REGULAR MEETING of the EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL NOVEMBER 13, 2024, 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 Corie Cormie Tom Hedrick Andrea McIllwain Alice Navarro Ellana Selig Choquette Hamilton, Vice Chair Eliza Gordon Cynthia McCollum Brianna Menard Casie Schennum 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 October 9, 2024 APPROVAL OF MINUTES DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Updates on the Affordable Child Care Now Coalition and Travis County Proposition A 3. 4. 5. 6. Presentation from the Early Childhood Council Quality-of-Life (QoL) Study Workgroup about the updated study timeline and scope Updates from the October Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting, including quorum of JIC representatives for budget season and promoting the JIC’s virtual Voices and Choices session on November 20, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS Overview of the Fiscal Year 2026 City of Austin budget process and action to appoint a FY26 budget workgroup STAFF BRIEFINGS 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, Austin ISD, 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 …
Program Name Description Agency FY24 Amount FY25 Amount Notes Austin Public Health Early Childhood Investments Table EDD Childcare Contracts - EDD General Fund Mainspring Magic Quality Investment Project This program expands the training and professional development opportunities offered to teachers to enable them to build skills and expertise in areas aligned with the three pillars of Mainspring's successful model - Innovative Learning, Health & Wellness, and the Whole Family Approach. Childcare for Black Mothers RISE will provide free or low-cost, short-term, culturally congruent, high-quality drop-in childcare, for Black mothers who are a part of the Black Mama’s Village in Central Texas for children 6 weeks through age 5. Drop- in care is a back-up childcare option for parents when they need temporary, short-term care. Rise Child Development Center Quality Childcare Collaborative (QC3) (includes Continuity of Childcare System Services) Programming to increase childcare quality, including Director Mentoring, CLASS Training, and the Jeannette Watson Wage Supplement Program; Temporary “bridge” funding for children in subsidized childcare who would otherwise be terminated or not enrolled due to federal funding rules. Workforce Solutions Capital Area Workforce Board Mainspring Schools $34,000 $71,400 This contract was first funded for 6 months in FY24 under a new award from the APH Early Childhood RFP. FY25 Includes a one-time 5% COLA of $3,400. $68,064 $142,933 This contract was first funded for 6 months in FY24 under a new award from the APH Early Childhood RFP. FY25 Includes a one-time 5% COLA of $6,806. $1,118,210 $1,174,121 FY25 Includes a one-time 5% COLA of $55,911 KinderCare at Bergstrom Tech Early Childhood Consulting Childcare Leadership Academy Rent and operating expenses (OpEx) for childcare program on City-leased property at Bergstrom Technology Center KinderCare $307,214 $304,188 Childcare consulting services $75,000 $75,000 Ginsberg Kershner & Associates Training for facility directors, assistant directors, and staff interested in leadership roles to develop leadership pipeline for childcare sector and improve center quality and stability. Raising Austin dba Together 4 Children $351,270 $351,270 EDD Workforce Development dollars Austin Public Health Early Childhood Investments Table Premium Pay Wage Stipends Wage stipends for qualified childcare staff, up to $2500/year to improve staff retention and care quality. $519,924 $480,076 Workforce Solutions Capital Area Workforce Board Total FY23 funding of $1M from EDD Workforce Development dollars; rolled into WFS ARPA contract. Amounts listed are balances utilized each fiscal year $2,473,682 $2,598,988 Program Name Description Agency FY24 Amount FY25 Amount Notes EDD Program Delivery …
Check In Commission on Aging, Early Childhood Council, & Commission for Women’s Quality of Life Studies October 23rd, 2024 - Equity Office — Introductions & Check In Discussion Topics 01 Researcher Update 02 Commissioner Update Combined Timelines Ways of partnering & participating 03 Equity Office Update 04 Next Steps Website & Update Page Undoing Racism Workshop & Meetings Researcher Updates Where are we now? Aging Outreach and Engagement Planning Women and Girls Interviewing Organizations and Preparing for Survey launch Families with Young Children Planning and Design Phase ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Identified 30 potential community partnership organizations with a focus on priority groups. Created a community partnership table to bring to