Legislative Leadership in Early Care and Education 2009

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Legislative Leadership in Early Care and Education 2009

Legislators are actively engaged in early care and education issues across the country. NCSL research identified six types of forums where legislators lead or participate in advancing children’s issues, particularly young children ages birth to five. These include legislative children's caucuses, early childhood legislative committees, task forces, commissions, early childhood advisory councils, P-16/P-20 councils, and children's cabinets. The chart below is a state-by-state compilation that highlights legislator involvement in each of these entities. This chart includes bodies that have an early childhood focus, were informally or formally established, and have legislative involvement. Legislators are involved in a variety of ways–as members of the body, as authors of the establishing bill language, or as legislative leadership given authority to appoint to the body.

Alaska Legislative Caucus

Title Joint Legislative Children's Caucus

Overview Alaska's Children's Caucus was established to create awareness about children's issues among legislators. The Caucus' primary focus is to prevent child abuse in Alaska. The Caucus works with the Children's Justice Task Force and the Wellness Warriors (a children's advocacy group for Alaska Native populations).

Year Established 1995 Bill or Executive

Order Informal

Total Members 12 Legislative Members All members are legislators.

Funding None Legislative Committee

Title

House Finance Subcommittee: Education and Early Development

Senate Finance Subcommittee: Education and Early Development

Legislative Members

7 5

Arizona Legislative Caucus

Title Arizona Children's Caucus

Overview The Caucus gathers twice a week and invites speakers to present their research on early childhood issues to the group. The Caucus addresses some youth issues such as child abuse and neglect, juvenile justice, and child poverty.


Order Informal

Total Members About 20 members Legislative Members All members are legislators.

Funding None P-20/P-16 Council

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Title P-20 Council: Early Education Ad Hoc Committee

Overview The Council makes recommendations regarding priorities and strategies to fully align the education system from early childhood through higher education. The Committee will also provide leadership in convening a day-long meeting on aligning early childhood with the early elementary years (through third grade) and work to refine the recommendations that will come out of that meeting.


Order P-20 council: Executive Order 2008-14 (amends and supersedes 2005 Executive Orders 2005-26 and 2005-19)

Total Members 36 Legislative Members 1

Funding State funds support staff positions. Private and Tribal grants support the council's initiatives. Advisory Council

Title Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board

Overview In November 2006, in a statistical landslide, Arizona voters passed Proposition 203; a citizen's initiative that funds quality early childhood development and health. With its passage, the Proposition created a new state level board known as the Arizona Early Childhood Development & Health Board. The Board subsequently adopted the name First Things First.


Order Chapter 13 Article 5

Total Members 12 Legislative Members None

Funding Funding for the Board is currently collected from the $.80 tax on tobacco products. These funds are deposited into a state account and invested by the State Treasurer. All funds generated by the tax on tobacco products for the AZECDH Board are spent on programs for early childhood development and health. These new monies cannot be used to offset state spending on programs already receiving state appropriations. Projected revenue for First Things First is estimated at $150 million per year.

Cabinet Title Governor’s Children's Cabinet

Overview

The Governor’s Children’s Cabinet is comprised of the directors of Arizona’s child-serving state agencies and key Governor’s policy advisors, and works to remove barriers to success by focusing attention and resources on problems facing Arizona’s children, families and communities and by coordinating policies and service delivery systems. In 2005, the Children’s cabinet began the process of selecting a set of measurable indicators of a child’s wellbeing that culminated in an annual report on the state of Arizona’s children.


Order Executive Order 2003-04

Total Members 20

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Legislative Members None

Funding None Arkansas

Legislative Committee Title House Education Committee - Early Childhood Subcommittee

Legislative Members

7

Task Force/Commission Title Early Childhood Commission

Overview

The Commission supports and advises the Division of Child Care and Early Education by ensuring that all Arkansas children and their families have access to a safe, high-quality, developmentally appropriate, nurturing, learning environment and by educating and assisting parents, child-care providers, and communities to prepare our children for future success.


Order Act 202 of 1989 (Arkansas Code Annotated 20-78-501)


Funding Unknown California

Advisory Council Title Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee

Overview

The Advisory Committee will develop the policy and an implementation plan for an Early Learning Quality Improvement System to improve the quality of early education programs. It is charged with developing a quality rating scale and designing a funding model to improve quality.


Order SB 1629

Total Members 11 Legislative Members 2 legislative appointments

Funding The Committee is funded through the First 5 California Children and Families Commission. Colorado

Task Force/Commission Title Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Oversight Commission

Overview

The Commission will study issues for policy improvement concerning early childhood and school readiness, including health care, mental health, parental involvement, family support, and early learning. The commission may recommend legislative changes which will be treated as bills recommended by an interim legislative committee for purposes of any introduction deadlines or bill limitations. The commission is required to solicit input from the members of the public, especially those individuals with expertise related to early childhood and school readiness issues, to aid the commission in its work.

