REGULAR MEETING of the EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL AUGUST 16, 2025, 10:30 A.M. CARVER BRANCH LIBRARY, MEETING ROOM #2 1161 ANGELINA STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Early Childhood Council may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Caitlin Oliver, Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health, at 512-972-6205 or Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Choquette Hamilton, Chair Brooke Freeland Chloe Latham-Sikes Cathy McHorse Craig McNary Hilda Rivas Brianna Menard, Vice Chair Eliza Gordon Cynthia McCollum Andrea McIllwain Alice Navarro AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on June 11, 2025 DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discuss the Early Childhood Council’s 2024-2025 Annual Internal Review and the mission of the ECC 3. 4. 5. 6. Updates from the ECC Quality of Life Study Workgroup regarding study and final report timeline Updates from the June & July Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meetings Discuss early childhood-related funding and the fiscal year 2026 City of Austin budget Updates regarding the implementation of the Travis County voter-approved Child Care and Out-of-School Time (CCOST) initiative STAFF BRIEFINGS 7. Briefing from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health (APH), about the Austin-Travis County Family Child Care Educator Network and regarding updates from related local early childhood groups such as Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, Austin ISD, Success By 6 Coalition, Child Care Regulation, and Workforce Solutions Capital Area FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. or Please Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. …
Annual Internal Review This report covers the time period of 7/1/2024 to 6/30/2025 __________________Early Childhood Council__________________ The Board/Commission mission statement (per the City Code) is: The Early Childhood Council shall: 1. Make recommendations to the city council for the creation, development, and implementation of programs that promote optimal development for young children, 2. Develop, for recommendation to city council, programs and activities that contribute to the continued development of a system of high-quality early care and education and after-school programs for Austin's children; 3. Explore and develop, for recommendation to city council, cooperative arrangements with area governments in the metropolitan region to support a system of quality early care and education; 4. Encourage volunteerism and philanthropic efforts in order to generate broad- based community involvement and support for quality early care and education and promote the wellbeing of families of young children; and 5. Develop, for recommendation to city council, strategies encouraging individuals and agencies to continually improve the quality of their services for young children; and 6. Support innovative approaches to quality early care and education and leadership development in fields relating to the optimal development of young children. 1. Describe the board’s actions supporting their mission during the previous calendar year. Address all elements of the board’s mission statement as provided in the relevant sections of the City Code. (Reference all reports, recommendations, letters or resolutions presented to the City Council on mission-specific issues. If some of the elements of the mission statement were not acted on by the board in the past year, the report should explain why no action was taken.) On August 10, 2024, the Early Childhood Council (ECC): • Encouraged the Austin City Council to adopt the Place-Based Enhancement Program (PBEP)recommendations. o Outcome: On September 26, 2024, the Austin City Council approved Ordinance No. 20240926-012 and Ordinance No. 20240926-013. The PBEP offers incentives to development, both new construction and remodeling, that supports community benefit targets including small businesses, nonprofits, and community development projects. Childcare centers are major community benefit targets addressed in the program guidelines for all categories. The Business Expansion Program is also available to childcare centers that are expanding by hiring new staff, with a category specifically designed for small businesses. On August 10, 2024, the Early Childhood Council (ECC): • Voted to approve a representative from Go Austin/Vamos Austin (GAVA) as a community member of the ECC Quality of Life Study …
REGULAR MEETING of the EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL JUNE 11, 2025, 9:00 A.M. CITY HALL, BOARD AND COMMISSION ROOM #1101 301 WEST SECOND STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Early Childhood Council may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Caitlin Oliver, Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health, at 512-972-6205 or Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Choquette Hamilton, Chair Brooke Freeland Chloe Latham-Sikes Cathy McHorse Craig McNary Hilda Rivas Brianna Menard, Vice Chair Eliza Gordon Cynthia McCollum Andrea McIllwain Alice Navarro Ellana Selig AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on May 14, 2025 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Discussion and possible action to approve the Early Childhood Council’s 2026 