The four-day school week is a growing trend during this recession. This controversial format is something to keep an eye on.
Hawaii is one of the most recent states to change to a four-day school week due to budget woes. Children are now off every Friday. Hawaii is already at the bottom when it comes to state test scores, according to an ABC news report. At least 17 other states have districts that have 4-day school weeks, according to an MSNBC report.
Proponents of this format site the ability to salvage more extra curricular and academic programs, avoiding teacher and staff layoffs, and the ability to save on transportation and energy bills.
However, many parents face challenges with this new format including concerns about maintaining academic excellence, additional child care costs, adjusting work schedules, and paying for Friday meals that might have otherwise been covered under free or reduced lunch programs.
It will be interesting to see how this affects the children long-term and how many other cash-strapped states will follow suit. It will also be interesting to see how this affects parents with special needs children who will have a harder time finding adequate child care for one-day a week.
Another related trend to keep an eye out for is the 4-day government work week. Utah, Iowa, Hawaii and many other states have been toying with this concept. How will the four-day government work week affect the welfare of children? The workers in the state departments of education, health and human services, children and families, etc., will have to get everything done with 20 percent less time to do it in. Source: http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=446862
Comprehensive studies needs to be done. If you aware of any such study, please inform the Parentspotlight blog.
What do you think? Feel free to post a comment to this blog posting.
sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/hawaii-day-school-week-ease-recession-woes/story?id=8894574
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29664981/
http://www.ncsl.org/IssuesResearch/Education/SchoolCalendarExtendedDayYearFourDaySchoo/tabid/12934/Default.aspx
http://www.radioiowa.com/2009/12/25/a-four-day-work-week-for-state-government/
http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=446862
Friday, January 8, 2010
NACCRRA State of Care Study (child care and senior care) available
The National Association for Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) recently released the second edition of the State of Care Index- this study outlines the annual cost of child care and senior care,
details families' efforts to save money on care arrangements, and reports on the tie between employment and caregiving. This study can be dowloaded for free and takes a closer look at the pressures facing parents caring for children in the current recession.
State of Care Index - Cost of Child Care and Senior Care on Families -
http://www.naccrra.org/publications/naccrra-publications/parents-and-the-high-price-of-child-care-2009
Thank you to Care.com for informing Parentspotlight of this study. Care.com is a fee-based service that helps families to find child care and senior care. Search listings of child care centers, special needs care, babysitters and nannies.
Parents and the High Price of Child Care: 2009 Update presents 2008 data on child care costs collected through a January 2009 survey of Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) State Networks, which asked for the average prices charged for child care for infants, 4-year-olds, and school-age children in centers and family child care homes in every state. This year's report reveals that child care costs continue to rise with costs often times exceeding monthly food and other household expenses.
According to the report, in 2008, the average price of full-time care for an infant in a center was as high as $15,895 a year. For a 4-year-old in a center, parents paid up to $11,680 a year for full-time care. Parents of school-age children paid up to $10,720 a year for part-time care in a center. Average prices for full-time care in a family child care home were as much as $10,324 for infants, $9,805 for a 4-year-old, and $7,124 for a school-age child. Additionally, the report found that average monthly child care fees for an infant were higher than the amount that families spent on food each month. In every state, monthly child care fees for two children at any age exceeded the median rent cost, and were nearly as high, or even higher than, the average monthly mortgage payment.
To improve access to affordable, high-quality child care for all families, NACCRRA is calling on Congress to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the primary public source of child care funds to states to help pay for child care and improve the quality of care. Additionally, NACCRRA recommends providing resources for planning and developing child care capacity to increase
the availability of child care options for working families; reducing barriers in the subsidy administration process that prevent families from accessing assistance; ensuring that public pre-kindergarten programs are designed to meet the child care needs of working families, and improving federal and state tax codes to help families at all income levels pay for care.
details families' efforts to save money on care arrangements, and reports on the tie between employment and caregiving. This study can be dowloaded for free and takes a closer look at the pressures facing parents caring for children in the current recession.
