Day Care Issues
AACS Washington Flyer Special Edition - Preschool Alert
Should Religiously Exempt Day Care Centers Be Represented on the Board of Social Services?
In 2010 Governor Bob McDonnell formed a Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring. The purpose of the Commission is to find ways to streamline state government in the face of current budgetary challenges. The Commission advises the governor regarding government functions that could be consolidated or eliminated altogether in order to make government more efficient.
ODACS supports the work that Governor McDonnell and the Commission are doing and agrees that government must be made smaller and more efficient. One particular recommendation of the Commission, however, is of important concern to ODACS - the elimination of the Virginia Child Day Care Council. For a number of years, this Council has written regulations to which Virginia's day care centers, both those licensed and those operating under a religious exemption from licensure, must adhere. The Commission has recommended that the function of the Child Day Care Council be transferred to the Board of Social Services.
Please join ODACS in asking the Governor and the General Assembly to create two new seats on the Board of Social Services, one representing licensed day care centers and one representing religiously exempt day care centers. Creating a new seat for religiously exempt centers is critical to our efforts to preserve our religious liberty through the religious exemption from licensure.
ODACS Request for Specific Language in HB 1291
Virginia Government Reform Web Site
Government Reform Commission - Report to the Governor
To leave comments for the governor at www.reform.virginia.gov, click the Submit Comments link. Then under the Select Secretariat drop down list, choose Health and Human Resources. Then under the Select Subgroup drop down list, choose All Committees. Then under the Select Subgroup2 drop down list, choose Elimination. Under the Idea column, scroll down until you find the idea to Abolish Child Day Care Council. Use the Comment link to the right.
Virginia Declines Federal Pre-K Funding
October 29, 2011
Governor Bob McDonnell announced recently that Virginia will not apply for $60 million in federal Pre-K funding under the latest round of Race to the Top competitive grants. This third round of competitive grants offered by the U. S. Department of Education to the states represents an attempt by the federal government to gain a large measure of control over all preschool programs in the country, including church day cares. Please thank Governor McDonnell for his decision, and express to members of the Virgnia State Board of Education your support of the decision! Use these
helpful links to learn more.
News Article about Governor McDonnell's Decision
Executive Summary of Race to the Top
Addresses, Governor McDonnell, State Board of Education
Virginia State Board of Education, Home Page
The following link is to the 1988 decision of the Fourth Circuit United States Court of Appeals regarding the consitutionality of a Virginia law allowing church day cares to operate without a license from the state. ODACS was very much involved in the case, since several ODACS ministries were listed as defendants. CLA defended the ODACS ministries.
VDSS Issues Van Safety Reminder
VDSS Memo on Van Safety, 10-31-11