goals for the July 2024-June 2025 annual review DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Updates from Decision Information Resources (DIR) regarding current activities and next steps for the quality-of-life study of Austin’s families with young children Presentation from Jason Gindele, YMCA, regarding the child care center at the new City of Austin Dove Springs Public Health Facility Presentation from David Feigen, Texans Care for Children, regarding the potential impacts of the 89th Texas Legislative Session on the early childhood sector Updates regarding the implementation of the Travis County voter-approved child care and out-of-school time initiative Discussion about the time and location of the ECC regular meeting on Saturday, August 16, 2025 8. Updates from the May Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting STAFF BRIEFINGS 9. Briefing from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health (APH), regarding updates from related local early childhood groups such as Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, Austin ISD, Success By 6 Coalition, Child Care Regulation, and Workforce Solutions Capital Area FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities …
Goals from the Early Childhood Council’s 2023-2024 Annual Review In the new calendar year, the ECC will: 1. Continue to support the development and implementation of the Early Childhood Quality of Life Study and use results to inform future recommendations that align with the mission of the ECC. 2. Continue to monitor the City of Austin development and implementation of the Infrastructure Academy to ensure that there are sufficient investments, resources, and capacity in the local childcare system to meet the anticipated increased demand. (The Infrastructure Academy is estimated to need to train and upskill an additional 4,000 workers each year.) 3. Ensure collaboration and coordination with City of Austin Economic Development Department’s new role in oversight of childcare investments to maximize the benefits of this transition. 4. Continue to elevate and prioritize the voices of those with lived experience in informing the priorities and recommendations of the Early Childhood Council. 5. Increase the impact of Early Childhood Council actions by continuing to improve communications between ECC members, Joint Inclusion Committee, and City Council and Mayor’s offices. Proposed addition(s) for 2025-2026 • Monitor the implementation of the Travis County voter-approved child care and out-of- school time initiative.
Texas 89th Legislative Session Early Childhood Recap June 2025 We drive policy change to improve the lives of Texas children today for a stronger Texas tomorrow. Overview Building on interim House and Senate hearings on child care and early learning, lawmakers considered numerous bills and passed several key measures affecting children and caregivers. Highlights include: ● ● $100 million for more child care scholarships $8.5 billion into public schools 3 State of the Texas Child Care ● The average waitlist for the CCS program in Texas is approximately 95,000 children. ● Child care programs are operating on barely sustainable margins (typically less than 1 percent), Texas child care educators are paid about $12 per hour with little to no benefits, and parents are paying more than they can afford – with infant care costing more than college. ● Primarily due to an inability to recruit and retain enough staff, Texas child care centers are serving only 68 percent of the kids they have room to serve. ● The lack of affordable, high-quality child care options for working families in Texas results in an estimated loss of $9.4 billion per year for the Texas economy. 4 Child Care Scholarships ● SB 1 includes $100 million investment in child care scholarships! 5 Additional Bills That Support Child Care ● SB 462 will improve the supply of child care by helping child care educators secure care for their own kids. ● SB 599 will remove local barriers to licensed and registered child care homes. ● HB 2294 will provide a new tool in the toolbox for local communities to support and incentivize child care programs who participate in the Child Care Services program. 6 Governance of Early Childhood Programs The legislature also passed a number of bills aimed at improving and streamlining the state’s governance and oversight of early childhood programs. ● HB 2310 will bring together key state agencies to develop a plan to improve early learning opportunities for young children with disabilities. ● HB 117 establishes the Governor’s Task Force on Governance of Early Childhood Education and Care. ● HB 3693 codifies the creation of an Early Childhood Integrated Data System to better assess program capacity and effectiveness. ● HB 4903 establishes a Quad-Agency Child Care Initiative to review and streamline state regulations that impact child care programs. 7 Education The legislature debated a number of education bills that covered a …
EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JUNE 11, 2025 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2025 The Early Childhood Council convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at City Hall, Board & Commission Room #1101, 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Hamilton called the Early Childhood Council Meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Hamilton and Members Freeland, Latham-Sikes, McHorse, McIllwain, McNary, and Navarro Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Members Gordon, McCollum, and Rivas Staff in Attendance: Caitlin Oliver, Cindy Gamez, and Alejandra Mireles PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. There was no general public comment. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on May 14, 2025 The minutes from the meeting on 5/14/2025 were approved unanimously on Member Navarro’s motion and Member Freeland’s second, on an 8-0 vote. Members McCollum and McNary were absent at the time of the vote. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Discussion and possible action to approve the Early Childhood Council’s 2026 goals for the July 2024-June 2025 annual review EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JUNE 11, 2025 Chair Hamilton moved to approve the Early Childhood Councils goal as follows: In the new calendar year, the ECC will: 1. Continue to support the development and implementation of the Early Childhood Quality of Life Study and use results to inform future recommendations that align with the mission of the ECC. 2. Continue to monitor the City of Austin development and implementation of the Infrastructure Academy to ensure that there are sufficient investments, resources, and capacity in the local childcare system to meet the anticipated increased demand. (The Infrastructure Academy is estimated to need to train and upskill an additional 4,000 workers each year.) 3. Continue collaboration and coordination with City of Austin Economic Development Department’s role in oversight of childcare investments to maximize the benefits of this partnership. 4. Continue to elevate and prioritize the voices of those with lived experience in informing the priorities and recommendations of the Early Childhood Council. 5. Increase the impact of Early Childhood Council actions by continuing to improve communications between ECC members, Joint Inclusion Committee, and City Council and Mayor’s offices. …
REGULAR MEETING of the EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MAY 14, 2025, 9:00 A.M. CITY HALL, BOARD AND COMMISSION ROOM #1101 301 WEST SECOND STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Early Childhood Council may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Caitlin Oliver, Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health, at 512-972-6205 or Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Choquette Hamilton, Chair Brooke Freeland Chloe Latham-Sikes Cathy McHorse Craig McNary Hilda Rivas Brianna Menard, Vice Chair Eliza Gordon Cynthia McCollum Andrea McIllwain Alice Navarro Ellana Selig AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on April 9, 2025 DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Updates from Korey Darling, Division Director of the Research & Planning Division at Travis County Health and Human Services, regarding implementation of the voter- approved child care and out-of-school time initiative 3. 4. Presentation from Decision Information Resources (DIR) regarding current activities and next steps for the quality-of-life study of Austin’s families with young children Updates from the April Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting and the special called May 7th JIC meeting STAFF BRIEFINGS 5. Briefing from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health (APH), regarding updates from related local early childhood groups such as Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, Austin ISD, Success By 6 Coalition, and Child Care Regulation FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please or Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. at Austin Public Health, call Caitlin Oliver 512-972-6205 at For more information …
Travis County Voter Approved Child Care and Out of School Time Fund Presentation to the Early Childhood Council May 14, 2025 Background On November 5, 2024, Travis County voters approved Prop A. By approving Prop A, Travis County residents approved a 2.5 cent tax rate increase per $100 valuation on property taxes. This will generate approximately $75 million. The money from these property taxes will be collected in a special fund. This fund will support programs in Travis County that: • Increase access to affordable and high-quality child care and out of school time programs; • Increase capacity and strengthen the quality of child care and out of school time programs; and • Support opportunities for parents to work, participate in job training, and further their education. Overview of Strategies These four strategies will serve as a baseline for expanding and strengthening child care and afterschool and summer programming in Travis County. Strategy 1: Expand slots for infants/toddlers (ages 0-3) and for afterschool and summer programming (PreK-12th grade) Strategy 2: Expand non-traditional hour care Strategy 3: Build quality and capacity Strategy 4: Build a Business Government Alliance for leveraging business contributions and matching public funds to reduce employee child care costs Transition Plan • Staffing: Hiring staff at Health and Human Services and in other County Departments • Community Engagement Activities: Sharing an update and gathering community insight and feedback • Online survey • Targeted community input