Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 15, 2025 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2025 The Early Childhood Council convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at City Hall, Board & Commission Room #1101, 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair McHorse called the Early Childhood Council Meeting to order at 9:04 a.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair McHorse and Members Hedrick, McIllwain, and Rivas Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Vice Chair Hamilton and Members Gordon, McCollum, Navarro, and Schennum Staff in Attendance: Caitlin Oliver, Rachel Farley, Donna Sundstrom, Cindy Gamez, and Alejandra Mireles 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. Areana Gonzalez spoke about her experience as a family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care provider. Michael Nahas spoke about the Economic Prosperity Commission. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on November 13, 2024 The minutes from the meeting on 11/13/2024 were approved unanimously on Member Hedrick’s motion and Member McIlwain’s second, on a 9-0 vote. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS  EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES 2. Appoint Andrea McIllwain and Eliza Gordon to the Early Childhood Council Quality-of-Life (QoL) Study Workgroup Members McIlwain and Navarro were unanimously appointed to the ECC QOL Study Workgroup on Member McCollum’s motion, Vice Chair Hamilton’s second, on a 9-0 vote. JANUARY 15, 2025 DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. Presentation from UpTogether regarding their recent work in Austin and the organization’s fiscal year 2026 budget recommendation to City Council Presenter: • Meng Qi, UpTogether Southwest Partnership Manager Meng Qi presented information about the City of Austin partnership with UpTogether in 2022 on the guaranteed income pilot and information about the City of Austin’s $1.3 million investment in Family Stabilization Grants in fiscal years 2024 and 2025. Presentation from Austin Public Health and the Economic Development Department regarding the implementation of a network hub for home-based child care providers in Austin-Travis County Caitlin Oliver, ECC staff liaison, presented information about the City of Austin’s plans to launch a network for home-based child care providers in 2025. Presentation from Go Austin Vamos Austin (GAVA) regarding City of Austin investment in home-based relative (or FFN- Family, Friend, or Neighbor) child care for FY 2026 Presenters: • Michelle Mejia, Early Childhood & Family Health Lead Organizer • Monica Guzmán, Policy Director Monica Guzmán provided public comment related to FFN care. Michelle Mejia and Monica Guzmán presented information about FFN care, local data on FFN care, and GAVA’s fiscal year 2026 budget recommendations. 6. Presentation from the Success By 6 Coalition regarding budget recommendations for FY 2026 Presenter: • Barbara Grant Boneta, Director, Austin/Travis County Success By 6 Barbara Grant Boneta presented preliminary Success By 6 (SX6) Coalition early childhood budget recommendations. Final budget recommendations will be provided to the Early Childhood Council once SX6 leadership has discussed the recommendations. 7. Overview from the ECC Budget Workgroup of the Fiscal Year 2025 City of Austin budget process and discussion of potential ECC recommendations  EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 15, 2025 Member Tom Hedrick presented an overview of the Budget Workgroup’s thoughts about the budget recommendations and proposed next steps, including voting to approve ECC budget recommendations at the next meeting, on February 12, 2025. STAFF BRIEFINGS 8. Briefing from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health (APH), regarding 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 Caitlin Oliver, ECC staff liaison, shared an announcement from the Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children about the 2025 annual conference, on March 1st, which is now open for registration. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Members did not discuss future agenda items. Chair McHorse adjourned the meeting at 11:00 a.m., without objection. The minutes were approved unanimously at the February 12, 2025, meeting on Vice Chair Hamilton’s motion and Member McIlwain’s second, on a 9-0 vote.