The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which helps to fund NJ FamilyCare was finally extended on Monday as part of the short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) spending bill Congress passed and the President signed to end the federal government shutdown. This extension is set to last six years. This is a BIG deal for nearly 200,000 children in New Jersey and millions of children across the country.
Our state has always enjoyed bi-partisan support for NJ FamilyCare and CHIP because these programs have successfully reduced the number of uninsured New Jersey children to 3.7 percent, the lowest ever. With this insurance, these children can see their doctor on a regular basis and receive the preventive health and dental care they need to remain healthy and attend school ready to learn.
But we are not done. The funding for other critical programs such as the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visitation (MIECHV) program also expired. MIECHV supports home visitation programs in our state which connect new parents with trained home visitors, such as nurses, social workers, and educators. These programs have undergone scientific studies proving their effectiveness in helping to end multi-generational cycles of poverty and put families on the path to good health, educational success and economic self-sufficiency.
For years, ACNJ has been leading the charge to reduce chronic absenteeism in schools across New Jersey. Recently, a landmark school attendance bill unanimously passed both houses of the New Jersey legislature requiring that schools keep track of chronically absent students and that schools with high absenteeism develop plans to improve attendance. But in an outgoing act, Governor Christie failed to sign the bill into law.
Though disappointed, ACNJ has already achieved big wins for New Jersey’s kids and will keep the momentum towards making sure more kids come to school every day. The fact that this bipartisan legislation unanimously passed both houses shows how far this issue has come in just a few short years.
ACNJ has kept up the drumbeat on chronic absenteeism with multiple reports, forums, focus groups and professional development for school staff and community programs. Communities and schools across the state are looking at their absenteeism data and developing solutions. The result is that more kids are regularly attending school.
In building support for this legislation and other efforts to support student attendance, ACNJ strengthened partnerships with diverse groups such as NJPTA, NJSACC, Jersey CAN, Paterson Education Fund, NJSSNA, the League of Women Voters, SPAC and NJASA, and most importantly schools and communities across the state that are tackling absenteeism. These efforts have been highlighted in ACNJ reports and show the way forward for New Jersey.
ACNJ has worked hard to make student absences a priority for New Jersey and we applaud the key sponsors of this bipartisan bill, Sen. Diane Allen and Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle.
ACNJ is eager to continue the hard work ahead in engaging policymakers, educators, parents and communities across New Jersey, so that more students are regularly attending school and on the right track towards educational success!
Ceil shares memories of a strong advocate and longtime friend of ACNJ
Joseph Thomasberger
Joseph Thomasberger, an activist for social justice and a good friend to Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), passed away on December 21, 2017 after a series of illnesses. Joe, who was 87 years old, spent his life advocating for the poor and vulnerable, as an American Baptist minister, head of a community non-profit in Newark and, in his later years, as an advocate who cared deeply about inequality, especially for children.
I first met Joe in 1998 when ACNJ pulled together the Early Care and Education Coalition in light of a recent state Supreme Court decision, mandating that New Jersey provide “well-planned, high-quality preschool” for 3 – and 4-year-old children in the poorest school districts.
The coalition was made up of groups like child care providers, Head Start and school districts – who were dedicated to early education but who had never worked together. The level of trust among this group was not high and our discussions were often contentious. There were many times that I doubted we could agree on even the smallest issues, much less help to design a system in which everyone’s point of view was considered.
Joe was a welcome voice of reason in this group. More than once, he managed to refocus an angry discussion on the issues we had in common, rather than what pushed us apart. His respect for all points of view and his problem-solving approach reminded us, time and time again, about the power of putting our voices together for a higher good. And, more than anything, he ensured that we did not lose sight of the amazing opportunity we had for children if we could come together.
The list of what Joe accomplished in his long life is extensive, but it does not do justice to the unique and remarkable person that he was. Joe was a man of great integrity. He had a gentle soul and a generous spirit. He elevated everyone he met. He was that unique individual who does not seek credit or acclaim for himself, but saw his role in supporting others to a greater good.
