. >> is the karis program -- does it still exist? >> karis has changed. i was a big beneficiary of karis, they probably paid for most of my b.a. and a lot of my masters and half of my [inaudible] but when the program was changed and reduced, the stipends to teachers, probably more teachers, maybe more teachers get stipends is not a significant amount of money so it doesn't replace the time that you spend in school for -- and the cost in any way, so that was kind of a disappointment. >> why did that happen, do you recall? >> i think state funding --. er >> through the state, yeah, darn state. okay. thank you. and i appreciate your work in the field. >> anymore questions? >> anymore questions? supervisor cohen? >> i don't have questions but i wanted to just publicly state that i have to leave to go to another meeting, so i just wanted to compliment the work that the applicants are doing and wish you good luck through this process. thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> next up is kim garcia-meza. >> good afternoon, supervisor tang, supervisor avalos and

programs. i also have served on the karis advisory committee which is an initiative that provided incentives and reward for professional development that would lead towards certification and on many of the elements of that program have folded into our see wages operated through the department of human services and the new office. i also served on the workforce think tank in i believe it was 2009 that went in depth on issues and concerns about how to retain and properly compensate early education teachers and caregivers. most recently, i have served on our city, our city stakeholders group representing the ece community of center based providers and currently i'm working with the state standard reimbursement rate initiative steering committee and we are working with child development agencies who are state funded throughout the state to address the serious issues of the funding crisis that we have with our state dollars for state preschool and early education in general child care. as a member serving in seat 7 and/or 8, i would bring the voice of preschool providers throughout the city represent