| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 129 0416 |
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| 2 | 2 | | Senate Resolution 456 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Senator Harbison of the 15th |
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| 4 | 4 | | A RESOLUTION |
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| 5 | 5 | | Recognizing April 5-11 as the Week of the Young Child; and for other purposes. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1 |
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| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, the first years of a child's life are the period of the most rapid brain development2 |
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| 8 | 8 | | and lay the foundation for all future learning; and 3 |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, children's cognitive, physical, social-emotional, and language and literacy4 |
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| 10 | 10 | | development are built on a foundation of children's positive interactions with adults, peers,5 |
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| 11 | 11 | | and their environment; and 6 |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, high-quality early childhood programs provide important benefits to children,7 |
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| 13 | 13 | | families, and our state and national economies; and8 |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, high-quality early care and education can help ameliorate the effects of poverty,9 |
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| 15 | 15 | | detect and remediate delays, identify and help prevent child neglect, and lead to positive10 |
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| 16 | 16 | | outcomes for individual children, helping them be better prepared for school and more likely11 |
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| 17 | 17 | | to succeed in life; and12 |
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| 18 | 18 | | S. R. 456 |
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| 19 | 19 | | - 1 - 25 LC 129 0416 |
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| 20 | 20 | | WHEREAS, high-quality early childhood education depends on high-quality early childhood |
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| 21 | 21 | | 13 |
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| 22 | 22 | | educators who ensure that children, supported by families, have the early experiences they14 |
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| 23 | 23 | | need for a strong foundation; and15 |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, tuition from fee-paying parents and subsidy rates for families with low incomes16 |
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| 25 | 25 | | are typically insufficient to afford highly-qualified, consistent early childhood educators and17 |
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| 26 | 26 | | pay for the low child-to-educator ratios that ensure the health and safety of children; and18 |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, young children need early childhood educators who are incentivized and19 |
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| 28 | 28 | | supported to provide high-quality care to those with high and special needs; and20 |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, working families need sufficient high-quality childcare spaces beginning at21 |
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| 30 | 30 | | birth to be available in the community; and22 |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, early childhood educators need the ability to earn a family-sustaining wage that23 |
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| 32 | 32 | | is commensurate with the required education and skills they bring to the complex and24 |
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| 33 | 33 | | valuable work they do; and25 |
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| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, it is urged by members of our community to support efforts that increase26 |
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| 35 | 35 | | children's and families access to high-quality early childhood education and commit to27 |
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| 36 | 36 | | investments that stabilize, sustain, and support childcare and early learning so this essential28 |
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| 37 | 37 | | workforce can continue to support children, families, and our economy through the pandemic29 |
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| 38 | 38 | | crisis, recovery, and beyond.30 |
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| 39 | 39 | | NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body31 |
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| 40 | 40 | | hereby recognize the complex, valuable, essential, and demanding work of the early32 |
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| 41 | 41 | | childhood educators and recognize, April 5-11 as The Week of the Young Child.33 |
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| 42 | 42 | | S. R. 456 |
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| 43 | 43 | | - 2 - 25 LC 129 0416 |
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| 44 | 44 | | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed |
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| 45 | 45 | | 34 |
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| 46 | 46 | | to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to The Week of the35 |
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| 47 | 47 | | Young Children community members and other parities.36 |
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| 48 | 48 | | S. R. 456 |
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| 49 | 49 | | - 3 - |
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