sessions stakeholder groups • Three in-person community listening sessions and one online zoom session. • Community Advisory Council: Planning for a community advisory committee composed of community members and child care and out of school time stakeholders. Application process - Summer 2025. • Short term investments: Exploring amending existing County contracts and implementing Interlocal Agreements to serve more families while planning and procurement for services is underway. Next Steps in Procuring Services • As a government entity collecting and investing public tax dollars we use a multi-step procurement process to fund services. • The process to plan and procure services within the four baseline strategies includes: • Refining initial strategy design by learning from other communities, analyzing community input, and aligning with County policies, procedures, and systems. • Seeking approval of program policies by Commissioner’s Court. • Developing scopes of work for County services. • Releasing solicitations, evaluating proposals, and negotiating new contracts. • A contracted third-party evaluator will …
Quality of Life Study for Austin's Families with Young Children May 14, 2025 Update Providing High Quality Research, Evaluation, & Technical Assistance for Making Informed & Equitable Decisions RESEARCH • EVALUATION • SURVEYS • TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE www.dir-online.com Agenda • Introductions • Study Design • Current Activities • Timeline/Next steps • Questions Introductions RESEARCH • EVALUATION • SURVEYS • TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE www.dir-online.com Our Team Tiara N. Jackson, PhD Project Director Sylvia R. Epps, PhD Equity Advisor Kathy Buek, PhD Quantitative Lead Simone Jackson, PhD Qualitative Lead Tiffany Ricks, PhD Community Engagement Lead Tiffany Ricks, PhD Background: • PhD in Nursing, University of Texas at Austin (2013) • 10+ years of experience in research, evaluation and policy work • Certified MEASURE Educator for MEASURE Austin Areas of Expertise: • Equitable and culturally-responsive evaluation • Community activism & collaboration • Qualitative/mixed-method research Study Design RESEARCH • EVALUATION • SURVEYS • TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE www.dir-online.com Mixed-Methods Approach Landscape Analysis Focus Groups Caregiver Survey Interviews and family well-being. . Theoretical Framework Equity & Other Contextual Factors Community Resource & Supports Socioeconomic Need Caregiver Mental Health Quality of Life Adapted from the Family Stress Model: • Explains how stressors like poverty impact family function • Links parental stress to child and family well-being • Highlights pathways of risk and resilience in families. • Guides targeted support and intervention efforts Research Questions 1. What are the key social and economic challenges and needs affecting quality of life for families with young children? 2. How do the needs and resources of families differ by demographic characteristics and geography? 3. How do families perceive and experience the impact of institutional policies, practices, and resource allocation on their quality of life? 4. What do families perceive as the power dynamics and differentials in Austin? Current Activities RESEARCH • EVALUATION • SURVEYS • TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE www.dir-online.com Community Outreach & Engagement • Conducting direct outreach to local organizations • Engaging potential participants about their interest in the study and potential study topics • Attending local events to promote the study Community Outreach & Engagement • Community Organizations • El Buen, United Way, Family Connects, Black Men’s Health Clinic, AVANCE, Texas Association of Promotores & Community Health Workers, UT Austin School of Nursing, Austin Urban League and others • Events • Dinner & Learn with Austin Urban League (3/27) • Citywide Maternal Health Equity Collaborative Meeting (4/3) • Central TX Food is Medicine Summit …
EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 14, 2025 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025 The Early Childhood Council convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at City Hall, Board & Commission Room #1101, 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Hamilton called the Early Childhood Council Meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Hamilton, Vice Chair Menard, and Members Freeland, Latham-Sikes, McIllwain, McNary, Navarro, and Rivas Board Members in Attendance Remotely: No members attended remotely Staff in Attendance: Caitlin Oliver and Alejandra Mireles PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. Barbara Grant Boneta, Director of the Austin/Travis County Success By 6 Coalition invited Early Childhood Council (ECC) members to help schedule and attend meetings the coalition plans to have with City Council offices to discuss the fiscal year 2026 budget. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on April 9, 2025 The minutes from the meeting on 4/9/2025 were approved unanimously on Member Freeland’s motion and Member Navarro’s second, on a 7-0 vote. Vice Chair Menard was absent at the time of the vote. DISCUSSION ITEMS EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 14, 2025 2. 