Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/new-leaders-new-data-and-new-work-for-advocates/5019742/
Every two years congressional elections bring a new class of legislators to Washington, DC. The 112th Congress convenes this January and with it, more than 100 new Senators and Representatives, a new majority party in the House and with it new leaders, and in both the House and Senate many new Committee Chairs and legislative staff. The November 2010 elections also swept in 27 new Governors (the most ever), and hundreds of new legislators in states across the country.What the election results, and the continuing weak economy, mean for early care and education policies remains to be seen as state and federal legislative sessions get underway this year. But, as the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Even in the new legislative landscape, children still need quality early care and education programs, parents still need affordable full-day/full-year programs, and providers need support to operate, to recruit and retain staff, and to achieve and maintain quality.
One thing is certain: there’s much work to be done to educate elected leaders about the realities in your programs and communities. The economy is sluggish and the budget outlook is grim, but what does that mean for families ...