Getting to Know You

Preliminary report on input from Alameda County Early Care and Education Council

Steering CommitteeJuly 18, 2014

Purposes of the Survey

• Input on direction and topics the Planning Council should explore

• Input from Council members on their needs, wishes, and questions

• Input on Council members contributions to the Council• Assist Council and staff in planning for future

Timeline and Current Response

• May and June – surveys emailed and returned• July – phone interviews and preliminary analysis• July – August – finish interviews and final data

compilation/analysis• As of today, we have 19 responses (almost 2/3’s of

Steering Committee)• Will continue soliciting responses through July

A Few Findings• We asked 13 questions; not all respondents answered all; some

more than once• Questions focused on why, what, and how• Following slides show top responses on:

• What are important topics for Council over next two years, and what cross-domain work should we do

• Ways to pursue that work• What would you like to learn from the Council and contribute to work of the

Council

Areas of Importance – Next Two YearsCross Domain Work

• Public policy, legislation, advocacy• Improving quality in all programs/who is defining quality• ECE professional development• Work with Social Services, health (including toxic stress,

neighborhoods and housing) • Work with higher education• Work with public schools (e.g. align learning standards) and

Licensing• Work with economic development and family stabilization

How Best to Conduct Council Work

• Committees and short term workgroups/taskforces• Continue CLASS, QRIS, and other professional development efforts• Roundtable discussions on all services in order to collaborate and find

better services for families; help people think outside the “bucket syndrome”

• Change meeting times; post minutes from previous meetings; post agenda for new meetings; encourage every agency to send a representative

• Narrow down choices, develop goals and action steps• Plant seeds

What Do You Want to Learn From the Council

• Policy and funding 101: use charts and other visuals as well as text; include current policy issues, and how the puzzle works (17 requests)

• How to be a better advocate; how to make a difference; how to find out if we made a difference

• How other members’ work relates to mine• Resources

What you would like to “do” or contribute to the Council -- full list

• Support my colleagues; lead where I can• Always be present and available• Learn how to be a leader• Build relationships• Increase my knowledge and engagement• Freely express my views and be relevant in order to impact discussions• Help with strategic thinking• Participate in workgroups

Cont.• Work on professional development for teachers and administrators• Work with colleagues to align professional development opportunities• Provide outreach for Council; share with others and get their support

for the Council• Learn issues and concerns/local politics• Support state contractors• Look at licensing and how best to approach it• Partner with higher education

Cont.

• Support the gaps in resources; leverage resources• Find a way to provide more resources to immigrant

families, kids and families where ever they are• Work on mapping and analysis of cross domain data

(Social Services, ECE, child care, health, economic development, etc)

• Learn more, contribute more

Thanks and More to Come