NAEYC Children’s Champions Update

August 4, 2006

• House fails to bring up Sunset Legislation
• Senate Committee reports out spending bill

Senate rejects link of minimum wage increase to reduction in estate tax
Very late last night, the U.S. Senate rejected on a procedural motion (cloture) the “trifecta” bill that would have linked into one vote an increase in the minimum wage, a reduction in the estate tax, and additional tax expenditures.

New IDEA Part B regulations released
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education released the hundreds of pages of regulations for IDEA Part B. The Official copy will be published in the Federal Register in two weeks; however, the Department has made them available in advance at www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html We will update you on any significant changes in the 619 (preschool grants) program and other key provisions for school-age children with disabilities in a separate Children’s Champions update. The Part C regulations could be available this fall.

New Report on Birth-Age 3 State Initiatives
A new report by the Center on Law and Social Policy, Starting Off Right: Promoting Child Development from Birth in State Early Care and Education Initiatives, provides illustrative state examples of specific policies to promote child development birth to 3, as well as ideas for state funding and governance structures that provide attention and resources for all children birth to age 5. The report is available at www.clasp.org/publications/startingoffright.htm