Maine AEYC’s 2008 Public Policy Survey Results

Maine AEYC’s first public policy survey resulted in 47 responses. In this survey members were asked to rate issues impacting early care an education in Maine according to the importance of the public policy issue to them.

Issues rated as the most important public policy issues to our members:

• Increase in wages for early care and education providers (39% rated this as the most important issue to them)
• Increasing education scholarships for early care and education providers (17.1% rated this the most important issue to them)
• Increased access to funding for child care facility improvements including grants and low interest loans (12.5% rated this the most important issue to them)

Issues receiving ratings that indicate they are less important to members:

• Support for the development of a new office within state government that provides ongoing, coordinated and systemic advocacy on behalf of all of Maine's young children (23.8% rated this as the least important issue to them)
• Resources for providers working with children who are learning English as a second language (18.6% rated this as the least important issue to them)
• Investment in projects to promote strengthening families including broader investment for home visiting as well as the formation of regional Family Resource Centers (17.4% rated this as the least important issue to them)

Thank you to all members who took the time to participate in the first of this annual survey. Our public policy committee will use this feedback to inform a policy agenda for the coming year.