1crayon.jpg (10866 bytes)  September, 1999 -- Meeting Summary


9:00am - 12:00pm

Phoenix Room

The Radisson Inn

SeaTac, Washington

Commission Attendance
Mona Lee Locke and Melinda French Gates Co-Chairs; Kathryn Barnard, Don Brunell, Craig Cole, Kim Cook, Yolanda Cortinas-Trout, Robbin Dunn, Sheri Flies, Peter Jackson, Lynn Kessler, Marty Jacobs, Mary Ellen O’Keeffe, Scott Oki, Dee Ann Perea, Gigi Talcott, Dee West, Gayle Womack, and Diana Yu.
Special Guests
Governor Gary Locke
Rick Cocker, Cocker Fennessy
Dave Sharp, Bozell Worldwide
Meeting Summary
Mona Locke opened the meeting. She recapped the Commission’s work over the last year. After learning quite a bit about young children, brain research and the programs available in this state the Commission has decided to focus on a few main projects. First, a public engagement campaign intended to share brain development information and parenting tips with parents and caregivers. Second, the creation of a foundation that will focus on providing funding in the areas of parent education and quality child care. Today we hope to determine the focus of our parent education efforts
Melinda Gates stated that she was happy to be back and impressed that we are on track to finish our task on time, next June. She asked Commissioners to review the timeline, which shows where we are and where we need to go from here. She then introduced Governor Gary Locke.
Governor Locke spoke to the Commission about the importance of early learning and the work of the Commission. With education being a top priority, it follows suit that our focus should be on development at an early age, and on efforts to guide parents when they need help. This will help our children reach their fullest potential before they start school. How a child develops in the early years must be distilled. All caregivers need to know about the importance of providing a warm and nurturing environment for infants. The Governor expressed his gratitude that the Commission is creating a foundation for future success and impacting many generations to come.
Mona Locke then thanked the Governor for his time.
Public Engagement Campaign
Dave Sharp, from Bozell Worldwide introduced his colleagues Kris Mitchke, Martha Craig and Shelley Baker who have been working on this project. Dave also reintroduced Rick Cocker, Principal of Cocker Fennessy.
Dave explained (as shown in the slide presentation) that the engagement campaign subcommittee met and discussed the draft outline of situation analysis, target audience, benchmark research, a 3-tier program outline, and fundraising strategy, and campaign logo/theme. Dave hopes to accomplish the selection of a logo and tag line during this meeting.
Dave then introduced Kris Mitchke who explained that the target audience would be broken into two parts: primary and secondary. The primary audience would consist of 70% of the audience and would include parents/legal guardians with children ages 0-3 and ages 4-5, prospective parents, and child care providers (including professional, baby sitters, friends and family). The secondary audience would make up the remaining 30% of the audience and would include opinion leaders, employers, elected officials, general public and state, county and municipal agencies.
Dave then turned the discussion to developing our logo. A logo should symbolize the organization and the mission. It should provide the audience with a visual trigger that is easy to remember, and should communicate our main thought in the most concise way possible.
Martha Craig and Shelley Baker presented 6 possible choices for a logo and tag line. Dave Sharp then asked Commissioners for their input and to choose the top three. Commissioners were then asked to fill out a comment sheet on the top three selections.
The Commission then moved to a break and members of the audience were asked to fill out comment sheets regarding the three logos.
Parent Education Discussion
Presentation by Mary Ellen O’Keeffe
The parent education subcommittee was asked to look at and make recommendations on parent education. The subcommittee members included Dee Ann Perea, Dee West, Marty Jacobs and Mary Ellen O’Keeffe.
What is family support? How can we connect this with parent education? The Federal Government defines family support as promoting parental competencies and creating supportive networks. Family support is also about community-based preventive activities, increasing abilities to nurture children and alleviating stress. Finally, family support is about enabling families to use community resources, and it is about decreasing social isolation.
Recommendations:
Support, through funding, the training of parent education through the implementation of a variety of curriculum offered through community based programs and community and technical colleges.
Increase the accessibility of a variety of parent education programs to parents throughout the state and identify barriers in participation in parent education. Encourage collaboration with other community -based programs involved in parent activities.
Expand the Programs for Early Parent Support (PEPS) outside of King
County by offering to pilot PEPS in five additional counties. Expand community and technical colleges’ parent education programs.
Establish a 1-800 number as a referral source for parent education and family support programs.
Create a state-level family support department/division to promote the expansion and collaboration of family support, parent education and early childhood education.
Discussion:
Robbin Dunn noted that any support provided in the parent education should be broad and reach a variety of systems, not just community and technical colleges.
Mona Locke responded that our intention is that the foundation will focus on ensuring that parent education support reaches a variety of systems.
Sheri Flies asked how we would increase the accessibility of programs.
Mary Ellen O’Keeffe responded that we would increase accessibility by providing more programs.
Don Brunell asked what would happen with these recommendations.
Robin Zukoski explained that these recommendations will become the framework for the foundation and that the foundation would provide the details on how these items will be carried out. These recommendations are for the foundation and its board of directors.
Craig Cole asked if this is like a parent to parent program similar to the Master Gardner program.
Mary Ellen O’Keeffe explained that PEPS is designed around trained volunteers. The cost is $250.00 per person and is a 6 month program.
