In many states, advisory councils and taskforces represent a significant first step toward building a stronger early childhood system. Their work and recommendations are often needed to successfully address the broad array of issues involved in establishing effective state programs, including:
- program delivery and design;
- curriculum and standards;
- evaluation and quality assurance;
- coordination among existing and new programs;
- funding streams; and
- workforce development.
Though they vary from state to state, these councils typically involve senior state officials, including legislators and cabinet executives, as well as non-government stakeholders like parents, child care providers, K-12 representatives, business leaders, early childhood advocates, and college and university officials. Advisory councils serve a unique role in strengthening partnerships with the nonprofit and business communities. In many cases, meetings of the committees also provide an opportunity for public input.
In the 2007 Head Start reauthorization, Congress added a new provision requiring each governor to create or designate a State Advisory Council for Early Childhood Education and Care to better coordinate services. Each entity is required to conduct a statewide needs assessment and develop a plan to create a comprehensive system to serve children from birth to school age. In 2008, 31 states had some type of advisory committee on early education in place, and others are likely to follow given the new federal requirement and first-time, advisory-council funding included in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). In 2008, the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices released a
report highlighting the efforts of 12 states to plan the development and expansion of state advisory councils.
Recommendations
In order for the council to function well, it should have the right number of people; typically 10-15 is small enough to be manageable but large enough to bring diverse perspectives to the table.
- The council must include key stakeholders in order to be effective. Business leaders, pre-k providers, parents, the state early childhood specialist, state education and human services department leaders, Head Start collaboration coordinators, representatives from K-12 and higher education, legislators from both parties, and leaders from the child care community should all be considered.
- The council should have a clear charge with specific questions they should seek to answer. Their tasks should be neither too narrow nor too broad and must be accompanied by firm deadlines.
- The council must have a designated staffer; this person can be from the state agency that handles pre-k or from an outside group or agency.
Resources
As helpful as they may be, the process of setting up councils and to seize the opportunities offered by them can be daunting. These resources can help:
NEW! NGA's Center for Best Practices Issue Brief: Creating a Comprehensive State Early Childhood Advisory Council: This brief answers common questions about creating a new council or designating an existing entity to meet the requirements of the 2007 Head Start Act.
State Advisory Councils brief: This review outlines eight lessons learned from collaborative work in states and makes recommendations to Congress, the Secretaries of Education and Health and Human Services, governors, state legislators, state agency heads, local and municipal governments, parents, providers, and advocates.
Council planning template: This template provides states with helpful guidance for the formation of a council and serves as the basis for an application for federal funding of the council's work (as provided under the 2007 Head Start legislation).
NEW!
To learn more about specific advisory committees in various states, we recommend the following resources:
Federal Initiatives
Advisory Councils
