Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, May 13, 2026 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2026 The Early Childhood Council convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Hamilton called the Early Childhood Council Meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Hamilton, Vice Chair Freeland and Members Alvizo, Cárdenas, McIllwain, McNary, and Navarro Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Members Latham-Sikes, Rivas, and Sears PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Madison Mattise, representing Workforce Solutions Capital Area, provided public comment on child care quality initiatives planning. Cyndy Karras, representing Austin PBS and Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, shared information about educator resources. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Early Child Council Regular Meeting on April 8, 2026. The minutes from the Early Childhood Council regular meeting on April 8, 2026, were approved on Member McNary’s motion, Member Navarro’s second, on a 9-0 vote. Member Sears was absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Possible action to approve a recommendation to City Council regarding the social service contract rubric. Barbara Grant Boneta, representing the Success By 6 Coalition, provided public comment about early childhood social service contracts. The motion to approve the recommendation to Council regarding the social service contract rubric was approved on Member McIllwain’s motion, Member McNary’s second on an 8-0 vote. Member Sears was off the dais. Chair Hamilton abstained. 1 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, May 13, 2026 The following amendment was made by Vice Chair Freeland and seconded by Member McNary. The amendment was to add in paragraph 5: “Whereas, current City investments in early childhood programs align with the goals and strategies of the City’s Quality of Life Study for Austin's Families with Young Children, the GenATX initiative from the Office of the Mayor, the Austin Infrastructure Academy, Raising Travis County, and the Austin/Travis County Success By 6 Strategic Plan.” The amendment was approved on an 8-0 vote. Member Sears was off the dais. Chair Hamilton abstained. The following amendment was made by Vice Chair Freeland and was seconded by Member Alvizo. The amendment was to add: “Maintain funding for social service contracts as outlined in the Early Childhood Council’s budget recommendation adopted on March 11, 2026” immediately following the “Be it further resolved that the Early Childhood Council encourages the Austin City Council to:” statement. The amendment was approved on an 8-0 vote. Member Sears was off the dais. Chair Hamilton abstained. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. Presentation by United Way for Greater Austin regarding 2025 Early Childhood Landscape Survey Report. Presentation by Dr. Alison Bentley, Vice President of Impact, Data and Evaluation. Laura Olson, representing Go Austin Vamos Austin, provided public comment on the lack of local Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregiver data. Dr. Alison Bentley, United Way for Greater Austin, presented an overview of the findings from the Early Childhood Landscape Report. AISD Pre-K updates from Yvette Cárdenas, AISD Executive Director of Academic Programs. Yvette Cárdenas, Austin ISD, provided updates on Pre-K applications received by the district to date. Discussion about Austin’s Quality of Life Studies. Discussed. Raising Travis County implementation updates from Hilda Rivas, Travis County Health & Human Services Research & Planning Division Senior Planner. 2 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, May 13, 2026 Hilda Rivas provided updates on Raising Travis County (RTC) contracts, investments, and community engagement opportunities. 7. Updates from the April Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting. Member McNary provided updates on the Joint Inclusion Committee meeting. STAFF BRIEFINGS 8. 9. Staff briefing regarding Austin’s Quality of Life Studies. Presentation by Alejandra Mireles, Austin Equity and Inclusion Program Coordinator, and Jeremy Garza, Austin Equity and Inclusion Business Process Consultant. Alejandra Mireles and Jeremy Garza of Austin Equity and Inclusion presented the next steps for the recommendations in the quality of life study reports on families with young children, older adults, and women and girls. Updates from Austin Public Health related to the development of the 2026 General Obligation Bond Program 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. Briefing by Caitlin Oliver-McLaughlin, Austin Public Health. Rachel Farley, Austin Public Health, provided an update on the development of and the timeline of the 2026 General Obligation Bond Program. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Members listed no future agenda items. Chair Hamilton adjourned the meeting at 10:45 a.m. without objection. The minutes were approved at the June 10, 2026, meeting on Member McNary’s motion, Member Alvizo’s second on an 8-0 vote. 3