• Delaware Early Childhood Council

    The mission of the Delaware Early Childhood Council (ECC) is to promote the development of a comprehensive and coordinated early childhood system, birth to eight, which provides the highest quality services and environment for Delaware’s children and their families. The Delaware ECC was codified in 2007 in Title 14, Chapter 30 of the Delaware Code. It was amended June 2010 in HR 470 (Section 1 Amendment 1703(n) Title 14. Delaware ECC By-Laws

    Meetings

    Please e-mail Tina Shockley to be added to the council mailing/meeting notification list. Previous year meeting information, including agendas and minutes, are available upon request by contacting early.learning@doe.k12.de.us or calling 302-735-4295.

    2020 Meeting Schedule

    January 29, 2020 - Agenda

    March 26, 2020

    May 6, 2020

    July 29, 2020

    September 23, 2020

    November 10, 2020

    2019 Meeting Schedule and Minutes

    January 30, 2019 - Agenda and Final Meeting Minutes

    May 8, 2019 - Agenda and Final Meeting Minutes

    July 31, 2019 - Agenda and Final Meeting Minutes

    September 18, 2019 - Agenda and FINAL Meeting Minutes

    November 13, 2019 - Agenda and FINAL Meeting Minutes

    December 18, 2019 - Agenda and Draft Meeting Minutes

                                      DHSS - Strategic Plan Initiative  - Give Your Feedback 

                                      PDG Strategic Plan - Strategic Approaches

      

    Subcommittees

    The Delaware ECC is comprised of the following committees:

    Healthy Children and Families Committee

    Chair: Leslie Newman, Children & Families First

    DHSS Staff: Crystal Sherman

    OEL Staff: Debra Taylor

    Key Responsibilities: Identify strategic priorities for healthy young children & families based on the overall strategic plan for the Delaware Early Childhood Council, and recommend strategies for new program development or continuous improvement of existing programs and services. Review and recommend periodic program evaluations. Identify opportunities for cross-system collaboration and coordination to improve services, leverage funds, or create new funding sources for early health initiatives. Work in collaboration with the EIEIO, a sub-committee of the Healthy Young Children & Families Committee, to identify strategies to support high-quality inclusive early childhood opportunities.

    Most recent meeting agenda and/or minutes posted here

    Early Learning Programs & Workforce Committee

    Chair: Julie Johnson, Tender Loving Kare

    OEL Staff: Christina Koutsourades

    Goals: Identify strategic priorities, based on the overall Delaware Early Childhood Council Strategic Plan, to raise the quality and retention of early learning programs and practitioners for young children and families. Recommend strategies for new program development or continuous improvement of existing programs and services. Review and recommend periodic program evaluations. Identify opportunities for cross-system collaboration and coordination to improve services, leverage funds, or create new funding sources for early learning initiatives. Advise and monitor implementation of the state’s Strategic Plan for Professional Development and bring updates and issues forward to the full Council.

    Most recent meeting agenda and/or minutes posted here

    Early Learning Data & Policy Committee

    Chair: Madeleine Bayard, Rodel Foundation of Delaware

    OEL Staff: Caitlin Gleason

    Key Responsibilities: Monitor federal and state and legislative, regulatory and policy activities relating to DECC’s mission. Identify and recommend strategies, based on the overall Delaware Early Childhood Council Strategic Plan, to maximize legislation, regulations and policies to facilitate the fulfillment of DECC’s mission. Inform and engage Council members and the stakeholder community concerning relevant legislative, regulatory and policy activities. Ensure that Council members possess the requisite knowledge and skills to advocate on relevant issues. Promote coordination across agencies and programs contributing early childhood data to federal and state reports and plans. Identify standard data reports necessary to advance Delaware’s early learning system. Provide feedback on current data exchanges, data processes, data quality, and data utilization.

    Most recent meeting agenda and/or minutes posted here

    Early  Childhood Inclusion Committee

    Chair: Dr. Kimberly Brancato, Appoquinimink Preschool Center

    OEL Staff: Cindy Brown

    Key Responsibilities: To collaborate across early childhood programs to support high quality inclusive early childhood opportunities; Increase public awareness regarding inclusion; Develop materials to educate and support early childhood inclusion; Share and disseminate recent research

    Most recent meeting agenda and/or minutes posted here 

    Annual Reports

    Delaware's strategic plans for a comprehensive early childhood system.

    Committee Members

    The Delaware ECC requires specific committee members, as determined by Title 14, Chapter 30 § 3003 of the Delaware Code. Committee members and the legislative designation they represent are listed below:

    Center-based early care and education providers
    Cheryl Clendaniel, The Learning Center 
    Vacant

    Family-home based early care and education provider
    Carrette Monsanto

    Parent
    Tanisha Merced

    Delaware Head Start/Early Childhood Assistance Program
    Heidi Beck, New Directions Early Head Start

    Early care and education resource and referral agency
    Leslie Newman, Children and Families First

    Advocacy organizations focused on children's health and well-being
    Kelli Thompson, Nemours Children's Health System
    Katherine "Kate" Rudolph, Delaware Academy of Pediatrics

    Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children
    Dr. Michelle Shaivitz, Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children

    District superintendent  
    Dolan Blakey, Ed. D., Colonial School District

    Higher Education representative and P-20 Council member
    Elizabeth Ritchie, Delaware Technical Community College

    Business community representative
    Olivia Gatewood, JP Morgan Chase & Co.

    Community members
    Michelle Wall, Appoquinimink School District
    Madeleine Bayard, Rodel Foundation

    General Assembly
    Debra Heffernan, State Representative

    The State Director of Head Start Collaboration
    Debra Taylor, Department of Education, Head Start Collaboration Office

    Delaware Department of Health and Social Services
    Gabriela Kejner, Chief of Staff

    Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families
    Meredith Seitz, Chief Policy Advisor

    Delaware Department of Education
    Kimberly Krzanowski, Executive Director, Office of Early Learning

    Council Members, Ex Officio: 

    For more information about the Delaware ECC, email early.learning@doe.k12.de.us or call 302-735-4295.
Last Modified on Wednesday at 9:15 AM