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Child Care Action Center

Legislators need to know that students are paying attention.

There are 8 students and 2 staff people working around the clock to win victories for students. But, our efforts mean little without your help.

Help us make higher ed accessible for students with children and show that student power isn't a myth.

Original Child Care Budget

Recommendation Cut by 67.5%!

Today, February 20th, the House Appropriations proposed budget was released. Instead of $2 million for higher ed child care grant programs, the appropriation was $650,000.

This is an increase from the present allocation, but a far cry from the $3.8 million that students are contributing each year through their S&A fees.

Do not let our legislators pass over this crucial investment. As a student, you are paying for a huge portion or your campus child care center, while the entire state reaps the benefits of more highly educated parents.

Here is what you can do RIGHT NOW:

  1. Email the members of the House Appropriations Committee or the Senate Ways & Means Committee (the ones who write the budget). Here is a sample letter that can be adopted for representatives or senators.
  2. Call the members of the House Appropriations Committee or the Senate Ways and Means committee (here is a sample phone call script)
  3. Flood the legislative hotline - 1-800-562-6000 (here is a sample phone call script)

Learn about the Issue

  • Child care is the third worst barrier to completing a college education. A study done by a state agency found that third only to cost and geographic distance, the lack of affordable child care stops students from getting an education.
  • There are thousands of children on waiting lists of college child care programs. Right now, (Feb. 2008) there are over 1500 students on waiting lists in the 4-year public colleges alone.
  • Students pay for child care, whether they have children or not. Students, through their student governments and service and activities fee committees, have made the decision to support their child care programs to the tune of about $3.8 millon each year...
  • The state only contributes $125,000 per year. The competitive grants are distributed by two government agencies: for the 4-year schools, the higher education coordinating board, and for the 2-years, the state board for community and technical colleges.
  • The grant process is not something child care programs can depend on. Child care programs don't know whether they are going to get a grant from year to year.

The Solution

  • Increase State Support. Although we think the state should match the $3.8 million student contribution, we support the recent $2 million recommendation by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.
  • Reform the grant program. Substitute House Bill 2582 and Substitute Senate Bill 6730 change the current grant program so that child care programs at community and technical colleges can get the support they need and the 4-year institutions can rely on grants that are based on how much their student body is contributing.

Contact your Legislators

Legislators pay most attention to their constituents. You can get in touch with them by phone, through the legislative hotline, by email, by mailing them a letter, by visting them, or all of the above.

Call Your Legislators | Email or Write Your Legislators | Visit Your Legislators

Call your Legislators

  1. Go to the legislature's website to find your senator and representatives. Click "Find Your District" and enter your address. Links to your senator and representatives will provide you with their contact information.
  2. Prepare what you are going to say. Legislators and their assistants deal with hundreds of people and issues a day. Be clear about what you are asking them. We've written a sample script that might help.
  3. Make the call. You will almost never get the senator or representative, but their assistants will make note of your call. If they have recieved five other calls that day on the same issue, you can be sure that the legislators will get the message.
  4. Sign up for our email list to get updates

OR

  1. Use the hotline. The legislative hotline allows citizens to leave messages that are forwarded to the appropriate legislators. It is 1-800-562-6000 (TTY for Hearing Impaired 1-800-635-9993).
  2. Sign up for our email list to get updates

Email or Write your Legislators

  1. Go to the legislature's website to find your senator and representatives. Click "Find Your District" and enter your address. Links to your senator and representatives will provide you with their contact information.
  2. Draft your letter or email. Be clear and concise. Use the proper format. Proofread. Use our sample letter.
  3. Mail your letter or hit send.
  4. Sign up for our email list to get updates

Visit your Legislators

  1. Go to the legislature's website to find your senator and representatives. Click "Find Your District" and enter your address. Links to your senator and representatives will provide you with their contact information.
  2. Call to make an appointment.
  3. Wear "business attire". You will not be taken seriously in jeans and a t-shirt.
  4. Bring our one-pager.
  5. Be prepared to say what you want, quickly and clearly.
  6. Show up.
  7. Drop by our office. (360)786-1139
  8. Sign up for our email list to get updates

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