On Tuesday, June
18, 2012 child care professionals, parents and business leaders from Alexander County
traveled to the North Carolina General Assembly as part of Smart Start’s statewide
“Tuesdays for Tots” initiative. The
constituents met with the Alexander County legislative delegation and asked
members to restore $18.8 million to Smart Start. In 2011, Smart Start
funding was reduced by 20% ($37.6 million), disproportionately more than any
other component of the education system. As a result thousands of children are
no longer benefiting from much-needed early childhood programs.
“There are only 2,000 days
between the time a baby is born and when that child shows up in for the first
day of kindergarten,” said Alexander County delegation member Dale Clary who is
board chairman of the Alexander County Partnership for Children. “We’re meeting with legislators to discuss
the needs of children in our community, the science that supports programs like
Smart Start, and why investing in our youngest citizens is a wise investment
for families, the economy and our society as a whole.”
State funding for Smart Start
has been cut by $80 million over the last decade. These cuts are
occurring at the same time that economists, military leaders, law enforcement
and business leaders are advocating that investments in young children are one
of the strongest investments for sustained growth and job creation, protecting
our national security, and providing children with the opportunity to reach
their potential.
Created by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1993,
Smart Start is a network of 77 nonprofit local partnerships led by a
state-level organization, The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc.
working together measurably to measurably increase the health and well-being of
young children, building the foundation for all future learning, by:
·
Improving
children’s early care and education programs so that they are safe, healthy and
provide opportunities for children to learn skills they need for success in
school.
·
Providing
parents with tools that support them in raising healthy, happy, successful
children.
·
Ensuring
that children have access to preventive health care.
Local residents traveling to the North Carolina
General Assembly today included: Dale
Clary, Reverend Tim Marsh, Natasha Beckner, Melissa Summers, and Susan Cogdill The residents met with Senator Dan Soucek of
the Alexander County legislative delegation and visited with Representative
Mark Hollo’s legislative assistant.
Representative Hollow was unavailable due to a change in a committee
meeting schedule.