Year Established 2009

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Bill or Executive Order

H 09-1343, Chapter 355

Total Members 10 Legislative Members

All members are legislators.

Funding The commission is authorized to seek and accept gifts, grants, or donations from public and private sources with exceptions.

Legislative Caucus Title Colorado Children's Caucus

Overview

The Colorado Children's Caucus is active year round on issues regarding children birth to eight years old. Topics include early childhood, K-3rd grade and children's mental, physical and developmental health. The Caucus is staffed by the Colorado Children's Campaign.


Order Informal

Total Members About 25% of the legislatures support Legislative Members All members are legislators.

Funding The Marisco Foundation, the Children's Campaign and, the Early Childhood Initiative fund and support the Caucus.

Advisory Council Title Early Childhood Councils Advisory Team (ECCAT)

Overview

ECCAT is charged with advising and supporting local Early Childhood (EC) Councils in their mission of increasing and sustaining quality early childhood services for children and families in Colorado's communities.


Order House Bill 07-1062


Funding ECCAT is funded by state general fund and the federal Child Care Development Fund. P-20/P-16 Council

Title P-20 Education Coordination Council - P-3 Subcommittee

Overview P-3 focuses on the earliest years of the P-20 education continuum, beginning with the years before children enter school (pre-school) and extending through 3rd grade. Here, the term “pre-school” is used not to describe a specific program, but to encompass the services and programs that children experience before their entry into the formal K-12 school system, including, but not limited to, early intervention services, child care, family child care, pre-kindergarten (serving 3- and 4-year old children), Early Head Start, and Head Start programs. P-3 also includes primary school years.

Year Established 2007 Bill or Executive Executive Order B003 07

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Order Total Members P-20 Committee -17

P-3 Subcommittee - 19 Legislative Members

P-20 Members: None P-3 Members: 2

Funding Supported by the Governor's Office. Connecticut

Advisory Council Title Early Childhood Research and Policy Council

Overview

Early Childhood Research and Policy brings together the Connecticut business, philanthropic and research communities along with other key sectors to develop cost modeling, build a research network, and monitor implementation of the Investment Plan.


Bill or Executive Order Executive Order No. 13


Funding The Council is funded by the Early Childhood Cabinet. Cabinet

Title Early Childhood Education Cabinet

Overview The CT Early Childhood Cabinet initiatives are ECE Workforce and Pre-K Facility Expansion Plans, Birth to Three and, K to 3rd grade, Systems Frameworks, Quality Rating & Improvement Plan and ECE Rating Scale, and are conducting a statewide PreK-3rd grade longitudinal study to examine students educational progress with the Departments of Education and Social Services.


Bill or Executive Order HB 6989


Funding Cabinet was funded through a $4 million legislative allocation for each of 2007-08 and 2008-09. Delaware

Legislative Caucus Title Legislative Kids Caucus

Overview

The Caucus focuses on improving the lives of the state's children, particularly focused on issues of education and health care: children's health insurance (CHIP), mental health, poverty, children in foster care, and early childhood education.


Order Informal

Total Members About 20 Members

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Legislative Members All members are legislators.

Funding None Advisory Council

Title Delaware Early Childhood Council

Overview The mission of the Delaware Early Childhood Council is to promote the highest quality comprehensive early learning system for Delaware’s young children and their families by providing leadership and advocacy to guide the system’s development.


Order The Delaware Early Care and Education - Executive order (2001) Codified as The Early Childhood Council - HB 126 (2007)


Funding The DE Early Care and Education Office (which is funded by general funds from DDOE and Child Care Development Funds from the Department of Health and Social Services) allocated funding, approximately $30,000 per year, to support the work of the Council. The Council and the Office regularly work to bring various agencies, both public and private, to fund initiatives outlined in Early Success: Delaware’s Early Childhood Plan.

Florida Legislative Committee

Title House Education Committee: Pre-K through 12 Subcommittee

Senate Education Committee: Pre-K through 12 Subcommittee

Legislative Members

6 8

Title Senate Education Committee: Pre-K - 12 Appropriations Legislative Members

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Early Childhood Caucus Title Early Childhood Caucus

Overview The caucus will address a range of policy issues, including child health, quality child care, family strengthening, safe communities, screening and interventions for children with special needs, and maximizing federal funding for early childhood initiatives.


Order Informal


All members are legislators.

Funding None Advisory Council

Title Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC)

Overview The purpose of the Advisory Council is to make early learning policy recommendations to the

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Governor through the Agency for Workforce Innovation, including the administration of the Voluntary Prekindergarten, School Readiness, and Child Care Resource and Referral programs.


Order Florida Statute, s. 1002.77


Funding Supported by the Agency for Workforce Innovation. Cabinet

Title Children and Youth Cabinet

Overview The mission of the Cabinet is to ensure that the public policy of Florida relating to children and youth promotes interdepartmental collaboration and program implementation in order for services designed for children and youth to be planned, managed and delivered in a holistic and integrated manner to improve the self-sufficiency, safety, economic stability, health and quality of life of all children and youth in Florida.

