HD43 - Early Childhood and Public School Day-Care Programs

  • Published: 1988
  • Author: Joint Subcommittee
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 299 (Regular Session, 1987)

Executive Summary:
During the 1981 Session of the General Assembly, several measures were introduced in response to the recommendations of the Governor's Commission on Excellence in Education regarding the educational needs of young children and at-risk four-year-olds, and the critical need for day care programs. As a result, the Legislature appointed a joint subcommittee, via House Joint Resolution No. 299, to study the need for early childhood developmental programs, the administration and regulation of child day camp programs and child care centers, and the need for public school day care programs, as directed by Senate Joint Resolution No. 161.

The joint subcommittee was charged to:

• review the literature on early childhood programs;
• survey the research of experts and governmental entities and the views of the public on the issues;
• review existing programs, recommend ways to promote state and local, and public-private sector cooperation;
• determine the appropriate mechanism for the development of a resource inventory and referral system;
• recommend a mechanism for the phased integration of and funding for quality early childhood developmental programs which recognizes the factors that contribute to quality such as the availability of qualified early childhood teachers and caregivers and a system for monitoring and evaluation;
• determine the number of at-risk four-year-olds, and the number of such children who are not enrolled in developmental day care programs;
• determine the appropriate mechanism for and level of funding necessary to implement developmental day care programs;
• examine the definition and regulation of day camps and the corresponding duties of the Departments of Health and Social Services with respect to day camps and child care centers;
• determine the number of school age children in the Commonwealth, and the extent of the need for public school day care programs;
• review the pertinent constitutional and statutory provisions regarding the governance of the public schools and the administration of school programs relative to the Attorney General's opinion on public school day care programs;
• upon the determination of the need for public school day care programs, ascertain the availability of federal, state, local and private funds for the development and operation of such programs;
• recommend eligibility criteria for participation in and appropriate ways by which such programs may be provided which minimize the potentiality for competition between the Commonwealth and private day care providers.

Members appointed to the joint subcommittee were Delegates John C. Brown of Bristol; Alan A. Diamonstein of Newport News; Dorothy S. McDiarmid of Vienna; Mary A. Marshall of Arlington; Joan H. Munford of Blacksburg; and Mitchell Van Yahres of Charlottesville; and Senators Frank W. Nolen of New Hope; John W. Russell of Fairfax; and Stanley C. Walker of Norfolk. The citizen members are Mrs. Catherine Belter of Springfield and Alice M. Pieper, Ph.D., of Richmond.