State of Care Index - Cost of Child Care and Senior Care on Families -
http://www.naccrra.org/publications/naccrra-publications/parents-and-the-high-price-of-child-care-2009
Thank you to Care.com for informing Parentspotlight of this study. Care.com is a fee-based service that helps families to find child care and senior care. Search listings of child care centers, special needs care, babysitters and nannies.
Parents and the High Price of Child Care: 2009 Update
Parents and the High Price of Child Care: 2009 Update presents 2008 data on child care costs collected through a January 2009 survey of Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) State Networks, which asked for the average prices charged for child care for infants, 4-year-olds, and school-age children in centers and family child care homes in every state. This year's report reveals that child care costs continue to rise with costs often times exceeding monthly food and other household expenses.According to the report, in 2008, the average price of full-time care for an infant in a center was as high as $15,895 a year. For a 4-year-old in a center, parents paid up to $11,680 a year for full-time care. Parents of school-age children paid up to $10,720 a year for part-time care in a center. Average prices for full-time care in a family child care home were as much as $10,324 for infants, $9,805 for a 4-year-old, and $7,124 for a school-age child. Additionally, the report found that average monthly child care fees for an infant were higher than the amount that families spent on food each month. In every state, monthly child care fees for two children at any age exceeded the median rent cost, and were nearly as high, or even higher than, the average monthly mortgage payment.
To improve access to affordable, high-quality child care for all families, NACCRRA is calling on Congress to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the primary public source of child care funds to states to help pay for child care and improve the quality of care. Additionally, NACCRRA recommends providing resources for planning and developing child care capacity to increase
the availability of child care options for working families; reducing barriers in the subsidy administration process that prevent families from accessing assistance; ensuring that public pre-kindergarten programs are designed to meet the child care needs of working families, and improving federal and state tax codes to help families at all income levels pay for care.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Last Month to file for COBRA Health Insurance Continuation Coverage Assistance Under ARRA
COBRA Continuation Coverage Assistance Under ARRA |  |
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides for premium reductions and additional election opportunities for health benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly called COBRA. Eligible individuals pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit. The premium reduction applies to periods of health coverage beginning on or after February 17, 2009 and lasts for up to nine months for those eligible for COBRA during the period beginning September 1, 2008 and ending December 31, 2009 due to an involuntary termination of employment that occurred during that period. The TAA Health Coverage Improvement Act of 2009, enacted as part of ARRA, also made changes with regard to COBRA continuation coverage.
WARM Advantage Program
WARMAdvantage
| Program Overview The WARMAdvantage Program provides rebates for high efficiency natural gas home heating systems and/or water heaters. When selecting a contractor, be sure to ask if they are NATE certified. North American Technician Excellence (NATE) is the leading national certification program for technicians. For a list of NATE certified contractors who participate in the WARMAdvantage Program, contact the Eastern Heating & Cooling Council at 800-247-6547, or visit www.eh-cc.org. Install a gas heating system and/or domestic water heater that meets all applicable efficiency requirements based on the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Consumers Directory of Certified Efficiency Ratings. Qualifying heating systems installed in new homes must be located in “Smart Growth” areas of NJ in order to receive an incentive. To determine if a location is in a designated Smart Growth area, use the Smart Growth Locator located on the HMFA web site and check the State Plan Quad PDF files. | ||||||||||||||||||
| New rebate levels went into effect April 1, 2009. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| *AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency), ECM (Electronically Commutated Motor), EF (Energy Factor) ENERGY STAR qualified product lists may be found at http://www.energystar.gov. Opportunity for an Additional Incentive If you qualify for the WARMAdvantage rebate, and you had the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR assessment done on your home, you may be eligible for an extra $900 rebate from your gas company. Elizabethtown Gas, New Jersey Natural Gas, and South Jersey Gas offer extra incentives on WARMAdvantage qualified furnace and boiler installations. Check their websites for applications and additional information. Features and Benefits High-efficiency natural gas furnaces and boilers carry the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR label to help consumers distinguish between standard and high-efficiency equipment. To learn more about the benefits of high-efficiency equipment, visit the ENERGY STAR Web site. Qualifying high-efficiency water heaters have an Energy Factor of .62 or greater. Eligibility Requirements This Program targets residential homes that install a new natural gas furnace, boiler and/or water heater. To qualify for a rebate under this Program, you must:
Please call 866-NJSMART to request a rebate application.
|
Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling Program in NJ
Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling Program
The Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling program is a new initiative from New Jersey's Clean Energy Program. This program promotes responsible recycling of refrigerators and freezers in New Jersey and offers a $30 cash incentive.
