How Lawmakers' Plans to Balance the State Budget May Impact Young Children and Their Families
By Diana Fairbanks
Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 1:59 p.m.
Read more: Local, State, Economy, Politics, Daycare, Early Childhood, Lawmakers, Leelanau, Diana Fairbanks, Fact Finder, Fact Finder
State lawmakers are now back in Lansing after their 4th of July break and the budget is job number one as they try to figure out a way to make ends meet.
We've told you about some of the proposed cuts including cuts to k-12 and higher education, but there are also hundreds of millions of dollars in proposed cuts that would affect even younger kids and their families, which could have even longer lasting consequences.
In tonight's Fact Finder Report, we take a closer look at what's at stake.
For the last 30 years The Leelanau Children's Center has grown from meeting in a church basement to a nationally recognized network for early childhood education.
They offer many services with one goal: building a solid foundation during a critical time in development.
Leelanau Children's Center Executive Director Maggie Sprattmoran says,
"The architecture of the brain that gets developed by age five is the foundation upon which all other learning will rest."
She says the benefits are more than just theory.
Sprattmoran says, "When we do a great job in these early years we see a ton less neglect, we see a ton less special education, a ton less teen pregnancy, crime in the teen years, higher graduation rates, more kids go to college, more kids become tax paying citizens rather than people relying on services."
Half of their million dollar budget comes from tuition and endowments; the other half comes from the state through the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services.
But if the plan currently on the table in Lansing goes through, that half of the center's budget would disappear.
Sprattmoran says, "We could see the dismantling of these programs that have proven to be really incredibly successful."
That includes the funding that provides scholarships to more than half of the center's families.
Sprattmoran says, "We work super hard to provide services to anyone who wants to participate here. Whether you speak English or not, whether you have a special need child, whether you have a higher income, or low income. Everybody gets to walk in this door. We depend on those government sources to help subsidize some of those families who can't pay full tuition."
That includes parents like Amy Schettek who can only get part time work right now.
Amy says, "If I didn't have the funding he just wouldn't go to school, it's very important to me that he does get this early childhood education."
Anne Shoup's family joined the growing list of families who need financial assistance last year when her husband who is a teacher couldn't find work.
Shoup says "we had to make a hard decision last fall and had to call the Children's Center and said we can't make this go this year."
Thanks to scholarships, both Schettek and the Shoup's could keep their children at the center last year.
But with serious funding cuts on the line, what will happen this year is less clear.
Sprattmoran says, "it certainly means we can't scholarship all of those families we've been scholarshipping. Does it mean these high quality programs become inaccessible to anybody bit the wealthy? That seems unacceptable to me. I don't know what the answer will be, and I am worried about it."
Educators and parents say that could mean some parents having to quit their jobs and turn to welfare because childcare without scholarships cost more than they make.
Sprattmoran says, "It's a complicated story. We forget supporting parents who go to work support our economy."
Sheytek says, "They're going to see a lot more moms, not giving up, just losing hope."
The Leelanau Children's Center is not alone, these cuts would affect countless programs and childcare centers throughout the state.
All of the parents and educators I talked with say they know our lawmakers are in a tough situation, but they say these programs are essential and it's up to citizens to call legislators and let them know what matters.
So what matters to you? What do you think is too essential to cut?
I want to hear from you, leave your comments below.
Click here to read a detailed list of the proposed cuts that would impact early childhood programs.
If you would like to tell your state lawmakers what's important to you, click here to contact your representative, click here to contact your senator.
