Early Childhood Policy Council
General Information
The Early Childhood Policy Council will elevate the needs of young children and their families as well as advise the Governor, Legislature and the Superintendent of Public Instruction on statewide early learning, care and child development. It will provide recommendations on all aspects of the state’s early childhood system, including support for the demographic, geographic and economic diversity of the state’s children and families and ways the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and the Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education’s final report can be updated and improved. It will hold at least four public meetings per year and prepare a formal annual report.
For more information, read the Early Childhood Policy Council press release.
Learn more about the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care.
For information regarding the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Birth Through Five, visit the PDG Website
For questions and inquiries, contact ECPC@dss.ca.gov.
2024 Meeting Dates
Early Childhood Policy Council
- February 28
- May 20
- August 13
- November 19
Meetings will be held 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific Time
Joint Meetings of the Parent and Workforce Advisory Committees
- June 27
- October 17
Meetings will be held 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific Time
Meeting Materials
August 13, 2024
- Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting Notice and Agenda
- Draft Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Policy Recommendations
- List of Council members attending this meeting remotely
- Welcome Presentation Slides
- Chapin Hall Presentation
- Mandated Reporting to Community Supporting
- Questions for Council
- Rate Reform
- Child Care Transition Report
June 27, 2024
- ECPC Joint Advisory Committees Meeting Agenda
- List of Committee members attending this meeting remotely
- Educational Enrichment Systems – Presentation
- UPK Guidebook – Presentation
- UPK Policy Recommendations June 27, 2024
- Pathways to Join California State Preschool Program (CSPP) Family Childcare Home Education Network (FCCHEN)
- Meeting Transcript
- Meeting Summary
May 20, 2024
- Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting Notice and Agenda
- Early Childhood Policy Council Draft Budget Letter – May 15, 2024
- List of Council members attending this meeting remotely
- CDSS Child Care Transition Report – Presentation
- UPK opening slide and Council questions
- Rate Reform – Presentation
- CDSS UPK – Presentation
- CDE UPK – Presentation
- 2024-25 CCDD May Revise Budget Update
- UPK Partnership Guidebook – Presentation
- San Diego COE UPK – Presentation
- Meeting Transcript
- Meeting Summary
February 28, 2024
- Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting Notice and Agenda
- List of Council members attending this meeting remotely
- Welcome and Introduction
- Child Care Transition Quarterly Report
- California Department of Education Updates
- Birth Equity in California
- Meeting Transcript
- Meeting Summary
December 21, 2023
- Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting Notice and Agenda
- Draft ECPC Budget Letter
- ECPC Rate Reform
- ECPC Budget Letter
- ECPC CCDF State Plan
- ECPC CDE Presentation on Community Schools
- ECPC Child Care Transition Quarterly Report
- Looking Ahead to 2024
- 2024 ECPC Suggested meeting topics
- Meeting Summary
November 16, 2023
- Nov 16 2023 ECPC joint advisory committees meeting agenda
- Presentation
- Transcript
- Past Meeting Materials
September 19, 2023
- Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting Notice and Agenda
- Child Care and Development Transition Update
- Child Care & Development Division
Rate Reform Update - Supporting Young Multilingual Learners and Their Families Presentation
- Supporting Young Multilingual Learners and Their Families California Department of Education Presentation
- Meeting Summary
August 29, 2023
June 20, 2023
- Meeting Agenda
- Welcome and Introductions – Presentation
- Stacy Lee Children Now – Presentation
- Racial Identity and the Developmental Considerations – Presentation
- Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health – Presentation
- Child Care Transition Quarterly Report – Presentation
- CDSS Child Care Licensing Program – Presentation
- California Department of Education Updates – Presentation
- Meeting Summary
March 30, 2023
- Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting Notice and Agenda
- ECPC Welcome and Introductions
- Child Care Transition Quarterly Report – Presentation
- California Department of Education Updates – Presentation
- Progress on the Master Plan for ELC – Presentation
- Meeting Summary
December 14, 2022
- Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting Notice and Agenda
- ECPC 2023-24 Draft Budget Letter
- ECPC 2023-24 Final Budget Letter
- Meeting Presentation
- Meeting Summary
December 6, 2022
September 14, 2022
August 31, 2022
- Parent Advisory Committee meeting Agenda – August 31, 2022
- ECPC Parent Advisory Committee meeting presentation
- Meeting Summary
July 19, 2022
June 21, 2022
January 25, 2022
January 19, 2022
November 16, 2021
Early Childhood Policy Council – November 9, 2021
Early Childhood Policy Council – November 3, 2021
Early Childhood Policy Council – August 25, 2021
- Agenda – August 25, 2021
- California State Government Action for Racial Equity – CCORE