3. Updates from Korey Darling, Division Director of the Research & Planning Division at Travis County Health and Human Services, regarding implementation of the voter-approved child care and out-of-school time initiative Korey Darling presented updates on Travis County’s plans for procuring services and the implementation timeline for the voter-approved child care and out-of-school time fund, including staffing, setting up a community advisory council, short-term investments, and phased solicitations for services. ECC members discussed short-term investment priorities and community engagement. Chair Hamilton invited the strategic advisor for this initiative to attend ECC meetings once they are hired. Presentation from Decision Information Resources (DIR) regarding current activities and next steps for the quality-of-life study of Austin’s families with young children DIR research team members, including Dr. Kathy Buek, Quantitative Lead; Dr. Tiffany Ricks, Community Engagement Lead; and Dr. Tiara Jackson, Project Director, presented updates on the progress of the quality-of-life study of Austin’s families with young children. The presentation topics included an overview of the study design, project timeline, …
REGULAR MEETING of the EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL APRIL 9, 2025, 9:00 A.M. CITY HALL, BOARD AND COMMISSION ROOM #1101 301 WEST SECOND STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Early Childhood Council may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Caitlin Oliver, Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health, at 512-972-6205 or Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Cathy McHorse, Chair Brooke Freeland Chloe Latham-Sikes Andrea McIllwain Alice Navarro Ellana Selig Choquette Hamilton, Vice Chair Eliza Gordon Cynthia McCollum Brianna Menard Hilda Rivas AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on March 12, 2025 2. 3. 4. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS Conduct officer elections for the positions of the 2025 Early Childhood Council chair and vice chair DISCUSSION ITEMS Presentation from David Feigen, Director of Early Learning Policy at Texans Care for Children, regarding the potential impact of the 89th Texas Legislative Session on the early childhood sector Presentation from the Housing Department regarding the City of Austin’s application process for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants Presenters: • Rocio Pena-Martinez, Grants Program Manager, Housing Department • Leslie Boyd, Grants Program Manager, Austin Public Health • Julie Smith, Engagement Specialist, Housing Department 5. Updates from the Early Childhood Council Quality-of-Life (QoL) Study Workgroup regarding the previous meeting with the study researcher 6. Updates from the March Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting STAFF BRIEFINGS 7. Briefing from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health (APH), regarding the Week of the Young Child; Public Health Week; the Family-Based Child Care Tour of Homes; and updates from related local early childhood groups such as Child Care Regulation FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are …
Discussion on community needs and spending priorities for the FY 25-26 Action Plan for federal grants. Agenda Federal Grants Overview FY23-24 Goals, Outcomes & Impact Community Engagement Background Continuing the dialouge: FY25-26 Priorities The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocates entitlement funding to municipalities and state governments. The City of Austin applies for approximately $14 million in annual grant entitlements across four grants for affordable housing, community development, economic development, and public services. These grants are part of a 5-year cycle. Consolidated Plan (5-Year) Allocates federal resources to housing and community development Action Plan (1-Year) Summarizes actions, activities and federal/non- federal resources in the Consolidated Plan Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) (1-Year) End-of-year report on progress toward consolidated plan 3 HUD Funding Sources 4 Programs & Activities Overview FY 23-24 5 Goals & Outcomes FY 23-24 6 Who Did We Serve? Fiscal Year 22-23 Snapshot 1,856 # households served FY 23-24 Source: City of Austin FY 23-24 CAPER Who Did We Serve? Fiscal Year 22-23 Snapshot 1,856 # households served FY 23-24 Source: City of Austin FY 23-24 CAPER Who Did We Serve? Fiscal Year 22-23 Snapshot 2024 Median Income for family of 4: $126,000 Source: City of Austin FY 23-24 CAPER How do we fund our programs? HUD Annual Entitlement Grants Housing Trust Fund Approved City Bonds City Operating Budget Project Connect Anti-Displacement Funds 2024 Community Needs Assessment Feedback immediate help stability trust building wealth access 11 2024 Community Needs Assessment Feedback from Boards & Commissions Early Childhood Council Transparency & Accountability What is the total funding for housing programs? What has changed since you came to us last? How are you holding partners accountable? Outreach and Engagement How are you reaching our community? Data and Impact How great is the need? How are you serving our community? Funding Possibilities Programs and projects specific to each community Disappointment and Distrust More questions than input Calls for accountability The council members expressed concern about decreased funding and the impact on households. They stressed the need for a singular point of access and wanted to know what was being done to address this need. Council members asked if funds could be used to repair and enhance homes that serve as childcare facilities and encouraged policy change to make that possible. 2024 Community Needs Assessment Feedback Data and Impact Transparency Outreach to vulnerable communities Progress and Commitments …
December 2024 Policy Recommendations to Support Texas Children During the 2025 Legislative Session During the 2025 legislative session, state lawmakers will have the opportunity to make significant headway on challenges facing Texas kids and families. Certain issues have emerged as higher profile priorities for this particular session, including funding public schools, improving access to high-quality child care, and ensuring that kids who are already eligible for health coverage are able to sign up. There are also opportunities to continue making real progress on persistent challenges that the Legislature has chipped away at in recent sessions, including maternal health, children’s mental health, Early Childhood Intervention for toddlers with disabilities, safely reducing the number of kids entering foster care, and supporting kids who do enter foster care. Finally, as the Legislature aims to improve early learning, legislators need to pay particular attention to students with disabilities, emergent bilingual students, and pre-k students. Fortunately, this session, the Legislature will have access to significant revenue, specific high-impact policy proposals to address these challenges and opportunities, and advocates ready to work with them. This agenda provides a high-level overview of those recommendations. We look forward to working with legislators and Texans from across the state to make these proposals a reality for Texas kids. 1 Texans Care for Children Early Learning Increase access to high-quality early learning programs that help young children thrive, including emergent bilingual students and children with disabilities. Improve access to high-quality child care. • Invest state funding to provide more child care scholarships through the Texas Workforce Commission’s Child Care Services (CCS) program. • Include the children of child care educators on the priority list for CCS scholarships. • Provide grants that address shortages of infant care, care for children with disabilities, nighttime care, child care deserts, and other high-need areas. • Ensure Local Workforce Boards have flexibility to provide reimbursement rates to Texas Rising Star programs at the state’s established rate for the provider’s quality. Increase funding for public education, including dedicated funds for high-quality pre-k in schools and community-based pre-k partnerships. Strengthen early learning opportunities for three and four-year-olds with disabilities by addressing unintended funding gaps in Early Childhood Special Education and ensuring children with IEPs are eligible for Texas pre-k. Leverage the recommendations from the state’s Teacher Vacancy Taskforce and Emergent Bilingual Strategic Plan to recruit more certified bilingual educators, increase the number of effective dual language programs, …
EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES APRIL 9, 2025 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2025 The Early Childhood Council convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at City Hall, Board & Commission Room #1101, 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair McHorse called the Early Childhood Council Meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair McHorse, Vice Chair Hamilton, and Members Freeland, Latham-Sikes, McCollum, McIllwain, Menard, and Rivas Board Members in Attendance Remotely: No members attended remotely Staff in Attendance: Caitlin Oliver, Rachel Farley, Donna Sundstrom, Cindy Gamez, Julie Smith, Rocio Pena-Martinez, Leslie Boyd, and Alejandra Mireles PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. There was no public comment. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on March 12, 2025 The minutes from the meeting on 3/12/2025 were approved unanimously on Member Menard’s motion and Member McCollum’s second, on an 8-0 vote. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Conduct officer elections for the positions of the 2025 Early Childhood Council chair and vice chair EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES APRIL 9, 2025 Dr. Choquette Hamilton was approved as chair and Brianna Menard as vice chair on Chair McHorse’s motion and Member McCollum’s second, on a unanimous 8-0 vote. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. Presentation from David Feigen, Director of Early Learning Policy at Texans Care for Children, regarding the potential impact of the 89th Texas Legislative Session on the early childhood sector Chair McHorse and Member Freeland presented a brief overview of the Texans Care for Children early childhood policy priorities for the current Texas legislative session, as David Feigen was unable to attend the meeting. Members discussed state legislation related to early childhood that they are tracking. Presentation from the Housing Department regarding the City of Austin’s application process for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants Presenters: • Rocio Pena-Martinez, Grants Program Manager, Housing Department • Leslie Boyd, Grants Program Manager, Austin Public Health • Julie Smith, Engagement Specialist, Housing Department Rocio Pena-Martinez and Leslie Boyd presented information on the City’s process for applying for HUD formula grants and updates from the fiscal year 2023-24 funding goals, outcomes, and impact. …
