REGULAR MEETING OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2026, AT 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, contact Caitlin Oliver, 512-972-6205, Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Choquette Hamilton, Chair Delphi Alvizo Brooke Freeland Cynthia McCollum Craig McNary Hilda Rivas AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Brianna Menard, Vice Chair Yvette Cárdenas Chloe Latham-Sikes Andrea McIllwain Alice Navarro Eliza Sears 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. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on November 14, 2025. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Early Childhood Council bylaws revisions and 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. Briefing by Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health. 3. City of Austin early childhood budget updates. Briefing by Cindy Gamez, Austin Economic Development, and staff from Austin Public Health. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Presentation regarding the Infrastructure Academy’s goals and child care assistance. Presentation by Megan Fortson, Infrastructure Academy Senior Director, Workforce Solutions Capital Area, with updates from Ann Eaton, Austin Economic Development. 5. Updates from Hilda Rivas regarding the implementation of Raising Travis County. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. 7. 8. Possible action to appoint a fiscal year 2027 budget workgroup. Update from Alejandra Mireles, Austin Equity & Inclusion, regarding the final report of the quality-of-life study of Austin’s families with young children conducted by Decision Information Resources, Inc. (DIR). Possible ECC action to appoint a workgroup to guide next steps regarding report recommendations. Updates from the December Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting and possible action to appoint an alternate member of the Early Childhood Council to serve on the JIC. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT …
MEMORANDUM To: From: Date: Mayor and City Council T.C. Broadnax, City Manager December 17, 2025 Subject: Social Services Funding Update The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information to the Mayor and City Council about the social services contract budget. During the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Process and Adoption, a re- allocation of social services was approved. Director Kerri Lang informed Mayor and City Council that we would need to reduce the social services budget in Economic Development, Municipal Court/Community Court, and Public Health by 10% and re-allocate Homeless Strategies and Operations by 4%. As part of this adjustment, limited resources will be aligned with Homeless Strategies and Operations to address immediate operational requirements, while maintaining a balanced and coordinated approach across the full continuum of social service investments. The total General Fund social services contract budget for FY26 is $74.2M. The total reallocation of social services contracts for FY26 is $5,277,003. Below is the breakdown by department: Department Name Economic Development Homeless Strategies & Operations Municipal Court/Austin Community Court Public Health Total Amount Reduced/Reallocated $451,859 $1,457,200 $629,565 $2,738,379 $5,277,003 The attached Social Services Contract List shows each department’s contract list including vendor, program/project name, the original funding amount, reduced funding amount, and the new contract amount. As we start the process for the FY27 Budget Process, we anticipate a $16.8 million reduction to the social services contract budget. In addition to the contracts included in the social services contracts budget, we will conduct an inventory of all contracts and grants across all departments that provide social or community Date: Subject: December 17, 2025 Social Services Funding Update services and are funded by departments through their operating budget. Our goal is to: • Have a centralized record of all City funding that supports social and community services in the City of Austin. • Determine if we have any duplication of service(s) and/or can realize efficiencies by merging similar agreements. • Review the performance measures and return on investments. • Identify services that can be funded by other taxing entities and partners. Staff will provide an update at the Public Health Committee meeting held on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 10 a.m. We will begin our discussion with Mayor and City Council about the process for future potential reductions and have asked all council members to attend this meeting if their schedule will allow to start the discussion about priorities. …
Austin Infrastructure Academy Early Childhood Council Update MEGAN FORTSON, Senior Director, Austin Infrastructure Academy Megan.Fortson@wfscapitalarea.com 1 What is the Austin Infrastructure Academy (AIA)? AIA is a local coalition of partners in government, education, business, and the community working together to grow Austin’s workforce in construction, transportation, and other skilled trades. We connect local people to training and careers that power Austin’s growth—removing barriers so they can make a living, making Austin. What We Do: 1. Help employers find the workers they need 2. 3. Support people in building long-term careers Remove barriers like training costs, childcare, transportation, and gear 2 Austin Infrastructure Academy Stakeholders Job Seekers WFS CAPITAL AREA Convene and collaborate to build workforce INDUSTRY Inform skills needed & talent demand Austin Infrastructure Academy A local initiative that connects people to training and jobs in construction, transportation, and other skilled trades. EDUCATION/ TRAINING PROVIDERS Coordinate training the talent pipeline GOVERNMENT Align with city and county equitable growth goals COMMUNITY- BASED ORGS Enhance awareness and access to opportunity 3 Austin’s rapid expansion has sparked increased demand for new infrastructure development The rapid expansion of population and projects underscores the need for a robust Mobility + Infrastructure workforce, which can address Austin’s affordability challenges through good jobs and career pathways. Project Connect Airport & Convention Center Expansion IH-35 Expansion Samsung, Apple, Data Centers Tesla Gigafactory 4 Austin Infrastructure Academy Offerings Training Alignment Align training programs with in-demand skills and job sequencing, based on real- time needs identified by both job creators and job seekers Wraparound Services Offer childcare and other wraparound services to eliminate participation barriers Placement and Navigation Facilitate the matching of trained job seekers with job creators, improving navigation from training to job placement Recruitment Develop a robust, diverse talent pipeline with a recruitment focus on underserved Austinites Governance Set up a governance structure that reflects stakeholder input and ensures accountability to funders Impact and Evaluation Create an evaluation framework to assess the impact and outcomes of the Infrastructure Academy Sense of Belonging Establish a brand that fosters increased participation and funding while instilling a sense of belonging and pride 5 Child Care Support for Austin Infrastructure Academy Participants Training for your career shouldn’t mean choosing between work and family • Parents in Training/Earn-and-Learn/Job Placement Assistance are automatically eligible for child care assistance for 6 months • Funded by the Austin Infrastructure Academy via the City of Austin (No …
Update Quality of Life Study for Austin's Families with Young Children Early Childhood Council January 14, 2026 Alejandra Mireles Equity and Inclusion Program Coordinator Austin Equity and Inclusion – Equity Division Recap & Next Steps August 2025 October January 2026 March-May Data Collection Ends Vendors Update Departments Deliverables for Aging Workgroup Proofing Connecting and Communicating with Organizations (participating and non) Meet with Departments Launch Website AEI & Legal Proofing Deliverables Given for ECC and Women Studies Memo and Press Release for All Three Studies Commission Can Author Budget Recommendations Previous Drafts May be Shared November & December February Drafts Developed September Three Simultaneous Paths for Three Studies Insights from Partner Departments Publish Collaborate Commissions • Press Release & Temporary Website • Connect with Participants (past and new) • Launch Website • City Departments • Implementation • Update Website • Budget Recommendations • Communication to Council • Partner for Follow Up Questions and Gratitude Questions? More info: Alejandra Mireles alejandra.mireles@austintexas.gov 512-797-3375
