* From a press release…
[US Sen. Mark Kirk], Diana Rauner To Highlight Success of Early Childhood Education Programs in Englewood
Participating Children were 35% Less Likely to Visit an Emergency Room
Every Dollar Spent Provides Return Investment of $5.70
* It’s probably no accident that Gov. Rauner proposed increasing early childhood education funding yesterday by $25 million. From a Wednesday press release by Illinois Action for Children…
Governor Rauner should be applauded for making early childhood a clear priority today. As the Governor said in his address, every dollar invested today in early childhood saves us more than $7 in the future.
It is a positive sign that the Governor has proposed to increase Pre-K investments and maintain child care funding in FY16, while also signaling that he and the General Assembly are negotiating to reach an agreement to fill the current $300 million shortfall facing the Child Care Assistance Program. Ending that crisis now must be the highest priority of our elected officials.
But much of that increase will be paid for by zeroing out all state funding for Advance Placement, Arts/Foreign Language, Agricultural Education, After School Matters, the Parent Mentoring Program, Lowest Performing Schools, funding to East St. Louis SD 189, Regional Safe Schools, Children’s Mental Health Partnership, National Board Certified Teachers, Tax Equivalency Grants, Teach for America, and Targeted Initiatives.
I wonder what Sen. Kirk and Mrs. Rauner think about those cuts?
* Greg Hinz has additional thoughts…
The advisory notes—correctly—that Diana Rauner heads the Ounce of Prevention Fund, which has done some very nice work trying to help poor families. It says that the federal Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Visiting Program has provided assistance to young mothers that not only makes childhood injuries less likely but has cut teen pregnancy rates. […]
I just have to wonder whether such needy folks might have a harder time of it if hospitals are less willing to provide treatment in the future because the governor has cut reimbursement rates. Or whether the fewer government-funded slots that will be available in alcohol and drug treatment programs might make a difference in their lives.
- D.P.Gumby - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:44 pm:
they better do it quickly before the program is zeroed out!
- too obvious - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
As long as Mrs. Rauner’s stuff gets funded. Sacrifice is for the workin’ folk.
- Norseman - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:48 pm:
“Spend a little money on early childhood education and we can get them into those low paying jobs earlier,” Gov. Raunervich. “Then we don’t have to spend money on higher ed and other 18+ services.” (s/)
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:51 pm:
Everything is cut except the priority of the Governor’s wife. Hmmmm.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:52 pm:
–35 percent less likely to visit an emergency room. Every dollar spent provides return investment of $5.70.–
Meh, just a theory.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:52 pm:
===Advance Placement, Arts/Foreign Language, Agricultural Education, After School Matters, the Parent Mentoring Program, Lowest Performing Schools, funding to East St. Louis SD 189, Regional Safe Schools, Children’s Mental Health Partnership, National Board Certified Teachers, Tax Equivalency Grants, Teach for America, and Targeted Initiatives.
Didn’t he push Teach for America at some point or am I getting my billionaire education reformers confused?
The cuts aren’t going to hit the wealthy districts, but they will hit poorer rural and urban districts hard. Those are the districts that need help in these areas.
- William j Kelly - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:53 pm:
If you want to know the truth about this or any other Rahm/rauner/Kirk issue(deal), I suggest you follow the money.
- Anon. - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:54 pm:
==Every Dollar Spent Provides Return Investment of $5.70.==
And every dollar given to me will provide a benefit of $10 to the state. I have an actual study that shows it. You can make donations care of CapFax, and don’t worry about Mr. Miller’s honesty — every dollar he skims will provide a $20 benefit to the state.
- northernwatersports - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:57 pm:
== paid for by zeroing out all state funding for Advance Placement, Arts/Foreign Language, Agricultural Education, After School Matters, the Parent Mentoring Program, Lowest Performing Schools, funding to East St. Louis SD 189, Regional Safe Schools, Children’s Mental Health Partnership, National Board Certified Teachers, Tax Equivalency Grants, Teach for America, and Targeted Initiatives.
I wonder what Sen. Kirk and Mrs. Rauner think about those cuts? ==
Why is it that no reporter asked those follow-up questions of Kirk and the Mrs.???? Every reporter should lead the questions thus…
“Um, Senator, my readers want to know if you support these cuts to so many other programs so that one can reap the increased funding for itself? Your answer, or inability to answer that question will go a long way in educating the taxpayers where you stand? Where do you stand Senator? Mrs. Rauner?”
- William j Kelly - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:57 pm:
Btw, by ‘Follow the money,’ I mean follow the money from Rahm and Rauner’s wall street friends bank accounts into Rahm and kirks campaign accounts.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:05 pm:
Teach for America? Heh…
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
If this increase becomes appropriations law, how much can the Ounce of Prevention Fund expect?
- 100 Miles West - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:24 pm:
Rauner cut funding for the youngest children when he reduced funding for birth-to-three services and raised the eligibility from a 30% developmental delay to a 50% delay. He also cut special education funding. Fewer kids get their developmental delays mitigated leading to more special education needs…not very child friendly.
- Beans and Franks - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:24 pm:
I wonder if Mark KIrk, as a current employee, would be willing to take the Rauner pension deal to show his support for the Governor.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:54 pm:
If the return is $5.70 on every dollar invested, why not invest all pension assets in early childhood education?
That would earn a large enough return to pay off the state’s debt.
Why didnt Rauner propose to do so?
- MrJM - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:22 pm:
I’ll bet there are children on ventilators who wish that Mrs. Rauner had chosen their wellbeing as her hobby…
– MrJM
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:27 pm:
MrJM, I was thinking the same thing.
Wonder who’s the p.r. genius who thought it was a good idea to flaunt the one personal “good cause” winner the day after so many others got the Social Darwinism treatment.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:30 pm:
Lol Word. Looks like Mrs. Rauner didn’t read the budget book either. It’s an alarming lack of self-awareness.
- Loop Lady - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:39 pm:
how interesting…I thought Diana wanted more money for her initiatives…not less…
looks like Bruce is in the dog house with the wife on this one…
- Politix - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:56 pm:
The fact that Diana’s down with it should be enough for anyone on the fence.
- walker - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 4:13 pm:
The PR play is clear. Tout support for pre-12 education and the kids, immediately before and after the budget speech, and hope that’s what is remembered. Irony doesn’t stick. “At least he helped education and kids” message might.
- fact - Tuesday, Feb 24, 15 @ 3:17 pm:
It looks like politicions got illinois in debt there for they should bail it out and leave middle class and poor alone.