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3.18.2024
Get To Know The Nevada Early Childhood Advisory Council
1. What is the Nevada ECAC?
The Nevada ECAC is a group of business, community, education, government, nonprofit, parent, and provider representatives that are appointed by Nevada’s Governor to support Nevada’s early childhood system.
Governor Jim Gibbons created the Nevada ECAC in September 2009 through an executive order to support Nevada’s compliance with new requirements of the federal Head Start Act, which requires each state to have a “State Advisory Council”.
In 2013, the Nevada ECAC was created as a permanent advisory group by state law (Assembly Bill 79, 2013). The roles, responsibilities, and purpose of the Nevada ECAC are located in the Nevada Revised Statutes in Chapter 432A (NRS 432A). Several revisions to the purpose and membership of the Nevada ECAC have been made since 2013. Most recently, in the 2023 Legislative session, revisions were made to add new members, including parent representatives.
The overall purpose of the Nevada ECAC is to strengthen state-level coordination and collaboration among the various sectors and settings of early childhood programs. The Nevada ECAC focuses on improving the system in order to increase access to the programs and services that young children and families need.
Early childhood is defined by the Nevada ECAC as the period from birth to age eight, while also recognizing the importance of quality prenatal care in early childhood outcomes. Early childhood is a period of rapid and critical development that encompasses access to nutrition, health care, protection, play and early learning to stimulate children’s physical, cognitive, linguistic and social-emotional development.
The Nevada ECAC recognizes that parents and families are their child’s first teacher and should be included in all decisions that impact what programs exist, how they are delivered, and who can access them.
2. Nevada ECAC Strategic Plan
The work of the Nevada ECAC is guided by a strategic plan. The strategic plan identifies the vision, goals and objectives that the group wants to focus on during a specific period of time, laying out what the Council wants to achieve and how they plan to achieve it.
The current Nevada ECAC Strategic Plan is focused on establishing state structures and supports to enable us to reduce or eliminate barriers to accessing the programs and services needed by families throughout the state. The Strategic Plan includes five primary goals.
Goal One: Create a Coordinated Early Childhood Leadership Infrastructure
This includes key decision-making for programs and services, as well as how the agencies that run the programs and services work together to create equitable access that meets the needs of children and families. This also includes how government entities include parents and families in decision-making.
Goal Two: Increase Coordination and Alignment Between Systems of Care for Young Children and Families
This includes a focus on how we can streamline processes, reduce barriers and increase access to the wide range of programs and supports that children and families need. A “comprehensive” early childhood system requires a well-organized network of programs, services, and resources designed to support children and families, beginning prenatally. Agencies, programs, and services must work together to ensure families have equitable access.
Goal Three: Increase Capacity to Equitably Connect Families with the Early Childhood System Continuum of Care
This is focused on equitably connecting families to programs and services, including identifying those children and families that have the greatest needs and making sure that we are developing and delivering programs and services based on their needs.
This also addresses communication and engagement of all key partners including government agency staff, service providers from across all programs and services, parents and families, academic experts, and other community leaders. Activities under this goal address how these partners work together and communicate to align programs and services that meet the needs of children and families.
Goal Four: Identify Budget and Finance Strategies to Drive Policy Goals
This is focused on budget and policy changes needed to improve access – how much funding is needed to increase access and what policy barriers exist that limit people from getting what they need.
It also looks at how funding decisions are made, as funding plays a critical role in how these programs and services are delivered and to whom and where.
This goal also addresses policies that impact the early childhood system including laws, regulations, and standards that are enacted by elected officials, agencies, or programs. Policies and standards often control which programs are offered, how they are funded, and who is eligible to receive services.
Goal Five: Execute Data Collection and Integrated Systems to Increase Equity and Accountability
This includes how information is collected, shared and used to support programs and services, including the ability to determine which programs are working well, and which are not.
At the program level, technology is needed to communicate with clients, support case management and report activities to funders. At the system level, technology is used to make key funding and policy decisions.
Effective and aligned technology and support structures (how different technology programs connect and/or ‘talk to each other’) are setup to support a seamless flow of information across programs and agencies, and also reduce administrative burdens for providers and families (for example, having common or universal applications so families do not need to complete separate applications for every program/service they need).
3. How the Nevada ECAC Works
Members of the Nevada ECAC are appointed by the Governor and individuals must apply, through the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions, to be considered for appointment. Individuals appointed to serve usually have three year terms, which may be extended by the Governor.
The members of the Nevada ECAC elect an appointed member to serve as the Chair and another to serve as the Vice Chair. The members also develop bylaws for the Nevada ECAC, which lay out the specific roles and responsibilities of members, their terms of service, and the process for establishing subcommittees.
The subcommittees are chaired by members of the Nevada ECAC who are selected by the Chair. The current structure includes five subcommittees that are aligned with the five goals outlined in the Strategic Plan. The Chairs of each subcommittee can invite members of the community with expertise or knowledge of issues relevant to the subcommittee to serve as non-appointed members of the subcommittee.
These subcommittees are open to the public and welcome participation from anyone who is interested in being a part of the solution, particularly parents and families who have experience with Nevada’s system. Individuals who are interested in serving on a Nevada ECAC
Those interested in joining a subcommitte are encouraged to attend a subcommittee meeting to learn more about the work of each group to determine which subcommittee may be the right fit. A full list of subcommittees is available on the Nevada ECAC website and includes contact information for subcommittee Chairs, as well as agendas, notes, and meeting materials. Interested partners may also sign up for the NV Department of Education, Office of Early Learning and Development Listserv to receive notices of all Nevada ECAC meetings.
