REGULAR MEETING of the EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MARCH 20, 2024, 9:00 A.M. PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ROOM #1406 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 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 Alice Navarro Corie Cormie Choquette Hamilton Maggie Jaime Casie Schennum Leonor Vargas John Green-Otero, Vice Chair Brianna Menard Eliza Gordon Tom Hedrick Cynthia McCollum 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. 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on February 14, 2024 APPROVAL OF MINUTES STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Updates from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health, regarding a planning grant from Home Grown to build a comprehensive network for local child care home providers and SX6 FBCC Workgroup Tour of Family Based Homes on April 20 DISCUSSION ITEMS Updates from the Quality-of-Life Study Workgroup regarding the vendor approval timeline Discussion about ECC officer nominations process Presentation from Margo Kinneberg, Senior Projects Manager at United Way for Greater Austin (UWATX), regarding the Austin Children’s Funding Project Workgroup DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS Discussion to approve a recommendation regarding early childhood investments for the FY 2024-25 City budget Discussion to appoint an ECC member to serve as liaison to the Success By 6 (SX6) Coalition Leadership Team 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. For more information on …
Building Comprehensive Networks Initiative Home Grown will be accepting applications for the third cohort of our Building Comprehensive Networks Initiative. The Building Comprehensive Networks initiative seeks to support state and local governments and their partners as they build or expand upon publicly-financed comprehensive networks to support home-based child care (HBCC) providers. Comprehensive networks are the connective tissue that joins individual HBCC providers to each other and to system infrastructure, including funding and policy. Regardless of the entity type, comprehensive networks are durable infrastructure that are positioned to tackle the big issues facing our home- based child care sector: quality; sustainability; provider well-being; and connecting providers and families to additional services. Overview of the Building Comprehensive Networks Initiative Benefits: government partners participating in the Home Grown initiative are eligible for: ● Flexible planning grants of $20,000 to support implementation planning ● Support of an expert Planning Navigator from Home Grown ● Monthly Learning Community with fellow states and local government agencies on topics including: the Network Benchmarks and Indicators, provider leadership & leadership team; theory of change; comprehensive network hub structure/model; programs & tools; evaluation. ● Access to guidance documents and resources, including implementation plans, compendium of programs and tools, evaluation toolkit, and more. ● Upon successful completion of the planning period, opportunity to apply for additional implementation funds. Timeline ● November- December, 2023: information sessions to help government agencies and partners assess whether this initiative is a fit for them and determine if they wish to apply and participate. ○ Please register for and attend one of the following: ■ Wednesday, November 15th, 11:00am-12:00 pm Eastern ■ Friday, December 1st, 12:00-1:00pm Eastern ○ Participants will receive an application after attending an information session ● January 15, 2024: applications due to Home Grown ● February 5, 2024: partner selection announced ● March 1, 2024: signed MOUs due; receipt of $20,000 planning grant upon signature ● March-October 2024: implementation planning; support from Planning Navigators; ● November 2024: submit application to Home Grown for implementation funds (up to Learning Community meetings $75,000 per year for two years) ● January 2025- December 2026: implementation period (contingent on approval) Interested to learn more? Register for one of the information sessions: November 15th or December 1st. Or email karen@homegrownchildcare.org with any questions.
