Childcare Providers Empowerment Association
P.O.Box 34401
Cordova Tn. 38134
901-691-9396
A PLAN TO SHUT DOWN AN INDUSTRY
In April 2006, Childcare Providers Empowerment Association. (CPEA) discovered a plan to undermine and dismantled the privately owned childcare centers. This collaboration of Community Institute for Early Childhood (CIEC) (also known as The First Years Institute (FYI) (now known as) the Urban Child’s Institute (UCI) partnered with Mayor Wharton coupled with The Pre-k Program, Sponsored by Memphis, The Shelby County Head-Start program, The Tennessee Department of Human Services under the direction of Virginia Lodge and the Commercial Appeal by Chris Peck
The main goal of this collaboration was and is to take over the childcare industry. (See Doc.1 below) See Doc 2 Board members:
Notice that this blue print began in 2001 and extends into 2011. The 2003 phase concentrated on public awareness and focused on building community awareness of need. Our centers have been publicized on the news in a negative light. The erroneous facts about the 3-star ratings, ECT. This public awareness of the need to replace the exiting childcare centers.
The Pre-K program
The Pre-K program is administered by the Local Education Association (LEA); The Memphis City School (LEA) decides who participates. The guidelines are as follows: daycare centers must have earned a 3-star rating must hire a certified teacher with an endorsement in early childcare; must have a teacher assistant with a CDA credential. They must also provide an in-kind match of 1\3 of the grant.
Several of the Memphis childcare centers could not qualify for the pre-k program due to the unfair practices of the star assessors. The childcare income is based on Childcare certificates and are paid based on the amount of stars that center receives. The Centers lost most or all their stars and this caused the centers to lose revenue and they also lost their 4 year- old age group to the Pre-K program.
At the current rate that the privately owned centers are losing children while the number of children in Head start, Pre-K and Early start centers are on the increase. Six (6,000) children went to Pre-k and another 5,000 children earmarked for 2006. Now, Porter Leath wants 1100 more and the control of all Head Start Centers. Our Governor has poured millions of dollars into the Memphis City School Pre-K and Head Start, yet the Governor and Virginia Lodge is steadily cutting and taking revenue out of the childcare industry. This straggling loss is intentional and thereby causing permanent damage to this industry.
HEAD-START
Head Start has implemented a plan to take the other age groups (0-3) from the childcare center.
This bill, introduced by Mayor Wharton and Mike Warr (executive director of Porter Leath_), and (Board member of First years Institute), would reduce or remove guaranteed monthly benefits from the childcare industry by reducing the number of children that are served.
Head Start for preschool children ages 3 to 5 and Early Head Start for children from birth to preschool would removes all the Pre-k children from the privately owned childcare centers.
Head Start’s original purpose is to offer a pre-school education for more than 500 of the highest risk children in Shelby County, plus support for their families, completely free of charge.
All of Shelby County children are not high risk. Yet The Children are leaving the daycare industry and are being steered to Head Start or Pre-k by DHS.
This effort undermines future benefits by dismantling the program and the economic security of present and future childcare centers. and of the devastating impact on all childcare workers and particularly the negative impact on African American women. I am extremely concerned about how the state of Tennessee has ruled and mandated most of the revenue out of this Industry. They know that without revenue we cannot hire or retain good qualified staff. We can not bring high quality to our centers. Yet Early Head Start funds are provided by the Department of Health and Human Services. Head Start funds are provided by Shelby County Head Start. Additional funding for both programs is provided through United Way of the Mid-South and private donations www.porter-leath.org/c
Where are the funds for the private childcare centers? “The Legislators put money in the budget for transportation, TDHS took it out” said State Representitives. The board members and the FYI coupled with the TDHS are destroying the lives and dreams of a large segment of our community. This is a disgrace, immoral and possible illegal.
Department of Human Services (TDHS)
Several of Tennessee Department of Human Service’s supervisors are board members on CIEC and are part of the fiduciary plan to shut privately owned centers down.
See Doc 2
The board members of the FYI all played their part in the demise of the privately owned childcare centers. Emma Keys an employee of TDHS and a board member of FYI is in charge of the certificate program and is allegedly steering children to Head Start. TDHS cut off the certificate of parents without proper notice to the childcare providers. TDHS refused to pay the centers.
CPEA solicited help from the legislators and got a bill passed to require DTHS to give proper notice. Linda Roach also an employee of THDS and board member of FYI, allegedly steered children to other agencies while enjoying a good living at the expense of child care providers Chris Peck of the Commercial Appeal has done nothing buy slander and defamed the private owned centers in a court of public opinion.
The 3- Star rating took revenue out of the centers by reducing the center’s stars. The childcare certificates are paid based on the amount of stars the center receives.
The assessors lied and misrepresented the quality of care the centers provided. The assessors had no experience and on a caviler’s mission, as a result of the fault- finder’s missions, several of the top quality centers that had 3 stars suddenly lost all of them. Several of the other centers could not get any stars. DHS published the bad score and the lies on TV, the Internet, and radio and in the commercial appeal.
