Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 10, 2025 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2025 The Early Childhood Council convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at City Hall, Board & Commission Room #1101, 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Hamilton called the Early Childhood Council Meeting to order at 9:09 a.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Hamilton, Vice Chair Menard, and Members Freeland, Latham-Sikes, McCollum, McIllwain, Navarro, Rivas and Sears 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. Yvette Cardenas from the Austin Independent School District (AISD) gave public comment regarding the district’s pre-K enrollment numbers and the Apple Blossom Pre-K 3 initiative. Madison Mattise gave public comment regarding Workforce Solutions Capital Area’s child care scholarship waitlist and the child care quality dollars proposal. Cyndy Karras from the Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC) gave public comment regarding monthly accreditation meetings for educators and the TXAEYC conference in November. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Childhood Council Regular Meeting on August 16, 2025 The minutes from the meeting on 8/16/2025 were approved unanimously on Member Navarro’s motion and Member McIllwain’s second, on a 9-0 vote. STAFF BRIEFINGS EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 10, 2025 2. Briefing from Caitlin Oliver, Austin Public Health (APH), about the Austin-Travis County Family Child Care Educator Network 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 Caitlin Oliver, staff liaison, shared updates about Family, Friend and Neighbor Appreciation Week and United Way for Greater Austin’s/ Success By 6 Coalition’s Early Care and Education Landscape Survey. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. Updates from the August Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting Member Navarro shared updates about the Joint Inclusion Committee’s discussion about language access at board and commission meetings. Members asked the staff liaison to explore opportunities to expand language access at meetings. Updates regarding the implementation of the Travis County voter-approved Child Care and Out- of-School Time (CCOST) initiative Laura Olson gave public comment on behalf of Go Austin/Vamos Austin, asking the Early Childhood Council to support funding from the Travis County CCOST initiative for home- based child care and for child care scholarships for children enrolled in the program at the Dove Springs Public Health Facility. Ann Eaton and Cindy Gamez of the Economic Development Department gave updates regarding ongoing discussions between the City of Austin and Travis County about an interlocal agreement related to the CCOST funding. Member Rivas, the Travis County ECC appointee, shared a high-level overview of the current CCOST activities, the development of the community advisory board, and progress toward short-term investments. Presentation from Trudy Taylor Smith, Senior Administrator of Policy and Advocacy at Children’s Defense Fund-Texas, regarding the impacts of immigration enforcement on Austin- area families Trudy Taylor Smith presented about federal policy shifts related to immigration, recent immigration enforcement activities locally, and how the Children’s Defense Fund-Texas is seeing these policies and activities impact Austin-area families and children. Presentation from Decision Information Resources (DIR) regarding the initial findings of the quality-of-life study of Austin’s families with young children Dr. Tiara Jackson from DIR presented an overview of the results from the survey and focus groups related to Austin families’ health, housing/neighborhoods, employment, EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 10, 2025 finances, childcare, and parenting support. Jackson also shared recommendations to improve the quality-of-life of Austin families. Alejandra Mireles from the Office of Equity and Inclusion shared updates on plans to meet with City departments about the results of the quality-of-life studies. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Members listed the following future agenda items: • Discussion and possible action related to the Go Austin/Vamos Ausin public comment regarding the CCOST initiative • Discussion of the final report from the quality-of-life study for Austin’s families with young children Chair Hamilton adjourned the meeting at 10:39 a.m. without objection. The minutes were approved unanimously at the October 8, 2025, meeting on Member Latham- Sikes’s motion and Member McCollum’s second, on a 9-0 vote.