Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, March 11, 2026 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2026 The Early Childhood Council convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Hamilton called the Early Childhood Council Meeting to order at 9:03 a.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Hamilton, Vice Chair Menard, and Members Alvizo, Freeland, McCollum, McIllwain, McNary, and Sears Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Members Cárdenas, Latham-Sikes, Navarro and Rivas PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Denisse Baldwin, representing United Way for Greater Austin, provided public comment on the Success By 6 Coalition plans for the Week of the Young Child and a coalition meeting in April. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Child Council Regular Meeting on February 11, 2026. The minutes from the Early Childhood Council regular meeting on February 11, 2026, were approved on Vice Chair Menard’s motion, Member McNary’s second, on a 9-0 vote. Members Alvizo, Cárdenas, and McCollum were absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Approve a recommendation to City council to maintain early childhood investments in the fiscal year 2027 budget. Katie Magner and Flor Dary Mejia, representing Todos Juntos, provided public comment on the need for affordable child care. Member Freeland presented the draft fiscal year 2027 budget recommendations. The recommendation was approved on Member Freeland’s motion, Member McNary’s second, on a 9-0 vote. Member Alvizo abstained. Chair Hamilton recused. Member Cárdenas was absent. 1 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, March 11, 2026 DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Presentation from Communities in Schools of Central Texas (CIS) about the ASPIRE Program and the results from an economic mobility study released by Harvard EdRedesign. Presentation by Lauren Woods, CIS Chief Student Success Officer. Lauren Woods presented an overview of the ASPIRE family literacy program and the CIS Integrated Student Support model. Pre-K enrollment and classroom update from by Yvette Cárdenas, Austin Independent School District (AISD) Executive Director of Academic Programs. Yvette Cárdenas presented the Pre-K program locations for the upcoming school year. Raising Travis County implementation updates from Hilda Rivas, Travis County Health & Human Services Research & Planning Division Senior Planner. Hilda Rivas provided updates on Raising Travis County (RTC) community engagement opportunities and the impact to date of child care scholarship and child care gap funding that has been released through the RTC fund. Updates from the February Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting. Member McNary provided updates on the Joint Inclusion Committee meeting. Nomination process for 2026 Early Childhood Council officers. Chair Hamilton explained the process for electing an Early Childhood Council chair and vice chair each April. The members approved Vice Chair Menard to gather officer nominations to bring forward at the April regular meeting without objection. STAFF BRIEFINGS 8. Austin Public Health update about the National League of Cities Prenatal-to-Three Impact Laba and updates from related local early childhood groups such as Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, Success By 6 Coalition, Child Care Regulation, and Workforce Solutions Capital Area. Caitlin Oliver provided an update on the City of Austin’s participation in the National League of Cities Prenatal-to-Three Impact Lab. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Members listed the following future agenda items: • Discussion about social service contract rubric • Presentation and discussion about Austin ISD Early Head Start and Head Start Chair Hamilton adjourned the meeting at 10:15 a.m. without objection. The minutes were approved at the April 8, 2026, meeting on Member Latham-Sikes’s motion, Member McNary’s second on a 10-0 vote. 2