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Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC)

Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) - PowerPoint Presentation

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Uploaded On 2022-06-07

Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) - PPT Presentation

Role and Design Division of Early Childhood Education 2020 New Jersey Department of Education Introduction The guidelines in this module offer a framework of essential elements to effectively design and implement an Early Childhood Advisory Council or ECAC that supports the unique needs o ID: 914015

preschool community district ecac community preschool ecac district childhood early advisory education assessment council cna resources stakeholders program grade

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Slide1

Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC)Role and Design

Division of Early Childhood Education2020New Jersey Department of Education

Slide2

Introduction

The guidelines in this module offer a framework of essential elements to effectively design and implement an Early Childhood Advisory Council or “ECAC” that supports the unique needs of a district’s high-quality preschool program. The following operational considerations are presented in a recommended sequential order.

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Slide3

Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC)Definition

Early Childhood Advisory Council or “ECAC” means an advisory group of education community stakeholders interested in the education and welfare of children in preschool through grade three that is convened by the school district (N.J.A.C.6A:13A-1.2).

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Slide4

Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC)Purpose

As required under N.J.A.C.6A:13A-4.6, the district board of education shall establish a preschool through grade three Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) to review implementation

of high-quality programs, serve as advisory support for the local school district’s preschool program and

support transition as children move from preschool through grade three.

Districts should convene the ECAC at times conducive to the participation of stakeholders.

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Slide5

Integral ComponentCommunity and Parent Involvement Specialist (CPIS)

A Community and Parent Involvement Specialist (CPIS) should be employed by each state funded district (in smaller districts, this position may be combined with other jobs). The CPIS or family liaison should oversee the district’s family services

under the direction of the Early Childhood Supervisor/Administrator

and is responsible for:

facilitating the community needs assessment,

staffing and quarterly convening the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC), and

organizing and scheduling meetings, documenting and disseminating meeting business, reporting back to the EC Supervisor, and coordinating work with other school district professionals, community agencies, and providers.

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Slide6

Community Needs Assessment (CNA)

Districts should periodically conduct a district-wide assessment of community needs and resources (N.J.A.C.6A:83.4(d)) to ensure that the ECAC is productive, relevant and understands the issues and needs affecting the early childhood program. The CNA can serve as the foundation for the ECAC’s work plan ensuring focus and priority on identified needs and available resources. The CNA can include a variety of data sources including, but not limited to, analysis of census data, surveys of the entire preschool community, and focus group reports

.

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Slide7

Community Needs Assessment (CNA) Profile

The following link outlines recommended elements to design an effective Community Needs Assessment (CNA). The information includes ways to ask detailed and probing questions intended to yield actionable information that identifies the most relevant community problem(s), outstanding concerns, current issues impacting the preschool program, and the needs of the families and children served.

Community Assessment Profile (PDF):

https://www.nj.gov/education/ece/savs/cna/profile.pdf

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Slide8

Community Needs Assessment (CNA) Next Steps

Prioritize concerns in order of urgency and importance. Identify the resources/personnel/stakeholders best equipped to resolve and assist in remediating the problems, concerns and issues.

Reach out to the stakeholders who can provide support and resources.

These stakeholders should be invited to join the ECAC.

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Slide9

ECAC Membership Representatives Required by New Jersey Code:

Contracting private providers, if applicableHead Start agency if applicable School district personnel

Parents

Community stakeholders

District community parent involvement specialist (CPIS)

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Slide10

ECAC MembershipAdditional Representatives for Consideration:

Local health/social service agenciesEarly intervention servicesBusiness communityMunicipal governmentHigher education

NJ Council for Young Children County Councils

Philanthropic community

Child/family advocates

DHS managing agency (Family Outreach Program)

Medical and dental services

Houses of worship

Kindergarten/1st grade teacher(s)

Other community-based group

members added as needed

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Slide11

Suggested Responsibilities of the ECAC

Participate in securing resources, including facilities, as they pertain to the implementation of high-quality preschool services.Serve as the conduit between community needs and resources. Minimize duplication between other community/education councils and seek alignment and coordination to maximize effectiveness.

Participate in the development of the District Preschool Operational Plan as organized by the district preschool leadership.

Review and comment on the district’s draft of the Three-Year and Annual Preschool Operational Plan updates.

Review and comment on the district preschool program self-assessment.

Review and comment on preschool budgets proposed by the district.

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Slide12

Structure and Operation

Meet at least quarterly.Independent from the district, elect ECAC leadership and adopt bylaws. Leadership should include an elected chair, a community co-chair and the CPIS.

Concentrate on preschool as well as the preschool through third grade continuum.

Design an evaluation method to assess the efficacy of the ECAC in meeting goals and objectives.

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Slide13

Structure and Operations (continued)

Create sub-groups to work on relevant related issues.Groups and sub-groups work interdependently.The ECAC is most effective when working collaboratively across agencies and with insight and input from across the local level.

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Slide14

Thank You

New Jersey Department of Education Website:

nj.gov/education

Contact Information

Dr. Eric Rodney:

eric.rodney@doe.nj.gov

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