SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5438

     AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 1, 1993

Brief Description:  Promoting before‑and‑after‑school child care.

SPONSORS: Senators McAuliffe, Moore, Winsley, Pelz, Prentice, M. Rasmussen, Erwin, Loveland, Drew, Franklin, McDonald, Moyer and Deccio

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5438 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means. 

     Signed by Senators Pelz, Chairman; McAuliffe, Vice Chairman; Gaspard, Hochstatter, McDonald, Moyer, M. Rasmussen, Rinehart, Skratek, A. Smith, and Winsley.

Staff:  Susan Mielke (786‑7439)

Hearing Dates: February 22, 1993; March 1, 1993

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Social and Health Services estimates that there are 527,302 children ages six to 17 years (307,593 children ages six to 12 years) in Washington State that are unsupervised at home for some time during the week while their parents are working or are involved in employment-related activities.  One reason that these children are left alone is that there are not enough affordable, high quality child care centers for them.

SUMMARY:

The promotion of before-and-after-school child care programs located in or near public school buildings is established as state policy.  Mini-centers are deleted from current policy.

The Department of Social and Health Services, in consultation with the State Child Care Coordinating Committee and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, is required to establish minimum requirements for operation of before-and-after-school child care programs, including:  standards for care; standards for program content and activities; transportation needs of the children; provisions for sliding-fee scales including waivers or reductions in tuition of fees for low-income families, with all tuition or fees being waived for students whose family income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty line.

Each school district is required to provide an area in each elementary school for before-and-after-school child care for children in grades K-6, or to offer space jointly with more than one school if there is an insufficient need for the child care program within one school.  The school shall receive a fee from the child care providers to cover the school's expenses.

The definition of those eligible to apply for funds under the child care expansion grant program is expanded to include public school districts, educational service districts, or other governmental or nongovernmental organizations.  The expansion grant is limited to supporting no more than 75 percent of the costs of establishing the child care program.  The start-up time considered for reimbursement by the grant is extended from three months to six months.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

School districts are encouraged to provide space for before- and-after-school child care by establishing a priority factor for school projects providing space for before-and-after-school child care.

Up to 10 percent matching funds for child care projects are provided.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested February 16, 1993

TESTIMONY FOR:

Workforce and family situations have changed causing a greater need for high quality before-and after-school child care.  It is appropriate for such child care to be provided in a school building in order to simplify the day for the child and the parent.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Senator McAuliffe, prime sponsor; Janet Frieling, Washington School Age Childcare Alliance (pro); Jeremy Frieling (pro); Misha LaPoint (pro); Lois Sethe, Issaquah School District (pro); Shawn Nichols, Campaign for Working Families (pro); Sharon Foster, YMCA's of Washington (pro); Meg Sundseth, Plateau Childcare Association (pro); Kathleen Michael, Plateau Childcare Association (pro); Mary Murphy, League of Women Voters (pro); Diane Olson, Washington Education for Young Children (pro)