Recycling your old refrigerator/freezer is easy, and you can earn money too. It's simple. Here's how...
Recycling your old refrigerator/freezer is easy, and you can earn money too. It's simple. Here's how...
- To arrange for a free pick up of your old refrigerator/freezer call 877-270-3520 or schedule online at JACO Environmental.
- Get $30 cash back for recycling responsibly once your transaction is processed.
- Save up to $150 a year on energy costs by recycling an old fridge.
- You must be a New Jersey resident and a customer of Atlantic City Electric, Jersey Central Power & Light, PSE&G, or Rockland Electric Company.
- You must own the refrigerator or freezer being recycled.
- Your refrigerator or freezer must be between 10 and 30 cubic feet in size.
- Refrigerator and freezer must be in working condition.
- Limit two units per residential address.
- Restrictions may apply.
- Incentives are processed within 90-120 days.
- Customers of municipal electric utilities do not qualify.
- On average a newer refrigerator or freezer consumes 1,000 fewer kilowatt-hours annually than a refrigerator or freezer manufactured before 1990.
- Recycling 20,000 older refrigerators or freezers will result in energy savings equal to the amount of power used in approximately 1,400 homes annually.
- Recycling 20,000 older refrigerators or freezers would result in the avoidance of CO2 emissions equal to removing 40,000 cars from the road for one year.
- Learn more about refrigerator/freezer recycling facts.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Downpayment and closing costs assistance for housing in Middlesex Cty, NJ
The Middlesex County Department of Housing and Community Development will award downpayment
and closing cost assistance funds to income eligible first time homebuyers under the US Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) program.
Basic Program Requirements
1. Applicant must be a first time homebuyer who has completed a one day homebuyer training course
within the past year offered by one of the following:
• Puerto Rican Action Board - Housing Coalition Unit - Phone (732) 249-9700
• Faith Fellowship Community Development Corp. - Phone (732) 727-9500
• Any other HUD certified housing counseling agency
2. Applicants do not apply until they are under contract for a single family property. Eligible properties are
detached homes, townhouses, ·condominiums.,. an.c.:l.gp-ops. The purchase price of the property cannot
exc"€ed four times the certified income level of the household, with an overall maximum of $362;790.
3. Applicants must have a mortgage pre-appmval.
4. Applicant must purchase housing in the following Middlesex County municipalities:
_ Carteret ;.•,' Highland Park'~"=:: North Brunswick South Brunswick
Cranbury Jamesburg Old Bridge South Plainfield
Dunellen Metuchen Piscataway South River
East Brunswick Middlesex Plainsboro Spotswood
Edison Milltown Sayreville Woodbridge
Helmetta Monroe.. _. South Amboy
(Please note that New Brunswick and Perth Amboy are not eligible municipalities)
5. Household income does not exceed the following limits:
One-person - $54,200 /Five-person $83,500
Two-person - $61,900 / Six-person - $89,700
Three-person - $69,600 /Seven-person - $95,900
Four-person - $77,400 / Eight-person - $102,100
6. The property being purchased must pass County's Housing Quality Standards inspection and be certified free of lead based paint hazards.
7. Assistance will be in the form of a deferred repayment mortgage, which doesn't require payment of
principal or interest by the homebuyers provided they own and live in the property for six years.
Homebuyers who sell the property before this time will be required to pay back the full amount of the
ADDI assistance, plus 4% simple interest. Assistance will range from $8,500 - $13,500.
For additional information on the program, please contact Melissa Bellamy
Middlesex County Department of Housing and Community Development
(732) 745-2922 or melissa.bellamy@co.middlesex.nj.us.
1ir EOUAL HOUSING
OPPORTUNITY
Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
David B.. Crabiel, Freeholder Director
Stephen J. Dalina, Deputy Director
Camille Fernicola
H. James Polos
Christopher D. Rafano
Ronald G. Rios
Blanquita B. Valenti
and closing cost assistance funds to income eligible first time homebuyers under the US Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) program.
