EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL NOVEMBER 10, 2021, 8:30 A.M. CITY HALL, BOARD AND COMMISSION ROOM #1101 301 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS AGENDA CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first five speakers who register to speak no later than noon the day before the meeting will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES from October 13, 2021, meeting 2. NEW BUSINESS AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS a. Policy Work Group proposed actions i. Vote on memo to Workforce Solutions Capital Area regarding child care ii. Vote on recommendation to City Council regarding child care scholarship scholarship system system iii. Vote on recommendation to City Council regarding federal child care funding b. Joint Inclusion Committee updates- Raul Alvarez i. Review and provide comments on the draft list of priority issues for the Joint Inclusion Committee. (Action) ii. Decide if the ECC wants to hold a budget hearing on early childhood issues in early 2022. (Action) c. Approve 2022 Early Childhood Council meeting calendar 3. STAFF UPDATES a. COVID-19 updates b. KinderCare at Bergstrom Tech updates FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS a. Census data trends b. Update about Head Start from Child Inc c. Child care staffing shortage in Austin 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 call Caitlin Oliver, Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health, at 512-972-6205 or email: Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Early Childhood Council, please contact Caitlin Oliver, Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health, at 512-972-6205 or email: Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov.
REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, October 13, 2021 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MINUTES The Early Childhood Council (ECC) convened on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. Board Members in Attendance: Chair McHorse; Vice Chair Worthington; Members Hosking Pulido, Gordon, Alvarez, Wren, Huston, Schennum, Paver, Bliss Lima, Hedrick, and Conlin Staff in attendance: Caitlin Oliver, Rachel Farley, and Donna Sundstrom CALL TO ORDER – Chair McHorse called the meeting to order at 8:39 a.m. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL – No citizen communication 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES from September 8, 2021, meeting – Member Hedrick moved to approve the minutes. The minutes were approved by a vote of 9-0 2. NEW BUSINESS AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS a. 2022 Early Childhood Council meeting calendar Staff liaisons Farley and Oliver shared considerations for keeping the ECC regular meetings on the second Wednesday of the month at 8:30 a.m. for 2022. If the ECC were to schedule evening meetings for 2022, it may be more difficult to hold meetings at City Hall because many other Boards and Commissions have evening meetings. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ECC considered a calendar with 2 evening meetings at locations that would be more convenient for community participation following requests for evening meetings from community organizations. Right now, all attendees must be in-person to participate. However, there is a City Council meeting agenda item to ask the City Manager to offer virtual options for Boards and Commissions meetings. Member Wren asked about having an ECC committee or workgroup meet in the evenings to get more community engagement. Member Gordon shared that the community engagement work group meets virtually from 3:30-4:40 p.m. If the ECC were to create a committee that would meet regularly, then the committee would need to post meeting agendas. Chair McHorse suggested that the staff liaison confirm the rules for committees and workgroups and whether there are virtual options for committee meetings. She also suggested meeting in the evening for April, which is also the Month of the Young Child, and in August, because that is the month that the ECC meeting typically not able to meet at City Hall on Wednesday morning due to City budget meetings. All other months, the ECC would keep meetings at 8:30 a.m., the second Wednesday of the month. Members supported having two evening meetings and for having one meeting in North Austin and one south. Staff liaison agreed to type up a proposed ECC 2022 …
Early Childhood Council DRAFT 2022 Proposed Calendar of Regular Meetings The ECC will meet on the second Wednesday of the month in 2022, except for in April and August when the ECC will meet on a different day of the week. There will not be meetings in July or December. Date Time Location * January 12 8:30 a.m. City Hall, Room 1101 (pending confirmation) February 9 8:30 a.m. City Hall, Room 1101 (pending confirmation) March 9 8:30 a.m. City Hall, Room 1101 (pending confirmation) April 12 ???? p.m. TBD May 11 June 8 July – No meeting 8:30 a.m. City Hall, Room 1101 (pending confirmation) 8:30 a.m. City Hall, Room 1101 (pending confirmation) August 13 ???? a.m. TBD September 14 8:30 a.m. City Hall, Room 1101 (pending confirmation) October 12 8:30 a.m. City Hall, Room 1101 (pending confirmation) November 9 8:30 a.m. City Hall, Room 1101 (pending confirmation) December – No meeting * Locations subject to change, and will be listed on posted agendas and available on the Early Childhood Council page: http://austintexas.gov/ecc.
