factorial percheron: Education officials: Governor makes damaging cuts to county's early ...

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. ? Local education officials say that state budget Gov. Jerry Brown?s has signed contains drastic cuts to California?s early childhood education system.

The reductions have wielded another blow to a structure already struggling under the weight of constant funding reductions, according to a Lake County Office of Education report.

The agency said $130 million in cuts to early childhood education will impact families throughout the state, and Lake County is no exception.

These cuts to early childhood education include a reduction of $30 million to state preschool and, for the first time, the implementation of parent fees; other child care and development programs are cut by over 10 percent, bringing the total reductions over the past two years to a staggering 25 percent; and alternative payment voucher-based child care programs are reduced by $20 million. ?

The funding Lake County received for early care and education to low income families only provided enough preschool slots for approximately 30 percent of the eligible children, the Lake County Office of Education reported. With these new reductions in funding, that percentage will drop even lower.

The budget reductions are forcing the closure of the Early Connection Preschool operated by Lake County Office of Education on the campus of East Lake School, and the elimination of eight slots at the Early Connection Preschool operated by Lake County Office of Education on the campus of Lower Lake Elementary School. ?

Lake County Office of Education continues to offer state preschool programs at Burns Valley School, Pomo School, Kelseyville Elementary School, Lakeport Elementary School, Lucerne Elementary School, Middletown Elementary School and Lower Lake Elementary School. ?

Additionally, The Learning House offers state preschool programs at their facility in Clearlake. ?

?This reduction of funding has forced us to make some very difficult decisions,? said Cindy Adams, director of Child Development Programs at Lake County Office of Education.

?The closure of the program located on the campus of East Lake is distressing,? Adams said. ?We are hopeful that these children will be served through the new Transitional Kindergarten program at East Lake, or parents may elect to enroll their preschooler in another LCOE program. We thank Debi Malley, Principal at East Lake School and the Konocti Unified School District for all their support of the East Lake Early Connection Preschool for the past 15 years.?

Adams, along with Elaine Robinson, owner of The Learning House state preschool, also shares her frustration with the implementation of the family fees now required in the governor?s budget. Family fees will range from $20 per month to $177.60 per month, based on family income and size. ?

?For a single parent, doing their best to provide for their family, these monthly family fees are a tremendous burden, and calls are already coming from frustrated parents trying to find some solution that will allow them to give their children this important experience to help them succeed in school,? Adams said.

The true victims of this shortfall will be the children who, according to Shelly Mascari, director of the Lake County Child Care Planning Council, will be deprived of the life-changing impacts of quality early care and education, when families resort to leaving their young children with unlicensed caregivers with no regulations, no education program.

According to Mascari, state preschools are only one of the programs being impacted by these reductions. ?

With $20 million in cuts to the alternative payment program, private licensed centers and family child care programs will be forced with tough decisions when families are no longer receiving subsidized child care support and must foot the bill.

?Quality child care is a critical component to turning our economy around, and building strong communities throughout Lake County in the years to come,? said Mascari. ?Early childhood education adds 200,000 jobs and $11 billion to California?s economy. These cuts are job killers for parents and the small businesses who serve them.?

Concerned citizens are urged to contact their state government representatives to share their concerns: State Assembly Member, Wesley Chesbro, 707-463-5770; and State Senator, Noreen Evans, 707-468-8914.