AGENDA #10

MEMORANDUM

TO:                              Mayor and Town Council

FROM:                        Council Member Flicka Bateman

SUBJECT:                   Resolution Supporting the Smart Start Early Childhood Initiative  

DATE:                         June 10, 2002

RESUBMITTED:      June 24, 2002

The Smart Start Early Childhood Education Initiative provides a needed service by ensuring that the State’s children arrive at school healthy and ready to succeed by offering comprehensive and preventive services for young children and their families.  The Orange County Partnership for Young Children, which is our local Smart Start agency, has demonstrated considerable success in improving the quality of early childhood education and child care programs, improving teacher education, reducing teacher turnover rates, and increasing access to affordable child care for working families. 

I ask that the Council adopt the attached resolution, offering its support for the Smart Start Early Childhood Initiative, and encourage Governor Easley and Legislative leaders to continue to fully fund Smart Start and maintain the comprehensive focus of Smart Start, which involves the community in effectively addressing the needs of young children and families.

A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE SMART START EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE AND ENCOURAGING THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO CONTINUE TO FULLY FUND SMART START AND MAINTAIN THE COMPREHENSIVE FOCUS OF SMART START (2002-06-24/R-17)

WHEREAS, the Smart Start Early Childhood Initiative is dedicated to ensuring that all children arrive at school healthy and ready to succeed by offering comprehensive and preventive services for young children and families in North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Smart Start has been nationally recognized and is being replicated in 10 states for its comprehensive and unique approach to ensure that young children enter school ready for success; and

WHEREAS, the Orange County Partnership for Young Children, our local Smart Start agency, has demonstrated considerable success in improving the quality of early childhood education/child care programs, improving teacher education, reducing teacher turnover rates, and increasing access to affordable child care for working families; and

WHEREAS, Smart Start locally has strengthened families by providing access to parenting education and community resources for more than 3,000 families each year; and

WHEREAS, Smart Start locally has improved the health of 2,500 young children each year through health screenings to identify and treat vision, dental, and development problems; and

WHEREAS, Smart Start locally is committed to community collaboration in the design and delivery of services for young children and family, and has developed new collaborative programs for children with special needs and Latino children and families; and

WHEREAS, Smart Start locally has garnered considerable community support with more than $711,000 million in cash and in-kind contributions from corporations, business, foundations, and individuals last year alone;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby offers its support for the Smart Start Early Childhood Initiative, and encourages the Governor and Legislative leaders to continue to fully fund Smart Start and maintain the comprehensive focus of Smart Start, which involves the community in effectively addressing the needs of young children and families.

This the 24th day of June, 2002.