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Early Childhood Council 20240320-06: Budget Recommendation Regarding Current Early Childhood Investments WHEREAS, in the City of Austin, 31% of children under age 6 live in households with low income; and WHEREAS, 90% of the children in households with low income under age 6 are children of color; and WHEREAS, decades of research prove that disadvantages begin the moment children come into the world because children born into poverty and children of color are disproportionately born early, at low- birth-weight, or with chronic illnesses, and are less likely than their peers to be ready for, or successful at school; and WHEREAS, current City investments in early childhood programs align with the goals and strategies of the Austin/Travis County Success By 6 Strategic Plan – a robust, data-driven community strategic plan designed to coordinate efforts, improve child and family outcomes as well as build more efficient and coordinated systems for equitable access; and WHEREAS, the federal, state, and local economic recovery funds invested in early childhood systems and programs are expiring in 2024, including essential worker wage stipends for the early childhood workforce; and WHEREAS, Child Care Scholarship programs through Workforce Solutions Capital Area are at capacity, enrollment is closed, no new funding is available at this time, and as of March 2024, the estimated amount of time a family applying for a scholarship at that time will likely remain on a waitlist before they could expect to be outreached for enrollment is 24 months; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin’s recently announced Infrastructure Academy is intended to expand the region’s skilled trade sector and access to child care is an obstacle for the existing workforce, including the skilled trades; and WHEREAS, the Early Childhood Council has had input from Success By 6, The Children’s Funding Project Workgroup, and GAVA, all calling for significantly increased local government investment in the Childcare sector, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Early Childhood Council recommends that the City of Austin maintain all current investments in early childhood programs and infrastructure, including but not limited to: ● APH Staff: $171,000 for 2 FTE staff focused on early childhood programs and services ● Social Service Contracts: $13,352,165 to six agencies to provide early childhood services, including early childhood education, infant and early childhood services, and early childhood education quality improvement, for a 12-month term through March 30, 2025, and four 12-month extension options ● …
To: From: Memo: Date: City of Austin Early Childhood Council Austin/Travis County Success by Six Coalition (SX6) SX6 City of Austin FY 2025 Budget Recommendations March 13, 2024 SX6 Goal: All children enter kindergarten happy, healthy, and ready to succeed in school and in life. SX6 is grateful to the City of Austin for prioritizing early childhood through COVID Relief Funds and policy implementation. In the last year, this included: implementing property tax abatement for eligible child care providers through Proposition 2; easing parking restrictions and zoning bylaws to relieve barriers for child care expansion; creating a grant program to help cover the cost of City permitting fees; and including child care as a central component of the Infrastructure Academy. These policies will play a critical role in supporting working parents, providing stability for our youngest, most vulnerable children, and enhancing the early childhood education sector. Austin/Travis County SX6 Coalition’s City of Austin budget recommendations are rooted in equity, data-driven, and aligned with City of Austin priorities. We recognize Austin may experience a budget deficit in FY25 so our recommendations do not ask for increased funding and we encourage maintaining funding levels for existing initiatives. Maintain funding levels for: ● APH Staff: $171,000 for 2 FTE staff focused on early childhood programs and services ● Social Service Contracts: $13,352,165 to six agencies to provide early childhood services, including early childhood education, infant and early childhood services, and early childhood education quality improvement, for a 12-month term through March 30, 2025, and four 12-month extension options. ● Start-up costs for PreK classrooms: $128,000 for six classrooms; one-time cost per ● KinderCare at Bergstrom Tech’s Lease: Annual funding for operating expenses for city classroom funded early childhood facilities ● Maternal and Infant Outreach Program Consider new investments On the horizon Incorporating an annual cost of living adjustment for all social service contracts ● ● Family Connects: Continue in-kind support and look for opportunities to extend the $2 Million in ARPA funding once that investment ends on Dec. 31, 2024. ● Matching funds of $75,000 per year in 2025 and 2026 per the required match to philanthropic funds for the implementation phase of the Home Grown Initiative grant with the City of Austin. ● Support for a dedicated revenue stream to fund the strategies outlined by the Children’s Funding Project Taskforce, which included subsidizing birth-age-three contract slots, expanding the supply of non-traditional hour …
Answers to ECC Budget Workgroup questions Updated 3/19/2024 1. Is there usually demand for 8 pre-K classrooms? Are there ever issues with being able to use up these funds? And if there were extra funds, could they go to Pre-K partnerships? There was only one year during the pandemic in which the City had trouble finding districts that could use all of these funds. That year, we provided funds for classroom supplies to PKP classrooms through UWATX by adding the funds into the City’s exis�ng ARPA agreement with UWATX. If there were an issue being able to use the funds in a given year, we would likely need Council approval to use the funds for a different need/purpose. 