Strengthen Early Childhood Council

Section 1. Section 483-g of the social services law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2016, amending the social services law relating to codifying the early childhood advisory council, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.7427-A and A.9902-A, is amended to read as follows:

§ 483-g. Early childhood advisory council. 1. There is hereby established within the council an early childhood advisory council to promote a comprehensive and high quality early childhood system. Members of the early childhood advisory council shall be appointed by the governor and shall include, but not be limited to, to the maximum extent possible:

(a) a representative of the office of children and family services;

(b) a representative of the state education department;

(c) a representative of local educational agencies;

(d) a representative of institutions of higher education in the state;

(e) a representative of local providers of early childhood education and development services;

(f) a representative of head start agencies, including migrant and seasonal head start programs and Indian head start programs;

(g) the director of the head start collaboration office;

(h) a representative from the department of health;

(i) a representative of the office of temporary and disability assistance;

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD07074-01-7

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(j) a representative of the office of mental health;

(k) a representative of the office for people with developmental disabilities;

(l) a representative of the empire state development corporation;

(m) a representative of the division of the budget;

(n) at least five representatives of the business community; and

(o) representatives of other entities determined to be relevant by the governor.

2. The governor shall also designate the two chairpersons to the early childhood advisory council.

3. The early childhood advisory council shall, in addition to any responsibilities assigned by the governor:

(a) conduct a periodic statewide needs assessment concerning the quality and availability of early childhood education and development programs and services for children from birth to school entry, including an assessment of the availability of high-quality pre-kindergarten services for low-income children in the state;

(b) identify opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration and coordination among federally funded and state funded child development, child care, and early childhood education programs and services, including collaboration and coordination among state agencies responsible for administering such programs;

(c) develop recommendations for increasing the overall participation of children in existing federal, state, and local child care and early childhood education programs, including outreach to underrepresented and special populations;

(d) develop recommendations regarding the establishment of a unified data collection system for public early childhood education and development programs and services throughout the state;

(e) develop recommendations regarding statewide professional development and career advancement plans for early childhood educators in the state;

(f) assess the capacity and effectiveness of two-year and four-year public and private institutions of higher education in the state toward supporting the development of early childhood educators, including the extent to which such institutions have in place articulation agreements, professional development and career advancement plans, and practice or internships for students to spend time in a head start or pre-kindergarten program;

(g) develop and implement strategies to engage business and civic leaders and organizations in early learning planning and advocacy at the state and local level;

(h) increase business, civic and public awareness of the importance of early childhood education, including, but not limited to, the distribution of literature through mail or online, organizing of meetings and events to promote the cost benefit of investments in learning and the hosting of an annual economic summit on early childhood investment;

(i) develop recommendations for increasing public-private investments in early childhood and strategies for maximizing resources; and

(j) make recommendations for improvements in state early learning standards and undertake efforts to develop high-quality comprehensive early learning standards, as appropriate.

[3.] 4. Members of the early childhood advisory council shall serve on workgroups tasked with implementing the duties required pursuant to subdivision [two] three of this section. Such workgroups may be established as needed, provided however that there shall be a permanent early

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learning investment workgroup focused on implementation of, at a minimum, the duties described in paragraphs (g), (h) and (i) of subdivision [two] three of this section. Membership of the early learning investment workgroup shall include, but not be limited to, representatives of the business community appointed to the council in accordance with paragraph (n) of subdivision one of this section.

[4.] 5. The early childhood advisory council shall hold public hearings and provide an opportunity for public comment on the activities described in subdivision [two] three of this section.

[5.] 6. The early childhood advisory council shall submit a statewide strategic report addressing the activities described in subdivision [two] three of this section to the director of the head start collaboration office, the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the temporary president of the senate. After submission of a statewide strategic report, the early childhood advisory council shall meet periodically to review any implementation of the recommendations in such report and any changes in state and local needs.

§ 2. Section 2 of a chapter of the laws of 2016, amending the social services law relating to codifying the early childhood advisory council, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.7427-A and A.9902-A, is amended to read as follows:

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately, provided that on the effective date of this act incumbent members and co-chairs of the early childhood advisory council shall continue to serve in their respective roles.

§ 3. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2016, amending the social services law relating to codifying the early childhood advisory council, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.7427-A and A.9902-A, takes effect.