State budget forces preschool closures
07/29/2011 -
Approved 11% cuts to preschool funding by the State of California have forced the Community Child Care Council, 4Cs, to close two subsidized preschools. The two centers are William K. Johnson Infant Development Center (WKJ) in Healdsburg and the Florence Kirby Child Development Center (Kirby CDC) in Santa Rosa. 4Cs Florence Kirby Child Development Center had their last day on Friday, July 29, 2011 while the WKJ program closed its doors on May 31, 2011.
The 4Cs Florence Kirby Child Development Center opened in 1995 as Westside Child Development Center. The center changed its name in 2001 when long time Site Supervisor, Florence Kirby, passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. The center provided safe, healthy and educational preschool in a developmentally and culturally appropriate environment. Kirby CDC provided free or reduced cost early care and education to 32 children from low-income families. Enrolled children were fed a healthy breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. Florence Kirby Child Development Center served the Roseland community for 16 years, helping over 550 children be prepared for school and life success.
"The 4Cs Florence Kirby Child Development Center has been an invaluable resource for working families in Roseland for over 16 years," said Supervisor Efren Carrillo who grew up in the area. "The Florence Kirby Center made a difference in the school preparedness for hundreds of deserving children, and this underserved community is losing one of its bright stars with the center's closure. The State budget cuts to preschool education are a bandaid solution which is likely to impact the success rates of children who were being readied to succeed in school and life by these programs."
The 4Cs William K. Johnson Infant Development Center was opened in 1993 and named in honor of a Healdsburg attorney who was a former county supervisor, civic leader and Rotarian. The program has been in partnership with the Healdsburg Unified School District and is located on the Healdsburg High School campus. As the only state subsidized infant center in Healdsburg, W.K.J. was designed to support teen parents as they completed their High School education. This program was also the venue for a class in child development, informing interested high school students about the early care and education field. Closure of the infant center affected 15 enrolled families and four teen parents, all of whom were hoping to attend in the next school year. Approximately, 275 children have attended the infant center throughout the years.
The WKJ Infant Center has been especially strained financially because the Standard Reimbursement Rates that pays for low-income children to attend does not cover the cost of the high teacher- to- child ratios required for a quality program. For years 4Cs has struggled to keep the infant program afloat with increasing expenses. Now, faced with additional budgetary cutbacks, the deficit for fiscal year 2011-12 has become insurmountable, requiring 4Cs to close two preschools, according to the nonprofit’s Executive Director, Melanie Dodson.
“Although we know it is the right financial decision under the circumstances, it nevertheless is a very difficult and emotional one. We are hopeful that enrolled families will be able to transition to alternate funding for child care and we are committed to supporting the families during this transition,” Dodson said.
“The Healdsburg Unified School District has shared a positive, long-term collaboration with 4Cs which has greatly benefited the Healdsburg community. Allowing teen parents to complete their studies, parents to work and children to benefit from learning and playing together in a safe, nurturing environment are huge losses. We are saddened that the harsh economic reality is directly impacting those we serve,” said Annie Millar, Director of Curriculum and Instruction.
The WKJ final end of year celebration was held on the center’s last day of operation, May 31, 2011. The Kirby Center had their final end of year celebration with families on its last day, July 29, 2011.
Continued operation of the programs would have resulted in an annual loss in excess of $100,000. The “unknown” of additional trigger cuts to the state contracts on top of the 11% reduction would make this amount significantly larger. 4Cs has laid off 15 employees due to funding cutbacks.
According to Dodson, “The 4Cs Board and staff are extremely regretful that the programs have to end after a combined 34 years of service, but without question, the overall financial stability of the remaining 4Cs services provided to all of Sonoma County, would have been jeopardized by continuing and growing losses in our Child Development Centers.”
In addition to the Healdsburg WKJ Infant Center and Roseland area Kirby Child Development Center, Community Child Care Council operates 11 other state funded preschools throughout Sonoma County that will remain open at this time. Additionally, the subsidized child care, nutrition (also in Napa and Marin Counties) and resource and referral services will all continue to be provided. However, the agency continues to deal with financial stresses due to current and potential state budget cutbacks that threaten additional reductions or loss of programs and services.
© 2010 Community Child Care Council of Sonoma County, Inc. All Rights Reserved.