i_i_schoolreadiness_2018a_2018-08-08t09:19:57z3 Hearing Summary

PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For UPDATE FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE

INTERIM COMMITTEE EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL READINESS
Date Aug 8, 2018
Location SCR 357

Update from Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance - Committee Discussion Only

Attachment Tag

File Name

Attachment

Attachment

Attachment

Attachment

11:52:07 AM

Liz Houston, Executive Director of the
Early Childhood Leadership Alliance (ECLA), came to the table along with
her colleagues, Stacy Petty and Heather Hanna, to begin her presentation.
They distributed several handouts to the committee [Attachments D
through G]. Ms. Houston talked about why early childhood is important,
and stated that investment in early childhood yields long-term returns.
She provided background information about ECLA and explained that
it is the association for Colorado's 34 Early Childhood Councils (councils).
She explained the purpose and mission of the councils, and about
the work ECLA is doing to evaluate the effectiveness of their information
campaigns including developing a tracking tool to measure and demonstrate
councils' common indicators and collective work across counties.

12:01:52 PM

Ms. Houston spoke about Colorado Shines
and the role that councils played in developing the Colorado Shines system.
She stated that ECLA's future goals are focused on getting more children
with high needs into quality early childhood education programs. Ms.
Petty, Director of the Rocky Mountain Region Early Childhood Council, spoke
about her council and about some of its successes and challenges. She
talked about collaborating with other groups and organizations in her region.
Ms. Houston stated that the purpose of the councils are to strengthen
and align resources in order to effectively serve young children, and to
increase and sustain the quality, accessibility, capacity, and affordability
of early childhood services for young children ages 0-5 and their families.
She told the members that there are 34 councils in Colorado, serving
61 of 64 counties, and explained that each council is locally-organized
and locally-governed. Ms. Houston answered questions about the intersection
between councils and FFN care.

12:12:39 PM

Ms. Houston spoke about the councils' funding
sources and main functions, which include: partnerships and engagements;
professional development and leadership; capacity building and sustainability;
advocacy and policy development; and grant and fiscal management. She
spoke about the Early Childhood Colorado Framework, and about the strengths
and challenges faced by councils since their development and implementation.

12:25:12 PM

Ms. Hanna answered questions from the committee
about the types of individuals and groups with whom councils are required
to have working relationships.

Update from Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance - Committee Discussion Only

Colorado General Assembly