Shortly after Joe’s death, someone posted on his Facebook page, a quote from author Kent Nerburn. It describes him perfectly: “We are not saints, we are not heroes. Our lives are lived in the quiet corners of the ordinary. We build tiny hearth fires, sometimes barely strong enough to give off warmth. But to the person lost in the darkness, our tiny flame may be the road to safety, the path to salvation. It is not given us to know who is lost in the darkness that surrounds us or even if our light is seen. We can only know that against even the smallest of lights, darkness cannot stand …. It is not an issue of quality or intensity or purity. It is simply an issue of the presence of light.”
Joe leaves behind his wife, Rebecca Doggett, who he married in 2009, four children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A celebration of his life will be held on February 4, 2017 at 2 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Montclair.
I left Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony feeling energized and hopeful. Governor Murphy was a breath of fresh air. He spoke eloquently about his values, commitment to service and diversity and compassion for others – so different from the rhetoric coming out of Washington these days. More important, his ambitious goals align with our child care agenda, particularly in education and support for working families.
It was especially moving to witness Sheila Oliver sworn in as lieutenant governor. I have known Sheila for a long time. As a legislator, she has been a dedicated champion for children and a good friend to ACNJ. Her swearing-in was historic since she is the first African-American women in this position but, as she said, “We make history not in the moment but in what we do with it.”
It is a new day and a great time for optimism and hope.
Governor Christie’s tenure ended on a positive note, too. He took action – committing funding to several priorities on ACNJ’s policy agenda: a $25 million increase in preschool funding, $10 million more for lead poisoning prevention and abatement, and an increase of $15 million in child care subsidy rates. This increase does not remedy a decade of flat funding for child care subsidies. However, it is a very positive first step in addressing the lack of parity in funding for infant care, which was a big part of our election advocacy campaign.
And, most surprising, Governor Christie took steps to close two of the state’s youth prisons in Jamesburg and Bordentown, in favor of smaller, regional facilities. Led by the NJ Institute of Social Justice, ACNJ, along with other partners in the Youth Justice New Jersey Coalition, advocated for the closure of these prison-like facilities. ACNJ will continue to advocate for therapeutic and rehabilitative environments for youth who need to be placed into secure facilities.
The one disappointment was that Governor Christie pocket-vetoed the bill that ACNJ has championed to address chronic absenteeism, despite passing unanimously in both houses. We were hopeful that the governor would sign it, but this drawback does not diminish our renewed energy to advance this legislation again. In the meantime, ACNJ’s reports on chronic absenteeism have raised public awareness and we will continue to work with school districts across the state to improve attendance.
As I look toward 2018 and ACNJ’s ambitious advocacy agenda, I am most excited by Right from the Start NJ our new campaign to improve policies and programs for young children, from birth to age 3, starting with greater access to high-quality child care for babies. ACNJ has been a strong advocate for high-quality preschool and was instrumental in the development of New Jersey’s nationally-recognized program. Right from the Start NJ gives us a chance to advocate for children even earlier, when brain development is most critical. Stay tuned for more on this exciting campaign.
There’s a bit of bad news on the school breakfast front.
Our annual school breakfast report, released Dec. 12, documented a 2 percent decline in the number of New Jersey children who ate breakfast at school in April 2017 compared to the year before.
After several years of double-digit increases, this was very disappointing for us and our many partners on the New Jersey Food for Thought Campaign.
Why the decline?
Most likely because we saw decreases in many large urban districts that had implemented breakfast after the bell. This method of service is most effective in reaching children because the meal is offered to all students at the same time – much like school lunch.
But it appears that these districts are now scaling back their breakfast after the bell programs, while others remain incredibly resistant to making the change all.
Without a healthy meal at the start of the school day, many students will struggle to concentrate and learn. So we’re asking for help from our colleagues and partners across the state.
Go to njfoodforthought.org and click on the school breakfast report. This will take you to a page where you can find data for your local schools. Use this data and other information on our website to advocate for breakfast in your own backyard.
Breakfast after the bell is very doable, but school leaders must have the will to embrace it. And that’s where local advocates come in – by bringing this issue to the attention of school boards, superintendents, parents and others in the school community.
Implementing breakfast after the bell is not a question of money. Federal reimbursements cover the cost of feeding breakfast to students. It’s really about changing the way things have always been done. Instead of serving breakfast in the cafeteria before school – when most students have not yet arrived — the morning meal must be offered to all students during the first few minutes of the school day.
So please become a breakfast champion! Use the breakfast data we publish to make sure students in your area are getting the nutrition they need to concentrate, learn and succeed in school.