Year Established 2007, Created by Governor and put in statute in the same year.


Florida Statute 402.56


Funding Supported by the agencies involved. Georgia

Cabinet Title The First Lady's Children's Cabinet

Overview

Georgia's First Lady's Children's Cabinet facilitates the collaboration of state child serving agencies. When the Cabinet was first created it was project-based and action oriented. Currently, the cabinet is addressing issues such as graduation rates in Georgia. The Cabinet’s work will be guided by a strategic plan.


Bill or Executive Order Informal


Funding Supported by the agencies involved. Hawaii

Caucus Title Keiki Caucus

Overview

During the legislative session, the Caucus compiles and introduces a package of child and youth oriented bills. Together with other children-oriented groups throughout the state, the individual Caucus members draft legislation and submit bills to the Caucus to be part of the package. Past

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bills addressed education, health, child safety, substance abuse, youth obesity, child welfare, and youth development.



Informal

Total Members About 20 active Cabinet members Legislative Members All members are legislators.

Funding Members contribute their own money to support the Caucus. Advisory Council

Title Early Learning Council

Overview The Council works toward fulfilling the vision of a universally-accessible, comprehensive, and high-quality early learning system that is sensitive to family choice and cultural elements, to benefit all children from birth to age five throughout the state.



SB 2878


Funding General fund allocation. P-20/P-16 Council

Title P-3 Initiative of the Hawaii P-20 Initiative

Overview P-3 partners promote a cohesive continuum of early learning experiences for children from birth to the age of 8, through better alignment and integration of programs in the P-20 educational pipeline. P-3 partners work at the school/community, district and state systems levels, to bolster children’s social-emotional and cognitive development toward the end goal of all children reading at grade level by third grade. Source: P-3 Initiative Fact Sheet


Order Unknown


P-20 Council: 4 P-3 Initiative: Unknown

Funding The Council's work is supported by the University of Hawaii System and state Department of Education, as well as federal and private foundation grants.

Idaho Advisory Council

Title Governor's Early Childhood Coordinating Council

Overview With the combination of Part C and State Early Childhood Comprehensive System (SECCS), the Council addresses issues for all young children (birth-8) and their families. The Council promotes

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planning and implementation for inclusive services across systems within and outside of state government. Additionally, the Council must assure nationally acceptable standards are used statewide, build and support partnerships, maximize funding streams and close the gaps in the service delivery system.


Order Executive Order No. 2006-12 The Early Childhood Coordinating Council (EC3) is a consolidation of the Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) as established in Idaho Code in 1991 and the Early Care and Learning Cross Systems Task Force as enhanced through Executive Order 12 in 2006.


Funding The Council is funded through braided funding from Part C and the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Grant.

Illinois Advisory Council

Title Illinois Early Learning Council

Overview The Council's goal is to meet the early learning needs of children from birth to age 5 and their families by establishing a high-quality, accessible, and comprehensive statewide early learning system. The Council guides collaborative efforts to coordinate, improve, and expand upon existing early childhood programs and services, including making use of existing reports, research, and planning efforts. The broad purpose of the Council is to:

• Implement recommendations of previous and ongoing early childhood efforts and initiatives;

• Develop multiyear plans to address gaps and insufficient capacity and to ensure quality; • Reduce or eliminate policy, regulatory, and funding barriers; and • Engage in collaborative planning, coordination, and linkages across programs, divisions,

and agencies at the state level.



Public Act 093-0380


Funding None Iowa

Legislative Committee Title Interim Committee Early Care Best Practices Study Committee

Year Established 2007 Legislative Members 10

Advisory Council Title Early Childhood Advisory Council

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Overview The purpose the Council is to be a catalyst in the development of Iowa's comprehensive, integrated early care, health and education system.


Order H 2442

Total Members Unknown Legislative Members 14

Funding The ECCS Grant through HHS provides funding for staff support. Kansas

Legislative Committee Title Joint Committee on Children's Issues

Legislative Members 10

Cabinet

Title Children's Cabinet & Trust Fund

Overview Enacted in the 1999 legislative session, the Kansas Children's Cabinet oversees funds from the Master Tobacco Settlement. Ninety-five percent of the state's portion of the Master Tobacco Settlement was dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children and youth in the state. The Kansas Children's Cabinet is required to:

• Advise the Governor and the legislature regarding the use of funds credited to the Children's Initiatives Fund;

• Evaluate programs funded by the Children's Initiatives Fund; • Assist the Governor in developing and implementing a coordinated, comprehensive

delivery system to serve children and families of Kansas; • Support the prevention of child abuse and neglect through the Children's Trust Fund.