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Early Childhood Council 20211110-002aii: Recommendation about Child Care Scholarship System WHEREAS the Early Childhood Council is charged with developing, 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; and developing, for recommendation to city council, strategies encouraging individuals and agencies to continually improve the quality of their services for young children; and WHEREAS In April and May of 2021, the Early Childhood Council (ECC) of the City of Austin heard from parents, child care providers, and community members about challenges they have faced successfully navigating the child care subsidy system; and WHEREAS the Early Childhood Council shared these concerns with Workforce Solutions (WFS) Capital Area Child Care Program Staff, and WFS staff graciously led a presentation and discussion at the August 2021 and September 2021 ECC meetings; and WHEREAS the Early Childhood Council is interested in collaborating with Workforce Solutions Capital Area to support efforts to engage with community members and to create systemic improvements in the administrative processes that establish eligibility, initial enrollment, and recertification as well as addressing client/provider questions; an WHEREAS the Early Childhood Council has shared the attached memo with the Executive Leadership at Workforce Solutions Capital Area; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Early Childhood Council encourages the Austin City Council explore mechanisms for tracking these concerns and potential resolutions through City contracts with Workforce Solutions Capital Area. These could include as an example, establishing performance measures for customer service metrics and/or staff participation in training. Date of Approval: _____________________________ Record of the vote: Attest: _____________________________________________
DRAFT To: Workforce Solutions Capital Area From: City of Austin Early Childhood Council Introduction In April and May of 2021, the Early Childhood Council (ECC) of the City of Austin heard from parents, child care providers, and community members about challenges they have faced successfully navigating the child care subsidy system. The ECC shared these concerns with Workforce Solutions (WFS) Capital Area Child Care Program Staff, and WFS staff graciously led a presentation and discussion at the August 2021 and September 2021 ECC meetings. As a result of these discussions, the Early Childhood Council is interested in collaborating with Workforce Solutions Capital Area to support efforts to engage with community members and to create systemic improvements in the administrative processes that establish eligibility, initial enrollment, and recertification as well as addressing client/provider questions. The ECC Council members acknowledge that WFS, as part of a state system, has to accommodate state and federal administrative burdens. We appreciate how the agency is trying to provide high quality services with limited resources, and want to lend our voice and efforts to collaborate on problem solving. Background: According to the Early Childhood Council Bylaws, the Council is responsible for recommendations to Austin City Council including the following: ● 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; ● develop, for recommendation to city council, strategies encouraging individuals and agencies to continually improve the quality of their services for young children; As part of these responsibilities, the ECC launched a Community Engagement & Partnerships Work Group to build authentic, two-way paths of communication between the greater Austin community and the ECC in order to strengthen the policy and advocacy work of the ECC and amplify community voice and perspectives. The Work Group launched efforts in 2020 to hear directly from the community about their specific needs. In April 2021, the ECC Community Engagement and Partnerships Work Group heard from parents, child care providers, and community members about challenges they faced trying to navigate the child care subsidy system. In May 2021, the full ECC heard a presentation from community members about their concerns and experiences with the subsidy system. In addition, some written testimonials were submitted. A copy of this presentation and additional testimony is included in Attachment A. Concerns raised by community …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Early Childhood Council 20211110-002aiii: Addressing the need for improvement in early childcare in Austin WHEREAS, the high cost of living and operating in Austin has been straining the childcare industry for years, even before COVID-19, making the operation of high-quality childcare in Austin nearly impossible; and WHEREAS, for many years, much of Austin has fallen into a category best described as a "High quality Child-Care Desert1," where demand for affordable high-quality childcare far exceeds available options; and WHEREAS, despite significant investments of local relief funding, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the already under-resourced and fragile childcare industry in Austin; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin Strategic Direction identifies equitable access to quality Early Childhood Education as a priority under Economic Mobility and Affordability with the number and percentage of children enrolled in quality Early Childhood Education programs (as evidenced by meeting Texas Rising Star criteria) metric as one of the Council’s top 10 indicators; and WHEREAS, young children in the City of Austin who are unable attend high-quality programs and public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic may carry the consequences of that gap in support for years to come and may need intensive supports to close gaps in academic and cognitive development quickly when the COVID-19 pandemic is resolved; and WHEREAS, legislation passed through the U.S. House of Representatives, and currently under review in the Senate (colloquially known as the "Build Back Better" reconciliation bill) would dramatically increase funding for child care and Pre-K. WHEREAS, the state of Texas would receive funding through this initiative based on an allotment determined by the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act. Ultimately, over the life of 1 https://childrenatrisk.org/childcaredesertmap/ A TRS4 Star Child Care Desert refers to an area where there are less than 35 TRS4 Level child care seats for 100 children of working parents. this legislation, Texas would be required to provide matching funds, and as such, Texas may "opt out" of this program. WHEREAS, if the state of Texas does not "opt-in" to receive these funds, the proposal only provides for limited, competitive grants that cities and counties could apply for, in relatively small proportion compared to the full funding that states would receive if they "opt-in" to the program. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Early Childhood Council encourages the Austin City Council to direct state lobbying efforts to petition the state for adoption …
Tamara Atkinson, CEO, Workforce Solutions Capital Area Melanie Flowers, Board Chair, Workforce Solutions Capital Area November 12, 2021 To: From: City of Austin Early Childhood Council Introduction In April and May of 2021, the Early Childhood Council (ECC) of the City of Austin heard from parents, child care providers, and community members about challenges they have faced successfully navigating the child care subsidy system. The ECC shared these concerns with Workforce Solutions (WFS) Capital Area Child Care Program Staff, and WFS staff graciously led a presentation and discussion at the August 2021 and September 2021 ECC meetings. As a result of these discussions, the Early Childhood Council is interested in collaborating with Workforce Solutions Capital Area to support efforts to engage with community members and to create systemic improvements in the administrative processes that establish eligibility, initial enrollment, and recertification as well as addressing client/provider questions. The ECC Council members acknowledge that WFS, as part of a state system, has to accommodate state and federal administrative burdens. We appreciate how the agency seeks to provide high quality services with limited resources, and want to lend our voice and efforts to collaborate on problem solving. Background: According to the Early Childhood Council Bylaws, the Council is responsible for recommendations to Austin City Council including the following: ● 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; ● develop, for recommendation to city council, strategies encouraging individuals and agencies to continually improve the quality of their services for young children; As part of these responsibilities, the ECC launched a Community Engagement & Partnerships Work Group to build authentic, two-way paths of communication between the greater Austin community and the ECC in order to strengthen the policy and advocacy work of the ECC and amplify community voice and perspectives. The Work Group launched efforts in 2020 to hear directly from the community about their specific needs. In April 2021, the ECC Community Engagement and Partnerships Work Group heard from parents, child care providers, and community members about challenges they faced trying to navigate the child care subsidy system. In May 2021, the full ECC heard a presentation from community members about their concerns and experiences with the subsidy system. In addition, some written testimonials were submitted. A copy of this presentation …