Each of the Nevada ECAC Subcommittees develop a workplan document to identify specific activities that are needed to achieve their assigned goals and objectives. Subcommittee members provide advice and guidance on these activities, and often serve as leads for workplan activities, as appropriate.
All Nevada ECAC Subcommittees receive support from staff with the Nevada Department of Education, Office of Early Learning and Development to complete and document their work.
Subcommittees usually meet monthly at a specific date and time each month. They also report on their activities and progress during the Nevada ECAC meetings, which are scheduled every other month (usually on Wednesdays beginning at 9am). All meetings of the Nevada ECAC, including subcommittee meetings, are offered virtually. However, you may also attend the bi-monthly Nevada ECAC meetings in person in either Reno or Las Vegas.
Each year, by December 1st, the Nevada ECAC is required to submit a report to the Governor and the Nevada Legislature outlining key activities, accomplishments and recommendations.
4. What is Nevada Open Meeting Law and How Does it Apply to the Nevada ECAC?
According to the Nevada Attorney General’s Office:
The Nevada Open Meeting Law (OML) was enacted in 1960 to ensure that the actions and deliberations of public bodies be conducted openly…A public body is any administrative, advisory, executive, or legislative body of the state or local government which expends or disburses or is supported in whole or in part by tax revenue, or which advises or makes recommendations to any entity which expends or disburses or is supported in whole or in part by tax revenue, including any board, commission, committee, subcommittee, or other subsidiary.
Basically, any group that is established by the state, including the Nevada ECAC, is required to follow the Nevada Open Meeting Law. There are a few reasons why it is important to understand Nevada Open Meeting Law in regard to how it applies to, and impacts, the work of the Nevada ECAC.
Meeting Quorum – “Quorum” means the minimum number of members of a group that must be present in order for that group to make decisions. If quorum is not met (meaning not enough members are present), the group cannot hold the meeting or discuss items that may result in an action by the group.
For the Nevada ECAC, quorum for all Nevada ECAC meetings is a simple majority (at least 51%) of the appointed members (including vacant seats). For the Nevada ECAC Subcommittee, quorum is a simple majority (at least 51%) of that subcommittee’s members. For example, if a subcommittee includes 10 members, at least 6 of those members must be present in order for the meeting to take place. If quorum is not achieved, the meeting must be canceled.
Notice of Meetings – Nevada Open Meeting Law requires all public bodies, including the Nevada ECAC, to provide appropriate notice of meetings to the public. Agendas must be posted at least three days prior to any meeting and must include the date, time and location of the meeting (including a link for virtual participation, if applicable) and a detailed description of each agenda item. The description of agenda items must be detailed enough to let members of the public know what the group will be discussing or voting on. The Nevada ECAC and its subcommittees cannot discuss or vote on any item that is not included in the public notice.
Public Comment – Nevada Open Meeting Law also requires all public bodies to provide opportunities for the public (anyone who attends the meeting) to provide comments on items or issues that are relevant to the group. The opportunities for public comment must be included on the agenda and can include time limitations set by the Chair.
Although these public comment periods provide an opportunity for individuals to share any information relevant to the group, the Nevada ECAC or subcommittees are not allowed, per Nevada Open Meeting Law, to discuss any items or issues brought up in public comment if that specific issue or item is not included on the agenda for that meeting. However, public comment is encouraged and people providing public comment can request to have the issue included on a future agenda, if approved by the Chair.
These are only a few of the rules required by the Nevada Open Meeting Law that apply to the Nevada ECAC. There are additional rules regarding posting of notes (meeting minutes) and materials shared during meetings, as well as rules specific to members regarding what they can and cannot discuss outside of public meetings. For more information on Nevada Open Meeting Law, you can review the Nevada Open Meeting Law Manual, which is available on the Nevada Attorney General’s website at ag.nv.gov.
5. How to Get Involved!
There are several ways that you can get involved with the Nevada ECAC:
Join a Meeting: A complete list of upcoming meetings is available on the Nevada ECAC website at nvecac.org or join the Nevada Department of Education, Office of Early Learning and Development Listserv to receive notices of upcoming meetings: https://bit.ly/3qQOIlI
Interested in seeing what your local community is doing? Several Local Early Childhood Advisory Councils exist in Nevada. To find out if there is a local council in your area, visit the Nevada ECAC website and click on “Local Councils”.
Visit the Website: The Nevada ECAC website includes a lot of information on meetings, as well as general information about Nevada’s Early Childhood System. You can find contact and meeting information, and resources including the Nevada ECAC Strategic Plan, the Nevada Early Childhood Dashboard, the Nevada Self-Sufficiency Calculator, and the Nevada Community Events Calendar, and much more!
Become a Member: The Nevada ECAC is looking for parent and family representatives from throughout the state of Nevada to serve as appointed members. If you are interested in applying to serve on the Nevada ECAC, you can submit an online application through the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions. This site includes a list of current vacancies for all state boards, as well as information on how to apply.
Learn More: Visit the Nevada ECAC website at NVECAC.com to learn more or reach out to the Nevada Early Childhood Advisory Council System Specialist, Sabrina Jones, at [email protected].