Order HB2558


Funding The Cabinet receives funding from the Master Tobacco Settlement and the Children’s Trust Fund receives a percent of marriage license fees and the federally funded Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) grant program.

Louisiana Cabinet

Title Children's Cabinet

Overview The Cabinet's primary function is to coordinate children's policy across the five departments: Departments of Education, Health and Hospitals, Labor, Public Safety and Office of Youth Services and Social Services. Each year, the Cabinet makes recommendations to the Governor

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regarding funding priorities for children and youth.

The Cabinet is responsible for recommendations to the Children's Budget, a separate section of the General Appropriation Act enacted by the Legislature. The Children's Budget is a compilation of all appropriations to children and their families.

Year Established 1998 - Executive Order 2003 – Bill


SB 966 (2003)


Funding None Maine

Task Force/Commission Title Commission to Develop a Strategic Priorities Plan for Maine's Young Children.

Overview

The Commission works with early childhood experts to gather information and develop a comprehensive three-year strategy for investment in children.


Order Chapter 136


Funding The ME Early Childhood Initiative supports the Commission's Work. The Initiative is completely funded by federal dollars. Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Grant, HRSA, Department of Health and Human Services. Budget: $140,000 (FY 2008).

Task Force/Commission Title Task Force To Create Seamless Pre-Kindergarten Through Sixteenth Grade Educational Systems

Overview

The Task Force makes recommendations to the Governor for a seamless Pre-Kindergarten through Sixteenth grade educational systems in the State of Maine. The Task Force will:

• Examine options for planning, efficiencies and spending reform across Pre-Kindergarten through Sixteenth grade educational systems in Maine;

• Examine all components of Pre-Kindergarten through Sixteenth grade educational systems in Maine to remove barriers to student movement between the sectors, including strategies for sharing academic performance data across sectors;

• Examine pre-kindergarten to public school transition issues, educational aspirations of Maine students and needs of students who are first in their families to seek post-secondary education;

• Examine finance models for systems with universal access; and • Identify strategies that promote college readiness and college success for all.


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Executive Order 12 FY 04/05


Funding Supported by Governor's Office. Advisory Council

Title Maine Children’s Growth Council

Overview The ME Children's Growth Council replaced the Task Force on Early Childhood. The Council will work towards systems change and programmatic improvements in five domains that affect children’s lives – family, health, early care and education, community collaboration, and state level leadership. The duties of the council include:

• Reviewing and addressing recommendations of legislative studies and advisory committees regarding young children and the Children's Cabinet.

• Adopting and updating a long-term plan for investment in the healthy development of young children that will achieve sustainable social and financial investment in the healthy development of young children and their families.

• Consulting and coordinating with members of the public, the Children's Cabinet, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services and advocates, community agencies and providers of early care and education and services to children and their families;

• Monitoring and evaluating progress in accomplishing the plan's vision, goals and performance indicators and best practice research


Order PL 683


Funding Staffing is provided by the Maine Early Childhood Initiative. Cabinet


Overview The mission of the Children's Cabinet is to actively collaborate to create and promote coordinated policies and service delivery systems that support children, families and communities.

Year Established 1995, Enacted 2000 Bill or Executive

Order Title 5, Chapter 439


Funding The Maine Governor’s Children’s Cabinet is supported by pooled agency resources primarily from private and federal grant administrative fees. Each of three regional cabinets receive between $30,000 and $70,000 annually to improve systems, strengthen and fill gaps for families with children most in need and where supports are not reimbursable through existing agency funds. The Cabinet seeks out private funding for special initiatives and programs that the state is unable to support.

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Maryland Cabinet


Overview In 1987, Children's Cabinet was created by the Governor as the Subcabinet for Children and Youth. It became the Subcabinet for Children, Youth, and Families in 1990. Established by statute in 1993, the Subcabinet worked to improve the structure and organization of State services to children, youth, and families (Chapter 556, Acts of 1993). Authorization for the Subcabinet expired June 30, 2005, and in its place, the Governor authorized the Children's Cabinet in June 2005 (Executive Order 01.01.2005.34).


Order Executive Order 01.01.2005.34


Funding The Children’s Cabinet Interagency Fund. Massachusetts

Advisory Council Title State Advisory Council on Early Education and Care

Overview

The advisory council will develop the 5-year master plan for early education and care and the adoption of the educationally sound kindergarten readiness assessment instrument.


Bill or Executive Order H.4706


Funding None Michigan

Caucus Title Children's Caucus

Overview

Michigan's Children's Caucus is a bi-partisan group that meets quarterly. The Caucus organizes informational luncheons for legislators about policy issues concerning children including early childhood. Recently the Early Childhood Investment Corporation has taken over the role of informing legislators about early childhood issues.



