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Regular Session, 2013 ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 76
BY SENATOR WALSWORTH
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To urge and request the Department of Education and the Department of Children and
Family Services to determine the feasibility of developing an operational plan for the
transfer of the Child Care Development Fund to the Department of Education.
WHEREAS, it is imperative that early childhood programs promote kindergarten
readiness and sustain lifelong learning and achievement to significantly improve Louisiana
child outcomes; and
WHEREAS, publicly-funded early childhood programs should prioritize
kindergarten readiness and public monies should fund programs that excel at achieving high
levels of kindergarten readiness, or progression towards kindergarten readiness; and
WHEREAS, parents who choose to send their children to publicly- funded early
childhood programs should have clear, actionable information on the quality of the program
available; and
WHEREAS, providers of publicly-funded early childhood programs should be held
accountable for the public monies they receive, but given the autonomy to implement an
educational program that promotes and achieves kindergarten readiness without undue
regulation; and
WHEREAS, state entities involved in the oversight or provision of early childhood
programs should collaborate and integrate processes to the fullest extent possible, set
standards for child development and educational achievement for young children that align
with standards established for children enrolled in grades kindergarten through twelve, and
administer early childhood programs in such a way that ensures the safety, welfare and
healthy development of children; and
WHEREAS, Act 3, known as the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Act, of the
2012 Regular Legislative Session directed the State Board of Elementary and Secondary SCR NO. 76 ENROLLED
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Education to create a comprehensive and integrated network through which to manage and
oversee all programs funded through state or federal resources that provide early childhood
care or educational services; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved a
framework to implement the Early Childhood Care and Education Network which was
developed in collaboration with the Department of Children and Family Services,
Department of Health and Hospitals, the Louisiana Early Childhood Advisory Council,
Nonpublic Schools Council and the Child Care Association of Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, the framework to implement the Early Childhood Care and Education
Network included the following:
(a) fair and transparent outcome-based rating system, including letter grades, that
rewards high performing programs and intervenes in persistently under-performing
programs;
(b) funding based on performance and demand that ensures all parents, regardless
of income, have access to higher quality programs that prepare their child for success in
school;
(c) clear and easy-to-understand information that allows families to make informed
decisions about what program is best for their young children; and
(d) resources and support to improve the quality of care and instruction to ensure all
students have access to effective early childhood professionals; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of
Children and Family Services, will launch pilot programs during the 2013-2014 fiscal year
to test various strategies in practice and use results to fine-tune the use of child and program
assessments, coordinate funding at the local level, evaluate the use of new licensing
standards and the new Birth–Five Standards, as well as collect consolidated data from the
Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Health and Hospitals, and the
Department of Education; and
WHEREAS, this work will inform continued integration efforts among state agencies
needed to ensure maximum effectiveness of the Early Childhood Care and Education
Network, support to child care providers, and appropriate oversight. SCR NO. 76 ENROLLED
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the Department of Education and the Department of Children and Family
Services to determine the feasibility of developing an operational plan for the transfer of the
Child Care Development Fund lead agency authority and associated functions to the
Department of Education no later than July 1, 2015, and submit any such plan developed
to the House and Senate Committees on Education and Health and Welfare no later than
sixty days prior to the convening of the 2014 Regular Session.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
state superintendent of education and the secretary of the Department of Children and
Family Services.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES