EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL Wednesday, March 11, 2020, 8:30 a.m. City Hall, Board and Commission Room #1101 301 West Second Street, Austin, Texas AGENDA Members: Raul Alvarez, Chair (Rentería, D3) Cathy McHorse, Vice Chair (Tovo) Johanna Hosking (Adler) Eliza Gordon (Harper-Madison, D1) Matt Worthington (Garza, D2) Sebastian Wren (Casar, D4) Aletha Huston (Kitchen, D5) Rebecca Harrison (Flannigan, D6) Rhonda Paver (Pool, D7) Ashley Bliss Lima (Ellis, D8) Mary Jane Burson (Alter, D9) Ami Cortes-Castillo (Austin ISD) Anna Lisa Conlin (Travis County) CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers signed up 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. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: January 8, 2020 regular meeting minutes 2. PRESENTATION a. Success By 6 (SX6) Leadership Team early childhood policy agenda- Brooke Freeland, Consultant, United Way for Greater Austin 3. NEW BUSINESS AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS: a. Vote to recommend Council add a representative from the ECC to the Joint Inclusion b. Policy work group update on boards and commissions budget community engagement c. Vote to recommend Council encourage Austin ISD (AISD) to fund teaching assistants for Pre- d. Vote to recommend Council direct the estimated $3 million in new property tax revenue from the “Mañana Fund” to early childhood initiatives e. Vote to recommend Council maintain funding for Parent Support Specialists within AISD at Committee meetings K classrooms the current level f. Community Partnership and Engagement work group next steps g. Success By 6 Mayor and Council office visits about early childhood issues h. Week of the Young Child updates (April 13-17) 4. STAFF BRIEFING- Rachel Farley, Austin Public Health a. Time, location for April 1, 2020, and September 9, 2020, ECC meetings b. Updates on child care centers on City of Austin leased/owned properties 5. RELATED GROUPS (As needed) a. Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children b. Child Care Licensing c. Child Inc. d. E3 Alliance e. Workforce Solutions FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Next Meeting- 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 1, 2020, Uphaus Early Childhood Center, 5200 Freidrich Lane, Austin, TX 78744- Presentation by Neighborhood Housing and Community Development; last opportunity for ECC to make budget-related recommendations Possible presentations to schedule: City of Austin Consultant exploring Economic Development Corporations Family Connects Head Start/Early Head Start Austin ISD teen parent program and …
EARLY CHILDHOOD ONLY 34 % of children under four from households with low income are receiving any early learning services at all. There is a gap between our community needs and service capacity. We have many more children who are at risk and eligible for early childhood services than our funding and programs can serve. 90% of children under six from households experiencing poverty are children of color. FUNDING GAP Austin/Travis County investments are lagging those of other communities. SX6 AND 2-GEN BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS Aligning with City Strategic Direction 2023 Goals • Hire one new FTE staff member at Austin Public Health to support Early Childhood initiatives. ($95,000 annual cost) o Bolsters early childhood integration within all relevant city departments including Quality of Life Commissions (Parks and Rec, Library, the Health Department and Schools, etc.) to improve coordination, planning service implementation and capacity building. o Demonstrates a strong public/private partnership by helping the community meet a required matching grant as part of $425,000 philanthropic investment by the Pritzker Children’s Learning Initiative. o From 1995 – 1999, the City had three staff members focused on early childhood. In 2000, budget cuts eliminated two of those positions. Since 2000, only one staff member – a program coordinator – has focused on early childhood. • Preserve Parent Support Specialists (PSS) funding within AISD ($1,290,000 annual cost) o PSS empower parents to become active participants in the education of their children. They develop and promote inclusive Family-Friendly Schools. Instrumental in creating a strong connection between the school, City and County departments, and community service providers using a coordinated integrated services model approach that improves the quality of life of families. o In 2018–2019, PSS provided services to 11,223 students’ parents, families or guardians, of whom 66% had students at elementary grade levels. o PSS organize and/or conduct classes, trainings, and workshops to support parent education and life skills. Last year, AISD families participated in 3,339 of these events at 70 schools. o Using a combination of federal, district, and city funding, AISD employs PSS in 60 Title I schools. The majority are elementary schools. • Recommend the estimated $3M in new property tax revenue from the “Manana Fund” be directed to early childhood initiatives as outlined in Resolution #20190620-089. o Funding will help scale proven and effective programs aimed at improving access and quality and advance coordination and navigation for families and service providers. …
EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, March 11, 2020 The Early Childhood Council (ECC) convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at City Hall. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Alvarez, Vice Chair McHorse, Members Gordon, Conlin, Burson, Hosking, Cortes-Castillo, Wren, Bliss Lima Staff in attendance: Rachel Farley, Estella Kirscht, Donna Sundstrom, Cindy Gamez, Michelle Rodriguez, Mary Jamsek CALL TO ORDER: Chair Alvarez called the Meeting to order at 8:34 a.m. INTRODUCTIONS - ECC members and guests introduced themselves CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: Amy Kidwell – Effective March 1 Child Care Licensing has changed their name to Child Care Regulation; implemented new minimum standards curriculum, monthly training, 25 people training at a time but need space for additional training, with the idea to branch out to other areas; Unregulated Unit is working to send message to parents all over Texas about choosing regulated care, the State gave 28 positions across the state, with 23 already filled and have 5 more to fill Paola Ferate-Soto with Austin Public Library will pass on contact info for parent support specialists in schools to Chair Alvarez; asked about an interpreter for the April 1 meeting; Rachel Farley will ask Clerk’s Office for interpreter support DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST – N/A 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Member Conlin motioned and Member McHorse seconded to approve the January 8, 2020 Regular Meeting Minutes with no changes; minutes were approved unanimously. 2. PRESENTATION a. Success by 6 (SX6) Leadership Team early childhood policy agenda- Brooke Freeland, Consultant, United Way for Greater Austin- explained policy proposals aligned with Strategic Direction 2023, Travis County strategic plan, and 2-Gen strategic plan. Budgetary items proposed: o Add a full time employee focused on early childhood at Austin Public Health- early childhood has been understaffed for over 20 years o Preserve funding to AISD for Parent Support Specialists to support families and parents in 60 Title I schools, primarily elementary schools; AISD funds half, City funds other half o Manana Fund additional $3 million in new tax revenue to early childhood and other initiatives Non-budgetary items proposed o Encourage AISD to allocate funding to Pre-K teaching assistants to reduce teacher:student ratios o Economic Development Corporations (EDC)- opportunities for public-private partnerships to create revenue; City could purchase and rehab buildings; EDC could generate funds for early childhood education; City has hired a consultant to explore the possibilities o …