Informal

Total Members Unknown Legislative Members Unknown

Funding Joyce Foundation Advisory Council

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Title The Early Childhood Investment Corporation

Overview The Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) was created to assure that every young child in Michigan has a Great Start and arrives at the kindergarten door healthy and ready to succeed in school, with parents who are committed to educational achievement. The Corporation engages parents, community leaders, business, the legislature, state and local government, faith-based organizations, and philanthropy. The ECIC is a public-private partnership charged with implementing the Great Start Blueprint whose vision and mission are aimed at ensuring a Great Start for Michigan's children aged birth to 5.


Order Executive Order

Total Members List of board and staff Legislative Members None

Funding Receives public and private funding. Cabinet


Overview The Children's Cabinet grew from Governor Granholm's early childhood initiative. The Cabinet focuses primarily on improving and aligning programs and agency efforts related to early childhood.


Order Informal


Funding Supported by the Governor's Office for Children. Minnesota

Caucus Title Minnesota Legislative Early Childhood Caucus

Overview

The purpose of the Caucus is to influence and shape public policies that impact Minnesota's youngest children, their families, and caregivers. The Caucus seeks to educate legislators, create dialogue, build consensus, and provide direction for legislative action. The Caucus is open to all members of the legislature.


Order Informal

Total Members 139 Legislative Members All members are legislators

Funding None Caucus

Title Children and Youth Caucus

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Overview The Caucus was recently formed and had their inaugural retreat on January 16, 2009. The goal is to create a common vision and goals across agencies that:

• Focuses on assets of children and youth, • Identifies what works best for children, and • Engages multiple agencies and utilizes multiple funding sources to inspire innovation,

create efficiencies, and support long-term thinking.


Order Informal

Total Membership 16 members attended the inaugural retreat Legislative Members All members are legislators.

Funding None Legislative Committee

Title House Early Childhood Learning Finance Division Committee

Senate Committees: E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division

Legislative Members 16 18

Advisory Council Title Minnesota Early Childhood Advisory Council

Overview

The Early Childhood Advisory Council has a number of responsibilities including making recommendations on how to most effectively create a high-quality early childhood system in Minnesota in order to improve the educational outcomes of children so that all children are school-ready by 2020. Source: MN ECAC Annual Report 2009



H.F. 1812 Executive Order 08-14


Funding None Missouri

Task Force/Commission Title Children's Services Commission: Coordinating Board for Early Childhood Subcommittee

Overview

The Commission's duties are to make recommendations which will encourage greater interagency coordination, cooperation, more effective utilization of existing resources and less duplication of effort in activities of state agencies which affect the legal rights and well-being of children in Missouri; develop an integrated state plan for the care provided to children and to improve the quality of children's programs statewide. Four subcommittees report to the full Children's Services Commission. The committees focus on: Children's Mental Health, Early Childhood, Children of Incarcerated Parents, and Parental

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Responsibilities. Throughout the year, the subcommittees research and discuss relevant issues and policies and present formal recommendations to be adopted by the full commission.


Order Children's Services Commission: Statute 210.102 Coordinating Board for Early Childhood Subcommittee: Statute 210.102

Total Members Commission: 19 Subcommittee: 13

Legislative Members

Children's Services Commission: 8 Early Childhood Subcommittee: None

Funding Minnesota Children's Services Commission Fund Montana

Advisory Council Title Montana Early Childhood Advisory Council

Overview

The Montana Early Childhood Advisory Council provides leadership and advocacy to assure access to quality early childhood and school-age care and education for all children, their families and their communities.



None found. The Council is housed in Montana's Early Childhood Services Bureau within the Department of Public Health & Human Services.

Total Members 29 Legislative Members 2 Legislative positions are vacant.

Funding Child Care Development Block Grant New Hampshire

Legislative Caucus Title Legislative Caucus for Young Children

Overview

The Caucus is committed to focusing on issues affecting NH's children, birth through age 6, including families and prenatal care. In 2000, the Caucus expanded the age range and began to consider legislation affecting children/adolescents through age 18. Organizational goals established in 1997 and in effect today are to:

• Support policies and programs which maximize the developing potential of young children and prevent future social, health and educational problems;

• Monitor and propose legislation in the realms of health, prenatal and early care and family support, and education; and

• Serve as a vehicle for information sharing and continuing education on these and related issues.

The LCYC holds an annual forum for representatives of nonprofit organizations and agencies serving children to gather information about priorities within those respective groups.



Informal

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Total Members About 60 members Legislative Members All are legislative members.

Funding The LCYC is self-funded through the sale of NAEYC circle of children pins. Advisory Council

Title New Hampshire Child Care Advisory Council

Overview The purpose of the NH Child Care Advisory Council is to: further the development of quality & affordable child care; provide a forum for groups concerned with child care and related services; advise the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services on policies and legislation regarding child care; communicate with the Governor and the Commissioner of the Department of Education on early childhood initiatives and needs; advise the Child Development Bureau on priorities.