Melinda Gates noted that we want to get to specifics and come up with one or two things that we can present to the foundation to carry out. For example, we are going to support PEPS and training more people as trainers. Then we take it to the foundation and say we, as a commission would like you to carry this out. What do we, as a Commission, feel good about that we can make two recommendations on?
Kathryn Barnard feels that PEPS should be our focus because it draws from parents themselves and has a better parent to parent relationship. The PEPS evaluation demonstrates that parents need more support. We need to have more people involved in the program to advocate the innovation.
Don Brunell noted that parents learn about babies during pre-natal activities. Integrating the medical aspect can help to expand parent education.
Craig Cole responded that Don’s point is worthy of follow up. This is an opportunity where often times you have both parents together and you have their attention.
Robin Zukoski noted that a program in Yakima is doing this now and it appears to be very effective. It depends on the community. It may work in Yakima but maybe not in Vancouver.
Robbin Dunn commented that having a resource where communities could apply for and expand their unique programs.
Gigi Talcott noted that in Kennewick new parents are provided with a book. This becomes a life line and provides hope beyond just the basics.
Mona Locke noted that this might be part of the Success by Six program, sponsored by the United Way.
Gayle Womack noted that we need to look at the criteria and parameters that programs need to meet.
Robbin Dunn noted that the Commission has not set the target amount for funding that the Commission should raise for the foundation.
Robin Zukoski responded that it is difficult to set an amount without knowing what type of efforts we will be funding. For instance, there are 80,000 babies born each year. It is $250.00 per family for PEPS. This means funding at 100% would cost 20 million dollars per year. This just gives us a background to work from. 100% participation is not realistic but it gives us a base to work from.
Melinda Gates noted that there are 3 goals: 1.) The public engagement campaign, 2.) Support of quality child care, and 3.) Parent education. All three of these will need large amounts of funding to make it happen.
Craig Cole noted that the foundation will make these decisions. Our function is, as we pass this off, try to provide guidance on the general issues of focus.
Melinda Gates responded that we should come back next month to discuss exactly what we want the foundation to do. We have two models to look at are we going to give them two things to focus on in child care and in parent education or we going to say these are our guiding principles and have an open model where community programs can apply to meet the principles.
Craig Cole feels that our job is to highlight the issue areas and let the foundation come up with the details.
TANF Discussion
Robin Zukoski presented draft letters from the Commission to the Governor, the legislature and DSHS giving the Commission’s position on requiring mothers to participate in WorkFirst when their babies reach 3 months of age. The letters are intended to reflect the tone of discussion the Commission had in July.
Gayle Womack noted that this letter could be a little bit offensive using the language "poor public policy". We need to tell them why we think it’s bad, and be more polite.
Peter Jackson noted that we should highlight the cost point. It is more expensive to provide child care than to allow them to stay at home for the 12 month period.
Robin responded that the letters focus more on the development of children and not on how people choose to care for their children. We can put those cost issues in.
Sheri Flies noted that we need to point out the issue of capacity. The TANF policy has affected capacity. There is not enough child care for infants.
Lynn Kessler agreed that capacity is an issue whether you are middle class or a TANF recipient. We also need to emphasize our mission.
Mona Locke asked Gigi Talcott what she thought and how she thinks this would resonate with the legislature.
Gigi Talcott stated that she believes these letters will not sway anyone either way. Using language like optimal development of "our state’s children" can be very offensive. We need to look at a proposal that is in the middle. Hopefully there will be time to do so and that we can look at other recommendations to the legislature.
Mona Locke noted that we need to decide if we send these letters or not. Respecting all opinions where do we go from here? Mrs. Locke recommended that we table the discussion on these letters until the next meeting and think about how we want to approach this.
Public Comment:
Edsel Hammond stated that it is about time for a reality check. It’s like the old adage before World War II. Hitler and Stalin were coming to power and said give us your children and we’ll rule your country. Edsel inquired about where funding was coming from, the seed money out of the legislature – the 10 million dollars that might be the foundation. Is there going to be a request from the foundation for the government to spend money on the Children’s Bill of Rights. What makes this group think that the poor young people coming up don’t have sense to wipe their nose and need to be told how to raise their kids. How did all of us get here?
Jim Keeffe, a parent from North Bend, stated that he is appalled that there is an elite group of people up here trying to tell most of the parents in the state how to raise their kids. Inherently he knows how to raise his kid. He also stated that the Governor mentioned the foundation, in the beginning, was built up by state desire and had no agenda and that all kids must come ready to school ready to learn. Jim stated that it is interesting that our Federal Goals 2000 initiative uses these exact words. He suggests connecting the dots from this commission to this federal mandate. He states that to say that the foundation will be based on research that is, at the least questionable, and the most has been refuted. Jim calls for the disbanding of this Commission immediately and all funds returned to the treasurer.
Lloyd Gardner commented that most of the success of this program will depend upon "DSHS making some sort of determination of which 25% of the parents need help. If this program's success depends upon DSHS we need to look at some of the programs DSHS has been involved with. The most recent is the case of the Kitsap pregnant mother who was just murdered. The caseworker was in the house." He stated he has great doubt about DSHS and its involvement in this program (Mr. Gardner then reached the time limit).
