Item 4- Draft recommendation to endorse the Austin Children's Funding Project Workgroup recommendations — original pdf

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BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Early Childhood Council 20240416-04 Endorsement of the Children’s Funding Project Workgroup Recommendations WHEREAS, in the City of Austin, 36% 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, 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 Urban Institute completed an analysis and set of recommendations regarding the dire lack of supply of nontraditional hour child care; 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 been presented a set of recommendations of the Children’s Funding Project Workgroup to alleviate low-income quality child care waiting lists; to expand nontraditional hours quality child care supply; to enhance the quality and capacity of family- based child care providers and to provide incentives for businesses to make child care more affordable to their employees, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Early Childhood Council recommends that the City of Austin endorse the strategies outlined in the white paper by the Children’s Funding Project Workgroup and encourages the City of Austin to pursue all options for implementing the recommendations.  Date of Approval: Record of the vote: Attest: ________________________________