to many people and am always advocating for family dcp. From what I've seen, YS seems to put more weight behind paperwork and the business side of things than the care and education side.

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Yes...from Milwaukee County. When she expressed an interest in running, the union put their mullah behind her so that "we" (the dcps') would have a voice.

As for not being YS, even if it's too late for today, a letter to her testifying as to WHY you don't participate might be helpful. Tell her about your education, your experience, and your program, and why YOU are not participating.

THere are a lot of players in this who are trying to give the legislators the idea that this is just such a great thing, and since most dcp's don't have input, "they" can blow roses-and-sunshine all they want with no one to argue it.

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Forgive me, I'm a newbie here and I know this is an older thread but I couldn't resist harping on it a little bit. haha Just came across it because of a different thread I was reading on what the CA providers are facing.

I started to go through Youngstar only because I wanted to take advantage of the TEACH scholarship to finish my ECE bachelor's degree. When I got into the meat of the program with the tech consulting and learned more about it, I decided that it's not worth it in any way shape or form. I'm pretty disgusted with the position that they are putting child care providers in. I will do NAFCC Accreditation any day, then go in and get my 5-star rating from youngstar!

When I decided to withdraw from the program, there was a form to fill out asking to be formally withdrawn. There is a question at the bottom of the form asking why the withdrawal. I left it blank because my real answer is about six single-spaced pages long, and I didn't feel like getting political about it. In hindsight, I guess I should have let them know my thoughts.

I have similar feelings about the Registry. We already have our transcripts and documentation of our education and training in our files. Why twice? Why? And we have to pay for it. Just doesn't seem necessary.

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Is there an active Wisconsin provider group here? I clicked on the link but couldn't seem to get anywhere with it.

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I generated an invite to the group for you.

The invite should appear in the drop down area in/by your private messages.

Let me know if you have trouble getting in.

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Dr. Suess, we are not very "active" here. I will put up a separate post regarding some new things I learned, though.

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Here is the new thread

https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70604

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THank you! I thought you were gone, so I had another Mod re-title it, but there was a miscommunication.

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