Basic Program Requirements
1. Applicant must be a first time homebuyer who has completed a one day homebuyer training course
within the past year offered by one of the following:
• Puerto Rican Action Board - Housing Coalition Unit - Phone (732) 249-9700
• Faith Fellowship Community Development Corp. - Phone (732) 727-9500
• Any other HUD certified housing counseling agency
2. Applicants do not apply until they are under contract for a single family property. Eligible properties are
detached homes, townhouses, ·condominiums.,. an.c.:l.gp-ops. The purchase price of the property cannot
exc"€ed four times the certified income level of the household, with an overall maximum of $362;790.
3. Applicants must have a mortgage pre-appmval.
4. Applicant must purchase housing in the following Middlesex County municipalities:
_ Carteret ;.•,' Highland Park'~"=:: North Brunswick South Brunswick
Cranbury Jamesburg Old Bridge South Plainfield
Dunellen Metuchen Piscataway South River
East Brunswick Middlesex Plainsboro Spotswood
Edison Milltown Sayreville Woodbridge
Helmetta Monroe.. _. South Amboy
(Please note that New Brunswick and Perth Amboy are not eligible municipalities)
5. Household income does not exceed the following limits:
One-person - $54,200 /Five-person $83,500
Two-person - $61,900 / Six-person - $89,700
Three-person - $69,600 /Seven-person - $95,900
Four-person - $77,400 / Eight-person - $102,100
6. The property being purchased must pass County's Housing Quality Standards inspection and be certified free of lead based paint hazards.
7. Assistance will be in the form of a deferred repayment mortgage, which doesn't require payment of
principal or interest by the homebuyers provided they own and live in the property for six years.
Homebuyers who sell the property before this time will be required to pay back the full amount of the
ADDI assistance, plus 4% simple interest. Assistance will range from $8,500 - $13,500.
For additional information on the program, please contact Melissa Bellamy
Middlesex County Department of Housing and Community Development
(732) 745-2922 or melissa.bellamy@co.middlesex.nj.us.
1ir EOUAL HOUSING
OPPORTUNITY
Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
David B.. Crabiel, Freeholder Director
Stephen J. Dalina, Deputy Director
Camille Fernicola
H. James Polos
Christopher D. Rafano
Ronald G. Rios
Blanquita B. Valenti
National Engineers Week
Every day, engineers around the world volunteer an untold number of hours by giving back and reaching out to possible future engineers. National Engineers Week organizers want the world to know and see the collective strength of these efforts and are challenging all engineers to not only contribute to outreach activities, but log their volunteer hours on a newly designed Web site. The goal? To reach one million hours of outreach in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.
What counts as outreach?
Visiting a classroom;
Participating in an extracurricular or community activity;
Hosting a Design Squad event;
Introducing a Girl to Engineering;
Helping out with National Family Day;
Coaching a Future City Competition Team
Attending or presenting at a Career Fair; or
Volunteering with organizations such as MATHCOUNTS, JETS,
Supporting robotics competitions, or any design or engineering-related competition; or
Many, many other activities
Let's show the world the engineering community's collective strength in protecting the health. safety, and welfare of the public AND encourage future generations by showing how exciting, and sometimes amazing, engineering can be!
Sign-up to log your hours!
Already have an account? Log in (Forgot your password?)
For more info:
http://www.eweek.org/
What counts as outreach?
Visiting a classroom;
Participating in an extracurricular or community activity;
Hosting a Design Squad event;
Introducing a Girl to Engineering;
Helping out with National Family Day;
Coaching a Future City Competition Team
Attending or presenting at a Career Fair; or
Volunteering with organizations such as MATHCOUNTS, JETS,
Supporting robotics competitions, or any design or engineering-related competition; or
Many, many other activities
Let's show the world the engineering community's collective strength in protecting the health. safety, and welfare of the public AND encourage future generations by showing how exciting, and sometimes amazing, engineering can be!
Sign-up to log your hours!
Already have an account? Log in (Forgot your password?)
For more info:
http://www.eweek.org/
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