REGULAR MEETING of the EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MARCH 12, 2025, 9:00 A.M. PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ROOM #1401/1402 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Early Childhood Council may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Caitlin Oliver, Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health, at 512-972-6205 or Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Cathy McHorse, Chair Eliza Gordon Andrea McIllwain Alice Navarro Ellana Selig Choquette Hamilton, Vice Chair Cynthia McCollum Brianna Menard Hilda Rivas AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers to register prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on February 12, 2025 DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Presentation from Heather Petruzzini, Executive Director of the Office of Teaching, Learning, & Leading at Austin Independent School District (AISD), regarding AISD’s early learning initiatives Updates from Mariano Herrera, Acting Executive Director of Child Inc, and Beverly Davis, Head Start Director, regarding Child Inc’s priorities, plans, and challenges Discuss nomination process for 2025 Early Childhood Council officers Update from Hilda Rivas regarding Travis County community input sessions for the voter-approved child care and out-of-school time care initiative Updates from the Early Childhood Council Quality-of-Life (QoL) Study Workgroup regarding the next meeting with the study researcher Updates from the February Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting regarding the City of Austin budget process and JIC budget recommendations STAFF BRIEFINGS Briefing from Adrienne Sturrup, Director of Austin Public Health (APH), regarding the APH Integrated Bond Development Briefing from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health (APH), regarding the Home Grown grant for home-based child care providers; and updates from related local early childhood groups such as Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children and Child Care Regulation FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal …
Joint Inclusion Committee Budget Process Update Art in Public Places: La Mujer by J Muzacz/Caminos Internship Program, 2022 FY26 BUDGET TIMELINE POLICY INPUT FORECASTING & BUDGET DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL DELIBERATION & ADOPTION NEW FISCAL YEAR MARCH 31 APRIL 8 JULY 15 JULY 23 JULY 29 JULY 31 AUG. 5, 7 AUG. 13-15 OCTOBER 1 Board & Commission Recommendations Due Financial Forecast Presentation to Council City Manager’s Proposed Budget Presentation Work Session Work Session Public Hearing and Work Session Work Session Budget Readings & Tax Rate Hearings First Day of the Fiscal Year MAR APR JUL AUG OCT BOARDS & COMMISSIONS BUDGET PRIORITY SURVEY COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS OCT. 1 – SEP. 30 2 BIENNIAL BUDGET PLANNING AND ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS • Starting with the FY 2024-25 budget, the City adopted a structurally balanced, biennial budgeting approach. • Previously, unmet departmental needs were reviewed annually, but now enhancements are planned for the following fiscal year. • For example, during the FY 2025-26 budget process, most enhancements will be considered for FY 2026-27. • Details of the FY 2025-26 Proposed Budget and FY 2026-27 enhancement requests will be available when presented to City Council on July 15, 2025. 2/26/2025 3 BUCKETS NOT VENDORS • Focus on desired outcomes rather than specific vendors when making recommendations. • For example, suggesting that HR implement a paperless timesheet system sets a clear goal without prescribing a provider. • In contrast, recommending $1 million for ABC Enterprises to develop the system restricts management’s flexibility and undermines the competitive purchasing process. • Evaluate whether current programs or services need enhancements to ensure more equitable service delivery. 2/26/2025 4 BUDGET RECOMMENDATION ONLINE FORM • Boards and Commissions are requested to complete an online form after submitting their budget recommendations. • This form allows commissioners to specify which recommendations they want included in the budget development process. • Only one commissioner needs to complete the form, and multiple submissions are allowed. • Access the form here. • For any technical issues or questions, please contact Blake Johnson at blake.johnson@austintexas.gov. 2/26/2025 5 WHAT HAPPENS AFTER RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUBMITTED? • Recommendations are assigned to the appropriate departments, which then draft responses and assess whether their existing budget can address the issues raised. • Common themes among the recommendations are identified and presented to city leadership alongside other public engagement findings. • Some recommendations require more time for detailed responses, so the Budget Public Engagement …
