Because federal funding helped make up some of the shortfall, children were spared the effects and the cuts went primarily towards materials and resources for parents and care providers.
It's estimated that legislators will have to slice yet another $1.8 billion budget from the 2009-2100 budget they passed in April. This time, however, children will certainly feel the impact, according to Paul Nyhan at Thrive by Five.
In preparing her new budget proposal, the Governor has asked state agencies to submit recommendations on how to make additional budget cuts. The Department of Early Learning was asked to find $1.9 million in reductions.
This is tough for an agency where 92% of their state funding goes directly to providing early learning for low-income children through the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), our state version of Head Start. Nyhan references a memo from the Washington State Association of Head Start & ECEAP which spells out what the additional cuts would mean:
DEL's proposed $1.9 million in reductions:
- Reductions to ECEAP ($761k), which would result in the elimination of 100 ECEAP slots
- Elimination of state funding for the Career and Wage Ladder ($750k)
- Reduction of state funding to Child Care Resource and Referral Network ($425k)
- The letter also notes an “offsetting error” in the ECEAP budget bill proviso amount in fiscal years 2010 and 2011, stating that the amount was $818,000 too high.
- Cutting Apple Health eligibility from 300% FPL to 205% FPL
- Eliminating funding for medical interpreters
- Eliminating Maternity Support Services