The Appeal process was a sham. Everyone who filed an appeal received the same results, DHS upheld their assessors. One day a year, with-in 3-hours, an assessor with no background in childcare has the power to take a centers stars thereby substantially reducing their revenue, Most of these daycare owners; have degrees in early childcare and has been it this business for years,
This rating practice served to paint negative pictures to the community. Thus making it seem like a takeover was needed.
Transportation Another burning issues it the cost of transportation. The Government system allowed Commissioner Lodge to stop reimbursement for transportation. The Law clearly allows for payment for transportation and the Legislators put in the budget. Yet Lodge
continued to require more training for the drivers and a special license. DHS Mandated new rules for the vans. DHS required childcare owners to purchase buses that cost over 40.000 dollars. They had to buy special harnesses and gear. The cost of gas and upkeep on of the van, and the paying of a driver and monitor were tremendous. This took revenue out of the childcare center. Now the 4 year olds that go to pre-k and head start had to be transported because these programs didn’t open as early as the childcare centers .In order to receive the other siblings they had to transport these as well.
Routine Inspections Suddenly routine inspections went from one unannounced visits to six unannounced visits per year. There were 80 inspectors now there are 159 ,which took 74% out of the budget and the other 24% went to ineffective and inaccessible training. If the training were effective, why did so many lose their stars and others could not receive any.
Cost of Living Increase Their has hot been a sufficient cost of living increase since the star rating system was implemented. The Department of Human Services cut childcare certificates off without notifying the directors in a timely manner. (See bill sponsor by Reprehensive Cooper) Centers served children for weeks and DHS refused to pay due to these certificates. This took revenue out of the centers, as well.
The Commercial Appeal
Chris Peck of the Commercial Appeal (Board member CIEC) has been busy painting negative picture of our childcare industry. Granted a small number of centers had problems and casualties resulted. Those businesses were punished. Peck punished the whole industry...Why? He is part of the plan. Thousand of children are transported by childcare vans safely every day and have been for years. Peck has put out lies and false rumors in his newspaper the commercial appeal and on internet. He is working closely with DHS to substantiate their lies.
We are in the eight year of this ten year plan; Giving Mike Warr Head Start is a primary part of this close down scheme.
I cannot emphasize to you the importance I put on your vote against privatization of Head Start.
Privatization undermines the economic security of the children in the childcare industry, and would destroy the private childcare centers business.
Document 1
Community Institute for Early Childhood
Blueprint for Community Change
Education, Community Planning and Public Policy
Page 5
From a timing standpoint, the expected outcomes can be summarized as follows:
Timeframe Focus Activities and Outcomes
Years 1-2
(2001-2003)
Community Need Community assessment and blueprint
Planning begins
Years 3-4
(2003-2004)
Community Awareness of
Need
Blueprint provides a vehicle to create a
Community Master Plan that becomes an
On-going and continuous planning process
Year 4
(2005)
Community Pressure for
Change
Master Plan prioritizes change agenda
Year 5
(2006)
Political Will & Leadership Master Plan guides leaders on priorities
Years 6-10
(2007-2011)
Change in Public Policy and
Resource Allocation
Master Plan focuses policy and resource
Prioritization agenda
· In 2001-2002, this planning included information gathering and coalition building.
· The 2003 phase concentrated on public awareness and focusing on building
Community awareness of need.
· Concrete outcomes of changing public policy, resource prioritization, shifting
community values to support early childhood, and impacting positive caregiver
Doc 2
Community Institute for Early Childhood
Board of Directors as of September 1, 2004
Yvonne Mad lock (Chair) Shelby County Health Department
Dr. Betty Johnson Southwest Tennessee Community College
Dr. Barbara Prescott (Secretary) Licensed Professional Counselor & Consultant
Dr. Linda Kennard Memphis City Schools
Barbara Jacobs (Treasurer) Plough Foundation
Dr. Charlotte Kennedy Shelby County Community Services
Pete Aviotti City of Memphis Mayor's Office
Emma Key Department of Human Services Child Care Services
The Very Reverend C.B. Baker St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral
Nancy Law head Shelby County Mayor’s Office
Sandra Burke Girls Incorporated of Memphis
Diane Manning Riverview Kansas Day Care Center
Dr. David Cox the University of Memphis
Lucie Roane Private Consultant
Bob Duncan Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
Chris Peck the Commercial Appeal
Andrew Gattas Knowledge Tree
Bernal Smith Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce
Vernua Hanrahan Center for Neighborhoods
Blair Taylor Memphis Tomorrow, Inc.
Antoinette Holman Department of Children Services
Mike Warr Porter-Leath Children's Center
Gwendolyn Wright Tennessee Commission on Children & Youth
CIEC Staff
Barbara Holden, Executive Director
Brenda Williams, Manager, Administration and Programs
Geraldine Harris
