This morning, Albany parents and children boarded a bus to Sacramento to visit state legislators and protest Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed termination of childcare subsidies for low income families.

Parents say the cuts will devastate pre-school and afterschool programs operated by public schools. In the Bay Area, early childhood education programs operated by school districts in Albany, Berkeley and Oakland may be forced to close as a result.

In Albany, 34 employees of the Albany Unified School District's childcare programs have received layoff notices and 396 children, including hundreds who do not receive CalWorks supports -- stand to lose access to early childhood education.

The Albany group carried to Sacramento more than 300 hand-written letters, many that include children's artwork, to urge the immediate passage of a budget that provides funding for childcare programs. Parents planned to share with legislators their stories about the importance of public pre-school and afterschool programs for children, families and the community, according to a statement the group released Tuesday.

"These programs enable parents to work and children to learn. They bring together families from different backgrounds and economic circumstances," said Teleli Brito, one of the parents organizing the Albany lobby day.

According to Miriam Walden, a member of the Albany Unified School District Board of Education, "With on site, school-based childcare programs, there is a direct connection between teachers and childcare providers so that children learn throughout their day. It is crucial that this service be available to all families regardless of their income."

Walden is part of the group that went to Sacramento, and she will write about the effort for Patch later this week. 

The cuts in question involve two programs - the CCTR and the CSPP, the group explained. The CCTR  is a general childcare contract that provides subsidies for all-day child care for infants and toddlers up to 3 years old, and for children in grades K-3. The governor has proposed to eliminate this contract.

The CSPP contract affects the California State Preschool Program. This contract provides subsidies for all day care for 3- and 4-year-olds. The governor has proposed to alter this contract so it provides half-day care for these children.

The Albany parents' lobby day was timed to coincide with events organized July 14 by the Sacramento group Parent Voices. Parent Voices will stage the State UN-Fair event, which coincides with the opening of California's State Fair, to demonstrate "what real life is like for working parents, children and providers in California." Events included a Children's Parade at 10 a.m., a soup line, activity booths and a rally to make California "fair" for all.