Current Issues

2008 Campaign to Increase Child Care Funding

There are an estimated 234,000 elibible children waiting on the Centralized Eligibility List. Many familes have been waiting for years while working low wage jobs that simply do not make enough to pay for child care. Parent Voices goal is to increase child care funding to serve an additional 20% of eligible children each year for five years.

Across the state Parent Voices chapters are beginning"The Narratives Project." The Narratives Project are stories that reveal the true struggles of low-wage working parents juggling child care expenses, housing, transportation, and bills in the absense of child care. This is a powerful way to illustrate to legislators the neccessity to support expanding child care funding. To find out how to share your story contact your local Parent Voices chapter. click here!

Equal Voice Campaign for America's Families

In 2007, Parent Voices joined the Marguerite Casey Foundation's Equal Voice Campaign for America's Families. In coordination with over 200 other grantees from across the country, low wage working families will have the opportunity to develop a "Working Families Platform." Parents will have the opportunity to attend town hall meetings to develop their platform and have the platform adopted at a convention in Los Angeles in the Fall of 2008. Please go to the Equal Voice website to learn more about this exciting opportunity! click here!

Participating in the “Preschool for All” Planning Process:

In the past couple of years there has been a lot of attention placed on the importance of preschool. Although the initiative to provide preschool to all 4yr olds did not pass during the June 2006 election, parents must continue to participate in the planning process to ensure that the preschool system being created is not only “preschooler-friendly,” but also “working-parent” friendly. Consensus amongst our parent members is to advocate for full day/ full year programs so they are accessible to working families. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Click here to read what parents consider vital to a "Preschool for All" system.

2006 & 2007 Campaigns to Defrost the SMI

In the last two years, Parent Voices has been successful in updating income eligibility guidelines for subsidized child care! Eligibility is based on 75% of the State Median Income (SMI) and according to the Education Code, is to be updated annually. Parents discovered the SMI was being frozen through the budget process and devised strategies to "Defrost the SMI." The strategies worked and Parent Voices has made it clear that no parent should have to take a pay cut or turn down a promotion in order to remain income eligible for child care!