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ELAC leaders review council purpose, membership and meeting procedures in orientation
Summary
Early Learning Advisory Council staff provided a high-level orientation covering statutory purpose, membership types, meeting cadence, feedback loops and resources for new and continuing council members.
Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) staff led a condensed orientation during the special webinar that covered ELAC's statutory purpose, membership composition, meeting cadence and the council's feedback procedures. Marlene White, Community Engagement Manager in DCYF's Community Engagement team, and Erin (CE team) provided the orientation.
White and Erin summarized ELAC's statutory role (established in 2007) to advise the department on statewide early learning issues and supply recommendations to the governor and legislature, including annual input related to the Fair Start for Kids Act. They described ELAC membership as diverse: parents, child care providers, health and safety experts, library representatives, K-12 and higher education representatives, regional advisers from the 10 early learning regional coalitions, and some gubernatorial appointees; members serve two-year terms that typically end June 30.
On meeting structure, staff said ELAC holds six regular meetings per year (typically the first Tuesday of odd-numbered months), with special webinars as needed. Meetings usually begin at 9:30 a.m. and often run through about 1 p.m. ELAC's practice includes a two-way feedback protocol: staff described a feedback loop document used to track outstanding questions, follow-ups, and status updates tied to meeting items. Staff noted a standing joint meeting with the Provider Support Subcommittee in December. Attendees were directed to ELAC's web page for minutes, membership lists, charter, statutory language and meeting materials; staff offered to produce targeted deliverables for members who need written summaries to share with their organizations.
Staff also invited new members to a fuller orientation scheduled for Aug. 5 (a more extensive session than the webinar's overview) and told members to expect email requests for feedback (action items) between meetings; those responses feed departmental decision-making and advice cycles. Participants asked procedural questions about how to report back to partner organizations (for example, library associations) and staff said DCYF can prepare summaries or deliverables to help members report to boards and partners.
Ending: Staff reminded members to complete a formative survey on orientation needs and said the CE team will follow up with links, minutes, recordings and materials from the webinar.