2. What is the impact of each of the ARPA funded programs? How many people served, etc.? They are trying to understand the impact of not having this funding anymore. Child care In 2023, WFS used ARPA funds to provide child care for 189 unduplicated children. ARPA direct child care funds were focused on providing care for families needing con�nuity of child care to avoid disrup�ons in care, care for essen�al workers living outside of Aus�n Full Purpose area who were not eligible for other essen�al worker funding, and care for children aged three years and younger and their older siblings. 62% the families served within this funding were from single parent households. These funds prevented child care disrup�ons, reduced the number of families and children on the child care subsidy waitlists, improved access to early educa�on for these children, and helped their parents remain in the workforce. Premium pay essen�al worker wage s�pends 2022 - $2500 • 92 creden�aled child care teachers (AA, BA, or MA) • 29 teachers with CDAs • 137 non-creden�aled child care staff who work in high quality programs 2023 - $1200 • 343 non-creden�aled child care staff who work in high quality programs • (Note, in 2023, Workforce Solu�ons used other quality dollars – i.e. not ARPA funds – to provide premium pay wage s�pends to 81 creden�aled child care teachers and 20 teachers with CDAs.) A follow up survey was sent to the 2023 Jeanete Watson recipients in February. This included those who received addi�onal ARPA Premium Pay S�pends. Of the 212 recipients who completed the survey roughly 1 year from ini�ally applying for Jeanete Watson, 88% (187 out of 212 responses) reported s�ll being …
Strategies for Local Investment in Early Child Care Margo Kinneberg (United Way) on behalf of the Children’s Funding Project Work Group Austin Early Education Council • March 2024 Agenda 1 1. About the Children’s Funding Project Cohort 2. Additional Background 3. The Case for an Investment in Early Child Care 4. Policy Proposal: Four Investment Strategies 5. Cost of Implementation 6. Administration and Governance 7. Next Steps Strategies for Local Investment in Early Child Care Children’s Funding Project Work Group | 2024 About the Children’s Funding Project Cohort 2 • CFP is a national nonprofit that helps communities expand equitable opportunities for children and youth through strategic public financing. • 17+ months in a cohort of municipalities nation -wide • Austin Work Group comprises members of City and County agencies, elected officials and their staff, WFS Capital Area, United Way for Greater Austin, and additional child care stakeholders Strategies for Local Investment in Early Child Care Children’s Funding Project Work Group | 2024 Additional Background 3 • 35+ years of community engagement Success by 6 Coalition, Austin Early Childhood Council • Lessons learned from the pandemic and ARPA investments • Urban Institute study on nontraditional hour care and subsequent pilot • CFP Cost Modeling Strategies for Local Investment in Early Child Care Children’s Funding Project Work Group | 2024 The Case for a Significant Investment in Child Care 4 • Workforce • Affordability • Accessibility • School Readiness • Market Failure • Equity • Social Returns “The business model for child care, which is a market-based system, is broken.[….] Bottom line – it is almost impossible to deliver sustainable, high-quality, full-day, year-round child care for infants and toddlers at a price that families can afford or are willing to pay.” - “Child Care and Economic Development,” TXP, Inc. (Dec 2023) Strategies for Local Investment in Early Child Care Children’s Funding Project Work Group | 2024 Recommended Investment Strategies 5 We propose four strategies to stabilize the industry and increase access to affordable, high quality child care for families in our community: 1. Subsidize birth through age 3 contracted slots 2. Expand nontraditional hour care 3. Build quality and capacity 4. Create a business-government alliance Strategies for Local Investment in Early Child Care Children’s Funding Project Work Group | 2024 Strategy One: Subsidize Birth through 3 Contracted Slots 6 • What are contracted slots? Guaranteed capacity • P a y for …
EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 20, 2024 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024 The Early Childhood Council convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at Permitting and Development Center, Room #1406, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, in Austin, Texas. Chair McHorse called the Early Childhood Council Meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair McHorse, Vice Chair Green-Otero, and Members Cormie, Gordon, Hamilton, Hedrick, McCollum, Menard, Navarro, and Vargas Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Staff in Attendance: Caitlin Oliver, Donna Sundstrom, Cindy Gamez, and Rachel Farley 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 February 14, 2024 The minutes from the meeting on 2/14/2024 were approved on Vice Chair Green-Otero’s motion and Member Hamilton’s second, on an 8-0 vote. Members Navarro and McCollum not present at time of the vote. STAFF BRIEFINGS EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES 2. MARCH 20, 2024 Updates from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health, regarding a planning grant from Home Grown to build a comprehensive network for local child care home providers and SX6 FBCC Workgroup Tour of Family Based Homes on April 20 Caitlin Oliver, staff liaison, gave the following updates: • The Austin application for the Home Grown Building Comprehensive Networks cohort was accepted. APH will be receiving $25,000 in planning grant funds. Once the planning grant period is over, the City would be eligible to apply for the implementation grant funds in November, which would require matching funds from the City. More information is in the one-pager posted as backup. • The Success By 6 Coalition’s Family-Based Child Care Workgroup, or FBCC Workgroup, is hosting a Tour of Child Care Homes on Saturday, April 20, from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. The tour gives child care workers & local leaders the opportunity to visit four home care providers and learn more about various programs. Participants will receive a certificate with four hours of professional development credit. The tour is free of cost. Spaces are limited, register by next Monday, March 25, 2024. • The Week of the Young Child is April 6-12. Council Member Fuentes …
