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Ask your legislators to protect key, proven programs for our state’s littlest residents today!

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Subject: Tell our legislature not to throw the baby out with bath water! Your message to friends:

Wow: Our legislature might throw the baby out with the bath water!

If our Washington State Legislature slashes quality, affordable early learning and child care programs, as some are proposing, we could lose $60 million in federal funds. Losing $60 million for kids in a tough budget year is really ugly.

Help me remind the legislature not to throw the baby out with the bath water:

http://action.momsrising.org/letter/2012-Wa-Budget/?referring_akid=3123.1598388.vU0663&source=taf

There are more details in the email below.

Thanks!
Jill

***********************FORWARDED EMAIL BELOW*******************

Have you ever heard the saying: "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water"? The saying may be old (it's actually from 1512), but it feels downright current when it comes to what's happening in Washington State right now.(1)

In fact, if our Washington State budget slashes quality, affordable early learning and child care programs, as some are proposing, we could lose $60 million in federal funds. Losing $60 million for kids in a tough budget year is really ugly.

Remind our Washington State Legislative budget leaders that they should never throw a baby out with the bath water: Ask your legislators to protect key, proven programs for our state’s littlest residents today!

http://action.momsrising.org/letter/2012-Wa-Budget/?referring_akid=3123.1598388.vU0663&source=taf

What's the lowdown? Recently our state became one of just 9 states to receive the federal Race To The Top – Early Learning Challenge grants! (2) Each of the $60 million grants were awarded to states that had ground breaking plans and programs in place to expand high-quality early learning and ensure that more children are ready to succeed in school and in life. [3]

If the Washington State Legislature slashes the affordable, quality early learning programs that are the pillars of why we got the $60 million dollar Challenge Grant award, then we risk losing some or all of that $60 million (4)

Here are the key programs, essential to our Challenge grant and to the success of young children across Washington, that our legislature must not slash from the budget:

The Washington State Child Care Resource and Referral Network: This program is central to our state’s Race To The Top – Early Learning Challenge grant and the plan to expand access to quality, affordable care across Washington.

WaKIDS: This innovative program that brings teachers, child care providers and parents together to make sure children have a great start in kindergarten was central to our Race To The Top – Early Learning Challenge grant.

Programs that reach families in homes: Our participation in the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program were a prerequisite for the Race To The Top – Early Learning Challenge grant and to remain eligible, Washington State must maintain our current funding.

Successful affordable, quality child care and preschool programs: Working Connections Child Care and the Early Childhood Education and Assistance program provide many families across Washington with affordable and quality early child care and education options. A reduction in these plans would take our Race To The Top – Early Learning Challenge grant plans backwards.
Reach Out and Read: Family engagement is a big part of the Race To The Top – Early Learning Challenge grant. The Reach Out and Read program gets books and early education tools into the hands of doctors so they can get them to the families that need them most.

Each of these programs could be thrown out or significantly slashed while our legislature argues over the budget. And sadly, these budget cuts could jeopardize a $60 million grant for Washington kids.

We’ve got to remind our legislature not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

http://action.momsrising.org/letter/2012-Wa-Budget/?referring_akid=3123.1598388.vU0663&source=taf

*It would be great if you could share this link on Facebook or in an email with friends. We’re going to need to make a lot of noise to be heard during this budget battle.

Together we are a powerful voice for families,

Sarah, Claire, Kristin and the whole MomsRising.org team

P.S. Huge thanks to the Early Learning Action Alliance and everyone who is working to make sure Washington State is up to the challenge of getting our kids ready for school and life!

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Throw_out_the_baby_with_the_bath_water

[2] http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/we-cant-wait-nine-states-awarded-race-top-early-learning-challenge-grants-awards

[3] Ibid

[4] http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/awards.html

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Don't let our legislators throw the baby out with the bath water!

Have you ever heard the saying: "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water"? The saying may be old, but it feels downright current when it comes to what's happening in Washington State right now.

In fact, if our Washington State budget slashes quality, affordable early learning and child care programs, as some are proposing, we could lose $60 million in federal funds. Losing $60 million for kids in a tough budget year is really ugly.

Dear Legislator,

The saying, "don't throw the baby out with the bath water," may be old, but it rings so true in this session.

Recently our state became one of just 9 states to receive the federal Race To The Top – Early Learning Challenge grants!

Each of the $60 million grants were awarded to states that had ground-breaking plans and programs in place to expand high-quality early learning and ensure that more children are ready to succeed in school and in life.

If the Washington State Legislature slashes the affordable, quality early learning programs that are the pillars of why we got the $60 million dollar Challenge Grant award, then we risk losing some or all of that $60 million.

Please work to protect quality, affordable early education programs like: the Washington State Child Care Resource and Referral Network, WaKIDS, Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs, Working Connections Child Care, the Early Childhood Education and Assistance and Reach Out and Read.

Thanks for all you are doing for Washington's littlest residents!

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