The Head Start community in California is encouraged Gov. Newsom’s November 22^nd appointments to the Early Learning Policy Council (ELPC). Join me in congratulating Yvette Sanchez Fuentes and Scott Moore. The Head Start community will be well-represented by these veteran, early childhood professionals.

Yvette Sanchez Fuentes served most recently as director of children, youth, and family services for the Community Action Partnership for San Luis Obispo. Prior to that, she served as director of the Office of Head Start at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 2009 to 2014. Other prior experience includes serving as executive director of the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association, and deputy chief of public policy and research for Child Care Aware of America. CAPSLO operates Head Start, Early Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, and State Preschool in addition to wide range of services for veterans, seniors, and those experiencing homelessness. CAPSLO operations in 11 California counties.

Scott Moore is the chief executive officer of Kidango. His prior experience includes serving as a senior fellow of the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, chief policy advisor for Early Edge California, and executive director of the California Early Learning Advisory Council. Kidango provides Early Head Start, Head Start, California State Preschool programs as well as early intervention and behavioral health services in Alameda, Santa Clara and Contra Costa Counties.

On the council, they will be joined by other early childhood champions from county offices of education, school districts, higher education, early childhood advocacy organizations, research institutions as well as key leaders within the administration including the CDE’s Teaching and Learning Support Branch, Department of Social Services and the California Head Start State Collaboration Office. The seats on the council are three-year terms with a limit of two consecutive terms. They are appointed by the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the Senate committee on rules.

What will they do?

The Early Learning Policy Council (ELPC) and its two sub-committees were created by the 2019–20 Education Omnibus Budget Trailer Bill, Senate Bill 75. Its purpose, now enumerated in Education Code Article 14, Section 8286 (c)(4), is to:

“Provide specific recommendations directly to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Superintendent on all aspects of the state’s early childhood education system, including on the following topics:

(A) Equity, with consideration for demographic, geographic, and economic diversity, and with a focus on family-centered two-generation approaches.

(B) Opportunities to incorporate a support model of accountability, as opposed to a compliance model of accountability, into the state’s early childhood education system.

(C) Ways that the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and the 2019 California Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education Final Report can be updated and improved.”

Head Start California applauds the Governor and the Legislature for its recent investments in early childhood and looks forward to working with the Early Learning Policy Council to best serve California’s youngest children.

By: Christopher Maricle
Executive Director
Head Start California