Order RSA 126A: 17; revised in 1999


Funding None New Mexico

Cabinet Title Children's Cabinet

Overview

The New Mexico Children’s Cabinet organizes legislative information sessions about the issues surrounding children and meets six times a year to discuss their primary goals. Their focus is to ensure the best quality of delivery systems for children in the state. Two of their top priorities are pre-k and immunization.



SB435


Funding Supported by Governor's Office. New York

Cabinet Title Governor's Children's Cabinet

Overview

The mission of the Children’s Cabinet is to advise and make recommendations to the Governor on the most effective policies and programs that promote the Governor’s Birth to Five Agenda and other priorities, including but not limited to: implementation of universal children's health insurance; implementation of universal pre-kindergarten throughout New York State.


Order Executive order 16

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Funding Supported by the Governor's Office. Advisory Council

Title New York Early Childhood Advisory Council

Overview The goal of New York’s Early Childhood Advisory Council is to develop a comprehensive system of supports and services for young children and their families. To respond to the federal requirement to establish or designate Early Childhood Education and Care Councils, the Children's Cabinet decided to reorganize its Advisory Board and establish a new body— the Early Childhood Advisory Council— that will include current members of the Advisory Board with early childhood expertise and representatives of early care and education, health care, child welfare, and mental health programs, advocacy organizations, parents, foundations, higher education, unions, state agencies and others involved in the provision of comprehensive services to young children and their families. The group will focus on addressing the structural issues that have impeded the development of a comprehensive system of early childhood supports and services.


Order None, pre-existing body reorganized to fulfill the requirements of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007.


Funding Plan to apply for the federal allocation for State Advisory Councils on Early Care and Education.

Title Early Care and Learning Council

Overview The Early Care & Learning Council (formerly the NY Child Care Coordinating Council) has been working to make quality, affordable child care available to New York’s families since 1975. Rooted in a statewide network of child care resource and referral agencies, the membership of the Early Care & Learning Council includes wide representation from child care providers, parents, businesses, community organizations, and other individuals.


Order None found

Total Members Unknown Legislative Members Unknown

Funding Unknown North Carolina

Legislative Committee Title House Education Subcommittee on Pre-School, Elementary and Secondary Education


Ohio Cabinet

Title Family and Children First Cabinet Council

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Overview

The purpose of Ohio Family and Children First is to help families seeking government services by streamlining and coordinating services, resources, and systems.

Year Established 1993, establishing executive order last amended in 2006 by a bill Bill or Executive

Order ORC 121.37 , The Council's duties have been amended since its initial enactment. H.B. 289


Funding Unknown Advisory Council

Title Ohio Help Me Grow Advisory Council

Overview The council’s role is to assist, advise and make informed and supportive recommendations to the lead agency for Part C in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). The Ohio Help Me Grow Advisory Council provides direction and guidance in policy and program implementation issues to ODH. The Council makes nonbinding recommendations to ODH and does not have independent rule-making authority.



Executive Order 2007-19S

Total Members Unknown Legislative Members 4 legislative appointments

Funding IDEA Oklahoma

Task Force/Commission Title Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth

Overview

The mission of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth is to improve services to children by: facilitating joint planning and coordination among public and private agencies; independent monitoring of the children and youth service system for compliance with established responsibilities; and entering into agreements to test models and demonstration programs for effective services. The Commission supports the Interagency Coordination Council for Early Childhood Intervention.


Order Bill number unknown, Title 10 O.S. 601.1 et.seq.


Funding Legislature appropriates funds through a general fund or a line item budget. Advisory Council

Title Oklahoma Early Childhood Advisory Council Overview The Council serves in an advisory capacity to the governor on early childhood system issues

relating to workforce, higher education, quality of early childhood programs and services, access

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to early childhood programs and services, professional development, and special populations. Seven workgroups have been developed: 1) Quality, access, standards and accountabiliy 2) Data system and coordination 3) Policy and workgroup coordination 4) Professional development and workforce 5) Community mobilization 6) Public engagement and 7) Special populations.


Order In November 2008, Governor Brad Henry designated the Smart Start Board (Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness) as the state's Early Childhood Advisory Council.


None

Funding Supported by Smart Start Oklahoma Advisory Council

Title Interagency Coordination Council for Early Childhood Intervention

Overview The ICC conducts planning to implement a coordinated and family-centered service system in order to address the needs of infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families.




Funding Supported by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth Cabinet


Overview The Children’s Cabinet develops, recommends and implements coordinated state policies to improve the health and welfare of children and families. The Cabinet targets children and youth under the age of 21 with the aim to improve overall quality of life, maximize opportunities to become self-sufficient as an adult, maximize outcomes for children especially those who are disadvantaged, and coordinate agency efforts to streamline services to children and youth.


Order SB 697


Funding Staffing provided by the Office of Planning and Coordination in the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth.

Oregon Task Force/Commission

Title Oregon Commission for Child Care

Overview The mission of the Oregon Commission for Child Care is to advise the Governor and Legislature on the issues, problems, and solutions related to affordable, quality child care in Oregon; and to

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advocate for the availability of safe, quality and affordable child care.