Jean Hueston expressed her appreciate for the Commission’s work and stated she is very happy about what is being done. She noted that, regarding TANF, all communities are effected by inadequate care.
Lois McMahon stated that the Commission’s goal to involve parents in their child’s life from the beginning is commendable, and urges the Commission to seek out private entities to provide family counseling and parental classes. She states it is the job of the individual to do these kinds of things and that it is not the job of the government. She further states that the concept expressed in the Children’s Bill of Rights is in total opposition to the American Bill of Rights. And states that the incompatibility of such a thing as socially acceptable behavior or politically correct behavior with the US Constitution is unarguable and undeniable. She states that the definition of socially acceptable or politically correct takes a form of attitude, speech, or association held to be desirable by the government of the day. Quoting an author, Lois states that a society with our bill of rights does not permit government even to say or dictate what is desirable or acceptable. The case could be made for everyone of us by someone else that we are not loving, caring parents.
Cris Shardelman stated that she was here last time and was cutoff while she was giving the research and said that placing these children in early childhood care leads to depression, feelings of inferiority, permanent impairment of the ability to form human attachments. She further states that daycare children are 15 times more aggressive and capable of serious disorders of impulse control unable to make human relationships permanent. Ms. Shardelman stated that other problems lead to academic problems. Cris quoted a psychologist who states that nearly half of all reading problems are the result of starting children too young. When children are force fed early on they become turned off with respect to education. Cris stated that changing diapers may not be fun but you can still be joyful as a parent (Ms. Shardelman reached the time limit).
Dorothy Jane Youtz who represents the Seattle Health and Safety Network commended the commission’s work and states that she is very excited about what the Commission is doing and looks forward with great expectation. The Health and Safety network has already decided to focus on early childhood education over the next year.
Cathy Cooper from the Office of Adult Literacy recommends that the Commission remember that 1.3 million adults in our state lack some sort of basic skills. Many of them are parents and would need and benefit from the type of information being talked about with the public engagement campaign. She encouraged the Commission to make sure these people have access to this information.
Joan Sharp from United Way of King County thanked Commission for their work over the last year. United Way has launched a Children’s Initiative and looks forward to working with the products of the Commission, with other community partners and to be able to promote some of the concepts the Commission has identified to being critical to the well being of children. She states there is still a lot of good work to be done, and thanks Commission for support and efforts.
Gail Gosney is from CTED’s Office of Child Care Policy where she staffs the Child Care Advantages Committee. She reminds the Commission that much has been done in the area of employers and that there is a program in place that includes 72 companies providing on-site or near-site care. She encourages the Commission to also look at STARS as we implement the TEACH program and ensure that this is in addition to STARS and not a replacement of STARS.
Sharon Oldfield stated that she is disturbed that the agenda for this meeting was not up on the net at 7:30 this morning. She wonders why is this not communicated earlier. She further stated that things are driven by definitions such as what is the definition of ready to learn. She stated that is where the power comes -by not defining what you mean. She says it gives more control – and that she’s well aware. And states the brain research has come up to criticism. There is a lot more data in that says that it is not a basis for the scientific findings for early learning. She stated that this is junk science.
Rachel Hawkridge states that Representative Kessler’s point about mothers going back to work when their children are tiny is a good one. She states that we have to go back to work when they are tiny in order to pay for programs like this. She further states that the more programs imposed upon us the more taxes we have to pay. And states that these programs don’t effect people like Mrs. Gates and Mrs. Locke. She states that they are not at work full time and don’t have to go back to work to pay taxes but the rest of us do. Keep in mind that we have to pay the taxes to pay for these programs. It is the lowest income bracket that is the hardest hit by these taxes.
Joan Gorner a school teacher for 33 years commented that programs keep coming back that have failed in the past. She states that the program that the Commission is talking about has been done in Scandinavia. This is a 50-year old Swedish model of which they are now attempting to move away from. She doesn’t understand this.
Del Parker states that thousands of children are without their parents today, "especially fathers who are going through these litigious divorce proceedings with outrages enactments by the state racketeer and this industry of parasitical and pedophilic, psychological industry which is keeping parents from their children." He asks commissioners to "get out here with these people who sincerely want to raise their children and get away from these bunch of racketeers who are only involved in churning and burning for the sake of their own pocket book."
Joan Martin, Executive Director of the Skagit preschool and resource center, has worked in ECE for 25 years. States that the work of the Commission is extremely important for the growth and continuation of our society. We have families that are in trouble and need support. We have families that love their children but may not know how to support their children. We need programs that are family friendly. We will all profit by what our children become.
Dave Hall states that today we are putting almost as many young people into prison as into college. We need to find better ways of using our resources and taxes and encourage parents to use these resources. Parenting is very complicated and difficult and we should make information widely available. He commends the work of the Commission.
Melinda Gates then closed the meeting.

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