- Equity in Early Education – CDE
- Child Care Transition Update – DSS
- Office of Equity – DSS
- Office of Health Equity – CDPH
- CA Start with Equity – Children’s Equity Project
- Meeting Summary
Early Childhood Policy Council – August 17, 2021
- Agenda – August 17, 2021
- First 5 CA Shared Services Presentation
- PDG B-5 and Shared Services Presentation
Early Childhood Policy Council – June 9, 2021
- Agenda – June 9, 2021
- 2021-2022 May Revision and Early Childhood
- Child Care and Development Transition Update
- Preschool Development Grant – R
- COVID-19 One Year Later: Results of a Birth-5 Parents Poll
- Meeting Summary
Early Childhood Policy Council – April 26, 2021
Early Childhood Policy Council – March 23, 2021
Early Childhood Policy Council – March 17, 2021
Early Childhood Policy Council – February 10, 2021
Early Childhood Policy Council – February 3, 2021
- Agenda – February 3, 2021
- January Budget – Presentation
- Child Care Development and State Fund – Presentation
- Child Care Transfer Update – Presentation
- Meeting Summary
Early Childhood Policy Council – December 10, 2020
- Agenda – December 10, 2020
- California for All Kids: Plan a great start for their future- and ours
- Meeting Summary
Early Childhood Policy Council (Special Session) – November 20, 2020
Early Childhood Policy Council – November 16, 2020
Early Childhood Policy Council – Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #2 – September 10, 2020
Early Childhood Policy Council – Workforce Advisory Committee Meeting #2 – September 9, 2020
- Agenda – September 9, 2020
- California’s Master Plan for Learning and Care
- Advancing Equity in the Early Care and Education Workforce
- Meeting Summary
Early Childhood Policy Council – August 24, 2020
- Agenda – August 24, 2020
- California’s Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five – Presentation
- California’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care – Presentation
- Meeting Summary
Early Childhood Policy Council – Workforce Advisory Committee Meeting #1 – August 6, 2020
- Agenda – August 6, 2020
- Workforce Advisory Committee Charter
- Workforce Advisory Committee Meeting – Presentation
- Early Childhood Policy Council: Workforce Session
- Meeting Summary
Early Childhood Policy Council – Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #1 – July 22, 2020
- Agenda – July 22, 2020
- Parent Advisory Committee – Presentation
- Early Childhood Policy Council: Parent Session
- Parent Advisory Committee Charter
- Meeting Summary
Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting #3 – June 8, 2020
Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting #2 (Special Session) – May 27, 2020
- Agenda – May 27, 2020
- Current and Budget Year Early Childhood Proposals – Presentation
- Meeting Summary
Early Childhood Policy Council Meeting #1 – April 2, 2020
Communications
Members
Early Childhood Policy Council
The Governor’s appointees are:
- Kimberley Johnson, Chair, California Department of Social Services;
- Mayra E. Alvarez, The Children’s Partnership;
- Kim Pattillo Brownson, The Ballmer Group;
- Lupe Jaime-Mileham, California Department of Social Services;
- Paula Merrigan, Castro Valley Unified School District;
- Scott Moore, Kidango;
- Sarah Neville-Morgan, California Department of Education;
- Carola Oliva-Olson, EDvance College;
- Cheryl Polk, Safe and Sound;
- Dean Tagawa, Los Angeles Unified School District.
The Senate’s appointees are:
- Robin Layton, Educational Enrichment Systems;
- Laura (Kay) Ruhstaller, Family Resource and Referral Center;
- Sonia P. Jaramillo, Gonzales Unified School District.
The Assembly’s appointees are:
- Donna Sneeringer, Child Care Resource Center;
- Natali Gaxiola, Lennox School District.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction appointee is:
- Janet Zamudio, Director of Child Care.
The Workforce Committee’s appointees are:
- Tonia McMillian, Kiddie Depot Family Childcare;
- Miren Algorri, Algorri Family Childcare.
The Parent Committee’s appointees are:
- Lissete Frausto;
- Mary Ignatius.
Parent Advisory Committee
The Governor’s appointees are:
- Mary Ignatius, Chair;
- Lissete Frausto;
- Yenni Rivera.
The Legislature’s appointee is:
- Naima Facih;
- Patricia Lozano, Early Edge California;
- Patrick D. MacFarlane;
- Deborah Corley-Marzett, family daycare provider;
- Cheryl (Cherie) Schroeder, resource parent, foster care educator and advocate.
Workforce Advisory Committee
The Governor’s appointees are:
- Tonia McMillian, Chair, Kiddie Depot Family Child Care;
- Miren Algorri, Algorri Family Childcare;
- Virginia Eigen, Campbell Union School District.
The Legislature’s appointees are:
- Patricia Alexander, licensed in-home family childcare provider;
- AnnLouise Bonnitto, California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc.;
- Amelia Soto, Mexican American Opportunity Foundation;
- Zoila Carolina Toma, Fun Minds Inc.;
- Debra Ward, Cerritos College Child Development Center;
- Latonda Williams, Plaza del Raza Child Development Services Inc.
To learn more about the members, read their biographies.
Councilmember Resources
To the extent funding is available, members of the council or its committees who are provider participants or parent representatives may be reimbursed as necessary for their reasonable expenses, including travel, a stipend to cover childcare costs, lost wages, and expenses for substitutes for attending council meetings.