organizations for a clear ask. Completed initial outreach on 10/22. Interviewed 4 of 10 community organizations, 2 upcoming Refining focus to organizations serving native language speakers: Arabic, Burmese, Hindi, Mandarin, Nepali, Spanish, Vietnamese Currently translating survey and consent forms Conducted an environmental scan of existing data/measures, key organizations, and gaps in knowledge Identified priority focus areas and research questions Identified relevant organizations needed for outreach and collaboration on data collection Upcoming Goals Aging Focus Groups: Scheduling and Recruitment Women and Girls Launch Surveys via Community Partners Finalize community partnerships by December. Translate flyers and recruitment materials. Schedule dates/times/locations of focus groups and confirm/train facilitators. Attend onsite programming at community partner locations (where feasible) to facilitate recruitment. Organizations interviewed to date are interested in sharing survey $25 Gift Cards for each individually completed survey Survey responses in 7 languages: Arabic, Burmese, Hindi, Mandarin, Nepali, Spanish, Vietnamese ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Families with Young Children Finalize Data Collection Instruments & Prepare for Outreach Finalize caregiver survey and obtain ECC approval by mid-November Draft interview and focus group guides by December Begin outreach to local organizations High-Level Timelines: Aging Focus Groups, Photovoice, and Survey Women and Girls Interviews w/Organizations, Surveys, World Cafe Conversations, Photovoice with Youth Families with Young Children Data Collection, Analysis, & Reporting ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● November–December: Community Partnership Building January: Focus Group Recruitment February–March: Host Focus Groups April–June: Survey and Photovoice July–August: Analysis September: Dissemination September - November: Interviews October - March: Survey Distribution January - March: ○ ○ ○ Survey Analysis World Cafe Conversation planning Photovoice planning March - May: World Cafe Conversation & Photovoice …
Quality of Life Study for Austin's Families with Young Children November 2024 Update Providing High Quality Research, Evaluation, & Technical Assistance for Making Informed & Equitable Decisions RESEARCH • EVALUATION • SURVEYS • TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE www.dir-online.com Agenda • Introductions • History of Study • DIR Updates: • Update on research activities • Theoretical Framework & Revised research questions • Recruitment update • Wrap-up/Timeline Review • Collaboration Across Three Quality of Life Studies – Early Childhood Council, Commission for Women, and Commission on Aging (also see PDF from Oct 23rd Meeting) • Commissioner Questions History • Joint Inclusion Committee requested funding for the five Quality of Life Commissions who had not conducted a study in 2022. $1.2 million was included in the 2023 City Budget. • Purpose: :Quality of life is living in a community that supports and empowers parents and other caregivers to raise healthy children in the best possible ways to thrive in childhood and adulthood and congruent with their own goals for their children. • Goals • Public policies/services that help or impede raising children • Produce actionable, specific recommendations • Provide a strength-based assessment of resources • Identify relevant city and county resources in power analysis Recent Activities • Study Design • Recruitment • Caregiver survey • Other activities • Re-reviewed literature to develop current framework • Revised research questions • Reviewed local organizational contacts given by ECC workgroup members • Began drafting recruitment materials • Started matrix of constructs and questions to include in survey • Collaborated with other QoL study teams • Attended Undoing Racism workshop Revised 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 socioeconomic needs relate to caregiver resources such as mental health and perceived social support? 3. How do the needs and resources of families differ by demographic characteristics and geography? 4. How do families perceive and experience the impact of institutional policies, practices, and resource allocation on their quality of life? 5. What do families perceive as the power dynamics and differentials in Austin? Mixed-Methods Approach Focus Groups Caregiver Survey Landscape Analysis Interviews Project Timeline Study Planning & Design Phase •Working group and stakeholder interviews •Landscape analysis and lit review •Develop data collection plan Data Collection Phase •Survey fielding •Conduct rolling interviews and focus groups October 2024 – January 2025 April – August 2025 …