Order Chapter 657A — Child Care


Funding General fund allocation. Advisory Council

Title Oregon's Early Childhood Council

Overview This Council is an interagency work group that provides leadership and support for statewide early childhood planning, policy, systems development, resource partnerships and service integration efforts.


Order SB555 and HB3659

Total Members Unknown Legislative Members None

Funding None Pennsylvania

Task Force/Commission Title Governor's Commission for Children and Families

Overview

The Commission was created to assist, advise, and make recommendations for action to the Governor and Children's Cabinet on cross system issues. The Commission works to improve the delivery of state and local services to children and families.


Order Executive order 2003-12


Funding Supported by the Office of the Sec. Of Public Welfare. Task Force/Commission

Title Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission

Overview The purpose of the Commission is to secure public investment in early learning by focusing on practices that are educationally, economically and scientifically sound by increasing business, civic and public awareness of the importance of early childhood education.



Total Members 26, members are business leaders from across the state. Legislative None

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Members Funding Supported by participating agencies.

Advisory Council Title Pennsylvania Early Learning Council

Overview

The purpose of the Early Learning Council is to plan for the expansion of effective early learning and development services for young children and their families, and make recommendations to ensure the plans are implemented successfully. The Council is responsible for coordinating the delivery of e federal and Commonwealth programs designed to serve young children from birth through their entry into school, and to ensure a smooth transition for those children into K-12 education and other programs serving older children.




Funding Supported by Office of Child Development and Early Learning. Cabinet

Title Governor's Cabinet on Children and Families

Overview The Cabinet works with a statewide commission to identify barriers and identify solutions to better serve children and families. Responsibilities include:

• Advancing cross system recommendations to improve children’s mental health and well-being, support and strengthen families through Family Centers and home visitation programs, and prevent youth violence.

• Advocating for targeted budget and legislative measures relating to children and families, such as increasing funding for early childhood initiatives, enacting a permanent school funding formula to improve school quality, expanding the Nurse Family Partnership program statewide and enacting legislation to provide health care coverage for uninsured adults.

• Partnering with state agencies and organizations to advance specific initiatives, such as screening for maternal depression (Medical Assistance), reducing child obesity through improved nutrition and fitness, developmental screening for young children in the child welfare system and ongoing expansion of the Nurse Family Partnership program.

• Promoting a statewide prevention strategy based on the development of state and local partnerships and a framework that considers community level outcome indicators: Babies Born Healthy, Healthy Children, Early Learning, Healthy Youth Behavior, School Success, Safe and Stable Families and Communities.



Executive order 2003-12


Funding Supported by the Office of the Secretary Of Public Welfare. Rhode Island

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Cabinet Title Children's Cabinet

Overview

The intent of the Children's Cabinet is to foster cooperative state efforts to address the needs of children and families in an integrated and effective way. The Cabinet adopted a five-year plan in 1992, with specific goals, objectives and actions. Since then, it has worked to implement those objectives and to address emerging issues. It functions as an information exchange forum among state departments, private service agencies and the public.


Order RI GL 42-72.5


Funding Supported by the RI Kids Count. Tennessee

Advisory Council Title Tennessee State Pre-K Advisory Council

Overview

The purpose of the Pre-K Advisory Council is to develop a pre-kindergarten implementation plan to meet the needs of the four-year-olds served by Local Education Agencies (LEAs), with a priority for at-risk four-year-olds. Created to be a model for Community Pre-K Advisory Councils created by local LEAs.


Order Tennessee Code Annotated 49-6-106 (community pre-k advisory council language)


Funding Supported by the Department of Education, Office of Early Learning. Task Force/Commission

Title Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth Overview TCCY works with state agencies, juvenile courts, child advocacy groups, interested citizens and

other organizations to improve services to children. The commission members, central office staff and regional coordinators are engaged in the following activities:

• Improving the coordination of services for children; • Collecting and disseminating statistical and programmatic information; • Informing citizens and organizations about children’s issues; • Tracking legislation and making recommendations to the Governor and Legislature; • Evaluating the delivery of services to children in state custody and their families through

the Children’s Program Outcome Review Team quality service review process; and • Administering the Federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Juvenile

Accountability Block Grant and other federal and state grant funds for juvenile justice programs.

Total Members 21

24

Legislative Members None

Funding State and federal funding. Cabinet


Overview The Children’s Cabinet is charged with coordinating and streamlining the state’s efforts to provide needed services to Tennessee’s children, both inside and outside of state custody. In performing its work, the Children’s Cabinet focuses on a broad range of issues and challenges, including but not limited to fighting abuse and neglect, promoting foster care and adoption, and raising public awareness of children’s issues.


