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<div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">KYDEC</span></font> would like to encourage you to call KY legislators
and advocate for funding and quality. It will only take a few moments of your time and talking points are provided below to assist you in this process.</span></font></div>
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<div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" size="3">KY House and Senate budget negotiations </font><font color="#000000" size="3">continue TODAY (Thursday, March 25th), so your calls regarding preschool funding and teacher qualifications are needed immediately. Major
obstacles to passing the budget include public school funding, so your calls are important.
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<div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Arial Narrow"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy"></span></span> </div>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy">Protect preschool and kindergarten quality and funding!</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"></span></p>
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The Senate-passed Budget will hurt Kentucky's education programs for our youngest students by </span><strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">cutting funding for preschool, allowing school districts to hire preschool
teachers who DO NOT meet current certification requirements and allowing school districts to do away with aides for kindergarten classes</span></strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> all in the name of saving
money. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">This is taking a huge step backward for our state!</span></strong></span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> Kentucky’s preschool program targets very
low-income 4-year-olds and 3- and-4-year-old children with developmental delays and disabilities. These children need the best and most qualified early childhood teachers available and our schools need enough funds to serve more children --- not fewer children.<em><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'"> </span></em> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
The Pew Center on the States released a report this month (</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">"</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><a href="http://act.prichardcommittee.org/site/R?i=618JRxr55EOfVMNEBNsL_Q.." target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: navy">A
Matter of Degrees: Preparing Teachers for the Pre-K Classroom</span></a></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">”)
</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">documenting the connection between certified early childhood teachers and school readiness in young children.<em><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'"> </span></em></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: red; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
</span></b><strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">Please call 800-372-7181 and leave an important message for members of the House and Senate Leadership and the chairs
of the Appropriations & Revenue Committees: Kentucky MUST NOT balance its budget at the expense of our young children!</font> </span></strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">
</span></p>
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<font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">Ask them to change the budget to:<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'"> </span></strong></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">1. Restore the requirement to meet current preschool certification requirements
</span></strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">2. Restore kindergarten aides
</font></span></strong><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'"><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">3. Restore preschool funding</font></span></strong></span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Call 800-372-7181 <u>TODAY</u>
</span></strong>(message line open 7 am to 11 pm Monday-Thursday and 7 am to 6 pm Friday).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">With one phone call you can leave a message for all of these legislators OR call their office at the numbers below.</span></strong></span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><u><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">SENATE APPROPRIATIONS & REVENUE COMMITTEE:
</span></u></strong><b><u><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
</span></u></b><strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sen. Bob Leeper,</span></strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> Chair<br>
502-564-8100 ext. 712<br>
<br>
</span><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
<strong><u><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS & REVENUE COMMITTEE:</span></u></strong></span></b><strong><u><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">
</span></u></strong><b><u><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
</span></u></b><strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Rep. Rick Rand</span></strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">, Chair<br>
502-564-8100 ext. 619<br>
<br>
</span><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
<strong><u><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">SENATE LEADERSHIP:</span></u></strong><u><br>
</u></span></b><strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sen. David L Williams</span></strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">, President
<br>
502-564-3120 ext. 236 and 323<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Sen. Katie Stine</span></strong>, President Pro Tempore
<br>
502-564-3120 ext. 236 and 323<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Sen. Robert Stivers</span></strong>, Majority Floor Leader
<br>
502-564-2450 ext. 242 and 319<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Sen. Dan Seum</span></strong>, Majority Caucus Chairman<br>
502-564-2450 ext. 242 and 319<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Sen. Carroll Gibson</span></strong>, Majority Whip
<br>
502-564-2450 ext. 242 and 319<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Sen. Ed Worley</span></strong>, Minority Floor Leader<br>
502-564-2450 ext. 242 and 319</span></p>
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<strong><u><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">HOUSE LEADERSHIP:</span></u></strong><u><br>
</u></span></b><strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Rep. Greg Stumbo</span></strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">, Speaker of the House<br>
502-564-2363<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Rep. Larry Clark,</span></strong> Speaker Pro Tempore<br>
502-564-7520<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Rep. Rocky Adkins</span></strong>, Majority Floor Leader<br>
502-564-5565<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Rep. Robert Damron</span></strong>, Majority Caucus Chairman<br>
502-564-2217<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Rep. John Will Stacy,</span></strong> Majority Whip</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <br>
</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">502-564-7756</span></p>
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<div class="PlainText"><font size="3" face="Lucida Handwriting"><em><font color="#0000ff">Elizabeth McLaren, EdD</font><br>
</em></font>Assistant Professor</div>
<div class="PlainText"><a href="mailto:e.mclaren@moreheadstate.edu">e.mclaren@moreheadstate.edu</a><br>
Morehed State University</div>
<div class="PlainText">301F Ginger Hall<br>
Morehead KY 40351<br>
606-783-2537 (phone)<br>
606-783-5044 (fax)<br>
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