Research has shown that the first five years play an enormous role in a child’s ongoing development and future success. Since most kids are in a child care or preschool setting while their parents are at work, it’s critical that we invest in a high-quality early education system that provides the experiences kids need for healthy development.
Wisconsin has been awarded an additional $15.5 million in grants to strengthen the state’s home visiting efforts. The largest is an expansion grant for $6.7 million in year one and $7.2 million in year two. That grant, from the Department of Health and Human Services, is funded through the Affordable Care Act.Once again Wisconsin has...
Just recently, strong statements supporting investment in early learning and development have come from Nobel Laureate Economist James Heckman and 35 top business leaders.Heckman’s Case for an Early StartHeckman’s opinion piece, Lifelines for Poor Children, appeared in the New York Times Opinionator section September 14, 2013. His...
After digging into detailed budget papers and talking to key players in developing budget
options for the Legislature, it looks like $5.84 million may be available for increasing child care
payment rates under the Wisconsin Shares program.
With the end of the child care payment freeze, DCF is working on rate increases in the next two years, based on the biennial budget passed a few months ago. A closer look at budget memos and details by your intrepid policy analyst indicates that the budget provided the Department of Children and Families (DCF) increases rates by...
Workers in Wisconsin and across the U.S. are still struggling because of a relatively weak labor market. That is especially challenging for low-wage workers who must cope with the declining value of the minimum wage, reductions in employer benefits like health care, and growing inequality. An interactive database posted online Friday...
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