Order Executive Order No. 7


None

Funding Supported by the agencies involved. Texas

Advisory Council Title Texas State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care

Overview

The governor appointed the Texas State Advisory Council, which will direct the spending on the pending federal stimulus grant. The Council will also work towards developing a comprehensive system of early care and education that ensures coordination and collaboration among early childhood programs throughout Texas.


Order Executive order. In response to the federal Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007.


None

Funding Unknown Utah

Cabinet Title Governor's Early Childhood Cabinet Council

Overview

The Cabinet Council's primary functions are:

• Inventory current efforts and common outcomes among programs dealing with child maltreatment and family dysfunction, rape and sexual assault of children and adults, domestic violence, substance abuse prevention and early childhood education and intervention

• Inventory funding stream requirements • Inventory and analyze similar prevention integration efforts in other states • Develop integrated policies and procedures reflecting best practices across funding

streams • Identify funding streams that address cross-cutting prevention • Identify new funding sources for one evidence based cross cutting prevention model in

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Utah • Issue recommendations regarding resource allocation to maintain positive outcomes for

children • Receive reports from the Department of Human Services' Office of Service Review on

child and family status and review data on child well being in Utah, including annual written reports on the results of the Division of Child and Family Services' qualitative and quantitative review results regarding care, permanency and other child outcomes

• Receive annual written reports on fatalities regarding trends and analysis on decreasing fatalities relating to children and/or abusive/violent acts

• The Cabinet Council shall track child and family well-being and outcomes, review progress or decline of outcomes and work toward possible solutions

Year Established 2007 - Both the Executive order and Supporting Legislation were enacted in the same year.

Bill or Executive

Order Executive Order 2007-0005 H.J.R. 16


2

Funding Unknown Vermont

Advisory Council Title Building Bright Futures Council

Overview

Building Bright Futures seeks to assure that all Vermont children are healthy and successful by improving the quality, affordability and accessibility of services for families with children under the age of six in the areas of health, early care and education. As a public/private partnership, Building Bright Futures links community-based planning and program development with a state-level Council charged with creating an integrated system of services. Source: Building Bright Futures Website




Funding Supported by the Department for Children and Families. Virginia

Legislative Committee Title House Education Committee - Students & Day Care Subcommittee


Advisory Council Title Governor’s Working Group on Early Childhood Initiatives

Overview

The Working Group on Early Childhood Initiatives aims to coordinate executive branch efforts on early childhood programs and strengthen public and private programs. The working group, chaired by the Secretary of Education, brings together high-level staff from cabinet offices and

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state agencies in the areas of Education, Health and Human Resources, Economic Development, Finance and Policy.


Order Executive Directive 3


Funding Unknown Washington

Legislative Committee Title House Committee: Early Learning & Children's

Services Senate Committee: Early Learning & K-12 Education

Legislative Members

7 11

Advisory Council Title Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC)

Overview

ELAC members from around the state meet regularly to provide input and recommendations to the Department of Early Learning to ensure the department’s strategies and actions are well-informed and broadly supported by parents, child care providers, health/safety experts and interested members of the public.


Order Senate Bill 5828 RCW 43.215.090


Funding Staffing provided by the Department of Early Learning. Wisconsin

Advisory Council Title Governor's State Advisory Council on Early Education and Care

Overview The Council builds on the work of the Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners (WECCP), the Children’s Trust Fund Board, the Partners for Wisconsin’s Economic Success, and the Governor’s Birth to Three Interagency Coordinating Council. The Council's responsibilities include:

• Conduct a periodic statewide needs assessment concerning the quality and availability of early childhood education and development programs

• Identify opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration and coordination among federally-funded and state-funded child development, child care, and early childhood education programs and services

• Develop recommendations for increasing the overall participation of children in existing federal, state, and local child care and early childhood education programs, including outreach to underrepresented and special populations

• Develop recommendations regarding statewide professional development and career advancement plans for early childhood educators in the state


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Executive Order 2008-269


None at this time.

Funding Staffing provided by the Department of Children and Families. Wyoming

Advisory Council Title Wyoming Early Childhood Development Council

Overview

The Wyoming Early Childhood Development Council advocates for healthy growth and development of Wyoming's children pre-birth through age eight.

Year Established 1997, The original Executive Order was updated in 2000.


Executive Order 1997-5 Executive Order 2000-2


Funding Supported by the Department of Family. This chart was compiled by Qiana Flores, National Conference of State Legislatures, November 2009. Sources: State Children's Cabinets and Councils: 2008 Directory, The Forum For Youth Investment http://www.forumforyouthinvestment.org/files/2008%20Directory%20Final.pdf P-16/P-20: ECS http://mb2.ecs.org/reports/Report.aspx?id=910 Other information was retrieved from websites or contacts indicated. NOTE: Web blinks may not be functional. If you wish to contribute information about your state or have questions about the content, contact Shannon Watson-Borden at [email protected].

Legislative Leadership in Early Care and Education 2009

Documents

Transcript of Legislative Leadership in Early Care and Education 2009