{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=185094AD-7277-40D5-B734-E7561AA20FB0", "Sen. Roberts joins first day of school at Childrens Campus of Kansas City Aug. 8", "2016-08-08", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "KS", "Pat Roberts", "R000307", "www.roberts.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "KANSAS CITY, KS (Aug. 8, 2016)\u2014When Sen. Pat Roberts sat down with preschoolers today at the Children\u2019s Campus of Kansas City (CCKC), he was focused on much more than story time and snacks. The senior senator from Kansas dropped in on the first day of school to learn more about CCKC\u2019s model for closing the achievement gap among low-income kids\u2014starting with a unique community facility designed specifically for young learners.\r\nCCKC is home to three non-profit organizations that provide a continuum of services focused on the health and wellness of children from birth to age five. That includes nearly 150 preschool students participating in CCKC\u2019s Educare program, which lays a strong educational foundation for children who might otherwise be derailed by the deep and lasting implications of poverty.\r\n\u201cI am pleased to visit Children\u2019s Campus to see firsthand a local partnership trying new methods to teach and nurture low-income children in a facility specifically designed for their needs,\u201d Sen. Roberts said. \u201cThese children are the most vulnerable in our society, and it is very encouraging to see a community harness the resources it has, like the University of Kansas Medical Center, LISC, Wyandotte County and other organizations by working together to meet the educational and developmental needs of at-risk children. Reading to these kids is a great way to start the day, and I hope they are off to a great start for the year.\u201d\r\n\r\nSenator Pat Roberts reading to the class (all photos of Senator Roberts and class by Brian Davidson).\r\n\r\nFunding gaps almost derailed CCKC before the first brick was laid\u2014even though expanding access to quality early education programs and services has been a local priority, notes Heather Schrotberger, director of Project Eagle, the University of Kansas Medical Center program that operates Educare Kansas City.\r\n\u201cWe know that quality early childhood education can make all the difference in a child\u2019s future,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is a powerful anti-poverty strategy.\u00a0Young children flourish when we create early education settings designed for their needs, with classrooms and teachers that keep them safe and engaged. That\u2019s why CCKC exists.\u201d\r\n\r\nChildren\u2019s Campus of Kansas City\r\n\r\nIn other words, space matters.\u00a0According to a report published by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), a facility\u2019s layout, size, materials and design features can improve program quality and contribute positively to child development, while a poorly adapted and overcrowded environment undermines it. The physical configuration of early care and education spaces directly affect adult/child interaction and influence how children grow and learn.\r\nBut financing high-quality, appropriate space for young learners\u2014much less space that can also accommodate other family services, as is the case with CCKC\u2014is not easy. Early fundraising and philanthropic support enabled the project to secure a conventional bank loan, but CCKC still faced a significant funding gap. The project utilized the federal New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program, which is designed to encourage private-sector investment in underserved communities, to fill that critical shortfall.\r\nCCKC highlights an important intersection between federal policy and local impact, said Matt Josephs, LISC senior vice president of policy, who joined Sen. Roberts on the CCKC tour.\u00a0\u201cThe corner of 5th\u00a0St. and Minnesota Ave. might seem like it\u2019s a long way from Washington, but federal programs like the New Markets Tax Credit have a significant local impact,\u201d said Josephs, who also serves on the board of the New Markets Tax Credit Coalition. \u201cCCKC is illustrative of how NMTCs can be used to deliver private sector investments into distressed neighborhoods, helping to not only provide critical services to community residents, but also to revitalize the neighborhoods and fuel further growth.\u201d\r\nStephen Samuels, executive director with LISC\u2019s Kansas City program office, notes that these kinds of investments also have significant economic benefits for the city at large. LISC helped finance CCKC as part of its comprehensive efforts to revitalize disadvantaged neighborhoods.\r\n\u201cCCKC allows parents to go to work without worrying if their children are in a safe, nurturing place,\u201d he said. \u201cIt has created more than 200 jobs in a community with high poverty and unemployment rates. And, it has transformed a vacant commercial corner into an active, vibrant space,\u201d he explained. \u201cBy connecting so many critical local partners and institutions, this facility is not only an imperative for our children; it is a significant, lasting asset for our community.\u201d\r\n\r\nhttp://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/early-learners-need-quality-facilities-tailored-their-needs\r\nPhotos courtesty of Brian Davidson.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=185094AD-7277-40D5-B734-E7561AA20FB0"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7025889828801155, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}