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Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development News Release
Friday, June 18, 2004 Governor Jim Doyle Secretary Roberta Gassman	News Media Contact Rose Lynch   608/266-6753 e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784

Governor Doyle Convenes Quality Counts for Kids Task Force

"KidsFirst" Initiative Will Guide Parents in Child Care Choices

Madison - Governor Jim Doyle announced today his appointments to the Quality Counts for Kids Task Force. The task force will meet for the first time on Monday, June 21 to begin developing the Quality Counts for Kids program that will - for the first time - rate the quality of child care providers in Wisconsin and guide parents in choosing a provider for their children.

Under the program, child care facilities will be inspected by a trained professional, evaluated on a set of standards, and given a rating of a certain number of stars. This Quality Counts for Kids rating will be available to parents, giving them the information they need to make informed choices about providers. The program is part of Governor Doyle's KidsFirst Initiative.

"This task force will help us develop a rating system that will give child care providers incentives to go above and beyond the basic standards of quality," Governor Doyle said. "It will also give our parents, who are making important decisions about what child care center is best for their child, more information about the quality of the providers."

By considering these ratings in determining reimbursement, the state can encourage child care providers to improve the quality of their care. Other states have found that a similar system creates a powerful incentive for providers to improve quality.

"This program will give child care providers an incentive to improve," Secretary Gassman said. "Wisconsin now spends more than $300 million a year on the Wisconsin Shares childcare subsidy program for W-2 participants. This program will ensure the money is well spent."

Roberta Gassman, Secretary of the Department of Workforce Development (DWD), and Helene Nelson, Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) will convene the panel on Monday. Along with DWD and DHFS, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will assist the panel in developing recommendations. The University of Wisconsin Extension Research Partnership and the Health and Human Services Planning Council also are involved in the effort.

Ann Terrell, child care partnership coordinator for Milwaukee Public Schools, will serve as chairperson of the task force. The panel, representing a diverse group of urban and rural providers and advocates, will meet monthly to develop a proposed rating system by September. The task force will then hold public hearings and make its recommendations to the Governor in December.

Announced in May, Governor Doyle's KidsFirst Initiative is a comprehensive plan to ensure that Wisconsin's kids are healthy, safe, prepared for success, and supported by strong families.

Besides Terrell, the other task force members are:

• Gershia Coggs, president, Date Base Inc., Milwaukee
• Shelley Cousin, executive director, Wisconsin Head Start Association, Madison
• Pam Dimmit, Jackson County Department of Health and Human Services, Black River Falls
• Dave Edie, UW-Extension Wisconsin Child Care Research Partnership, Madison
• Tammy Hammell, vice president, Knowledge Learning Corporation, Wauwatosa
• Dana Harmel, secretary, Wisconsin Family Child Care Association, Janesville
• Laura Klingelhoets, board member, Wisconsin Child Care Administrators Association; Stepping Stones Children Center, Belgium
• Sandy Leibfried, executive director, Rural Child Care Resource and Referral Agency, Fennimore
• Joyce Mallory, Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, Milwaukee
• Jose Martinez, child development director, United Migrant Opportunity Services, Inc., Oshkosh
• Carol Maurer, executive director, Urban Child Care Resource and Referral Agency, Milwaukee
• M. Judy Mays, Dusk 2 Dawn Child Care, Milwaukee
• Mary Motquin, child care coordinator, Oneida Social Services Department, representing Intertribal Child Care Council
• Jeannette Paulson, program director, Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, Madison
• Mike Poma, bureau manager, Economic and Support Services, City of Milwaukee Department of Human Services
• Jane Robinson, assistant director, The Registry, Madison
• Richard Schlimm, executive director, Wisconsin Community Action Program Association, Madison
• Barb Schuler, board member, Wisconsin Technical College System, Madison
• Kari Stroede, Dane County Parent Council, Madison
• Jane Whitacre, executive director, Wisconsin Child Care Improvement Project, Middleton

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Content Contact: Rose Lynch