CCDF State and Territories Plan Preprint

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Completing the Plan

Except for a new section concerning the Good Start, Grow Smart Presidential initiative, the content of the Plan for the 2004-2005 biennium is generally the same as in the 2002-2003 Biennium Plan. Lead Agencies should be guided by the amended Act and the regulations. Each section in the Plan contains a reference to the applicable section in the statute or the regulations.

Though Lead Agencies will be familiar with most of the information requested in the Plan, they should review the attached guidance, which reflects the statute, regulations and ACF's experience with Plans submitted in the past. Examples have been added to the guidance section that will be helpful in completing the Plan.

Why DetailIs Important

The public takes considerable interest in the way States operate their CCDF programs. ACF makes State Plan information available to many users including members of Congress, Congressional committees, State and local child care administrators, advocacy groups, researchers and the general public. By submitting detailed information in their Plans, Lead Agencies promote an understanding of the CCDF programs in their States and may reduce the number of direct requests for information. The State Plan presents an opportunity for States to demonstrate the many things they are doing to meet the needs of children and families, and thereby to assure the public and Congress that tax money is being spent responsibly and to best advantage.

Section 5.2 of the Plan is new for this biennium. It addresses the three child care-related goals of Good Start, Grow Smart:

1. Voluntary State guidelines or content standards on early literacy, language, pre-reading and numeracy skills for children ages 3 to 5 that align with State K-12 standards and describe what children need to know and be able to do to succeed in kindergarten;
   
2. State plans for the professional development and training of child care teachers, providers and administrators to enable them to support the school readiness of young children; and,
   
3. State plans for coordination across early childhood programs and funding streams.

As indicated in the President's April 2002 announcement, Good Start, Grow Smart is envisioned as a Federal-State partnership that creates linkages between CCDF, including funds set aside for quality, and public and private efforts to promote early learning. The announcement specifically indicates that States will address the Good Start, Grow Smart goals in their biennial CCDF Plans.

Statutorily, this initiative is supported by sections 658D(b)(1)(D), 658E(c)(3)(B), and 658G of the CCDBG Act of 1990, as amended. These sections require States to coordinate the provision of services with other Federal, State, and local child care and early childhood development programs, and to use a portion of the funding they receive to improve the quality of child care services. Read in conjunction with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Pub. L 107-110), Good Start, Grow Smart and the CCDBG statute call upon States to support the school readiness of young children through nurturing child care environments that foster early literacy, language, pre-reading, and numeracy skills.

Copies of the State Plan should be submitted as follows:

1 copy to the:
ACF Regional Administrator (see attached list)

ACYF Operations Center
Attn: Child Care Bureau
CCDF 2004-05 State Plans
1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW., Suite 100
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: 1-800-351-2293
Email: CCB@esilsg.org

If a Lead Agency wishes to submit its Plan electronically, it should contact the appropriate Regional Office.

CCDF State and Territories Plan Preprint