09.01.2014 Views

View PDF - Heinz Endowments

View PDF - Heinz Endowments

View PDF - Heinz Endowments

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

services and supervision G_rant program, child care and Development<br />

Fund), u.s. Department of Housing and urban Development (federal<br />

' Enterprise and Empowerment Zones), etc.<br />

- Funds are also available from the state of pennsylvania (child care<br />

works, Youth Development Fund of the Department of community and<br />

Economic Development).<br />

- These funds are not used to their fullest extent. This is because their<br />

availability is not widely known; many providers are unaccustomed and<br />

inexperienced in applying for such fundl; and many funds are categorical,<br />

targeted, and can only be used by specific organizatiols for specific ffior"r.<br />

Affordability<br />

'<br />

'<br />

While some subsidies for low-income families exist, they are not sufficient<br />

for the need. Parent-q ar9 navins approximarely $2,00b priy.* for rhe firsr<br />

child, which is l4.3vo of an averagé entry salary. even beÞs families<br />

receiving subsidies- paid an average of $ i , I I 0 per year for only one child<br />

(many have more than one child).<br />

Low-income families^face several special difficulties affording nonschoolhour<br />

services, including:<br />

- The working poor ( I 85zo -235vo of federal poverty guidelines) are provided<br />

government subsidies only after families below lg5% of poveny are<br />

served; therefore, they have no stable source ofsubsidized suppôrt for<br />

nonschool-hour programming.<br />

- In the future, the commonwealth plans to recommend only licensed or<br />

regulated services to p¿rents receiving subsidies, which reþresent a small<br />

percentage of the available services. while this policy, if ènacted, would<br />

force the use of presumably higher quality servióes, *iit tt er" be enough<br />

such services available that are convenient enough for all low-income<br />

families to access?<br />

- Eligibility for subsidies varies with employment status, meaning that some<br />

low-income families are on-off-and-on-agâin in eligibiiity for súbsidies,<br />

which represents a problem for both pareñt and age-ncy. -<br />

Public Schools<br />

'<br />

The¡ole-of public schools is minimal. Generally, they do not operaæ<br />

regular, daily nonschool-hour programs (although othei agencies may operate<br />

programs in public schools), and there is little cóordination between<br />

nonschool-hour Programs, even those that emphasize academic assistance and<br />

enrichment, and the schools in terms of schoól workn homework, or the<br />

support of children with individual academic needs (although this is more

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!