Santa Barbara County Child Care Planning Council

Santa Barbara County Child Care Planning Council Steering Committee Draft minutes of April 19, 2005 Location: Hope Education Center Board Room in Santa Barbara.

Members Present: Fran Forman, Vishna Herrity, Karin Dominguez, Dulcie Sinn, Diane Harmon, and Jennifer Bergquist Members Absent: Staff: Valerie Kolstad, and Dyan Bomer Guests: Ann Wood

Chair Fran Forman called the meeting to order at 9:06 a.m.

I. Approval of Minutes of March 23, 2005:  Approved as written

II. Approve Agenda:  Approved as written

III.Public Comment Period:  none

IV. Office of Early Care & Education Discussion:  Including discussion of Contract regarding Constructing Connections:  Reviewed Scope of Work. More specifics have been detailed about meeting participation and trainings. Discussed tracking of activities – successes and progress  $5,000 must be spent by October 31, 2005. It will go into a separate management account.  Federal Grant for Early Childhood Professional Development. Four sites for participation have been submitted and all agreements signed. Sites submitted are Ontiveros from Head Start, Fairlawn from State Preschool Santa Maria Bonito School District, and two Santa Barbara Schools. This training is to help move people to a BA degree.  Discuss Service to School-Age Population: OECE still has money from General Fund that can be used to support School-age activities ($17,000). Used for staff time materials.

V. Review dates/times for May, June & July Steering Mtgs.:  Tuesday, May 24, 9-11:30, SB  Tuesday, June 28, 9-11:30, SB  Tuesday, July 26, 9-11:30, mid-county

VI. Update on Needs Assessment Report:  Valerie Kolstad reported that the Needs Assessment is moving forward. The first 3 chapters are complete.  1st Chapter::  2nd Chapter: Child Care Need and Supply. Both overall and subsidized. Lots of detail on the subsidized programs.  3rd Chapter: Affordability, cost of care compared to different levels of income.

1  4th Chapter: Special Populations that will include special needs, homeless, migrant, and children at risk for abuse and neglect. This is required by the state.  5th Chapter: Staffing & Program Quality  The printer, the graphic artist and the writer are communicating and working together.  Rough document is estimated to be complete in a couple of weeks then the document will need to be editing.  Fran Forman suggested so that is doesn’t become to unmanageable is that there be a plan for the finalization of it. Don’t just give it to everybody for input. This needs to be planned and coordinated with a list for the people who will be reviewing the document. Possible have a last reader whom you trust for final approval. Finalization of the Needs Assessment Ad Hoc Committee should be formed.  Input from each region would be good.  The graphic artist, Harriett Whaley will need a block of 2 weeks time to do her work after the document is complete.  The final document will then go to the printer.

VII. VOTE: Approve Constructing Connections Contract:  Dulcie Sinn moved that we approve the Scope of Work for the Constructing Connections Contract and when the contract arrives from the county the Chair sign the contract to receive the money into a separate management account. MSC  There should be a report at every CCPC meeting re Constructing Connections

VIII. Update on Liaison to Board of Supervisors:  A letter has been sent to Susan Rose, Chair of the BOS, requesting input on a possible liaison from the BOS to Council.  There has been no additional feedback from the contact with Joni Gray.

IX. Centralized Eligibility List discussion:  Discussion about where the CEL should be lodged.  Reasons the CEL is useful – one place for family to sign up plus make waiting lists more accurate rather than families on multiple list and programs don’t know when a family has been enrolled.  There are CEL pilots in some counties but they are still very early stages. In some counties one agency administers subsidized programs making it easier to adopt a CEL, than counties that have multiple agencies administering the programs.  What is the role of the Council? Should the CEL be a goal for next year for the Council?

X. Report on KIDS Network Platform:  tabled

XI. Retreat Planning:  The next meeting is scheduled for today after this meeting to finalize the plans for the retreat that is scheduled for May 11 at Lake Cachuma.  A planning meeting was held in March where the group discussed the overall goal of the retreat as well as the goals for next year.  Next year a big focus of activity for the Council will need to be developing the next 5-year plan.

2  The goal of the retreat should be to develop very specifically either one goal or very limited number of goals with very specific objectives. Action Teams would come up with those so we can get a complete realistic and manageable plan for next year.  We may try to incorporate a little training session on the Talking Points.  Valerie asked for volunteers from Steering to bring drinks, goodies, etc. A sign-up sheet was passed around.  Dulcie Sinn volunteered to coordinate an ice-breaker.

XII. Report from Budget Committee:  Diane Harmon reviewed decisions that were made earlier at the Budget Committee meeting:  Funds were approved for consultant for website maintenance and for additional training and additional page for ICCAT.  Next Budget Committee meeting is schedules for July 20, 8-9am

XIII. CalPIN Region VIII:  Tabled

XV. Update on County Priorities:  A meeting was held after the last Council meeting. Reviewed data about eligible children and subsidized program. Looks at where the need is according to 2 different categories. 75% state median income eligibility, and estimates of need based on parent employment.  Discussion of two tiers within priorities, one for new programs and another for current programs. A consensus was not reached.  The group requested that Valerie gather additional information, which Fran provided, and Valerie will pull together.  The next meeting will be tomorrow, April 20, from 12:30-2:00 at the Santa Barbara Bank & Trust in Solvang on Mission Drive.  Many decisions will need to be made at that meeting. If we change our priorities from what we had last year, we will need to get them approved by the BOS and the Superintendent of Schools.  An email was sent out to get a broader representation on the priority work group to get different perspectives.

XVI. Council/Coordinator’s Report: Valerie Kolstad reviewed her written report that was distributed by email:  Trudy Adair-Verbais gave a very detailed report at the Council meeting on the CalPIN plans. There is $15,000 that will be spent in the county this fiscal year and $15,000 for next year to support language and literacy development. This funding is coming from the Child Development Division/CDE. The focus is the subsidized programs but it is opened to everyone. Training/Information for this year will be provided for administrators and site supervisors. Next year it will be additional training for in-class room staff. Two training are scheduled for April 26 and May 19, 1-4 at the Grange in Los Olivos.  The PFA event is on Friday. There was a concern that there had not been as many positive responses from community leaders that were invited. A request went to individuals to invite community leaders that members have contact with and bring them along. If interested please contact Gene Sparks who is organizing the event.  Council Website is up and running. Some updating will still need to be completed.  The Child Development Conference needs volunteers in each work shop who would be there to hand out certificates, make sure evaluations are completed, to be there to respond to any needs of the presenter. Several council members volunteered.

3  Valerie clarified that the Strategic Planning Committee will be meeting on May 3, 9-12 at Fran Forman’s office.  The may revised public policy meeting will be held on May 18, 10-11:30 at the Santa Barbara Bank & Trust in Solvang.

XVII. Agenda for May Steering Committee Mtg.:  Retreat Evaluation  CEL  Constructing Connections Report  Office of EC&E  Review/Update on RFA of PFA

XVIII. Agenda for May Retreat/Council meeting:  Vote Approve Officers

XIX. Other Business/Announcements:  none

XX. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 10:55am.