The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 required governors to designate or establish a State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care to improve the quality, availability, and coordination of services for children from birth to school entry. This council is designed to bring together top decision makers for collective discussion about how to better coordinate services so that young children have the supports in place that they need. The Council provides an excellent opportunity to leverage federal investment, it can be an outstanding forum in which to build support for early learning, and should be viewed as a means to an end.

In October 2009, Governor Rick Perry appointed 18 members to the State Advisory Council, pursuant to US Code Title 42, Section 9873b. This council will be coordinated out of the Children’s Learning Institute in Houston, TX and the Chairperson is Dr. John Gasko, Director of State Initiatives at the Children’s Learning Institute.

News and Updates

• Texas' SAC grant proposal to the federal government is now available for review and public comments, please click the Documents tab.
• The second convening for the State Advisory Council was held on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, from 9:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., room 1-100 at the Texas Education Agency in Austin, Texas. All members of the council attended as well as 51 members of the public. The minutes for this convening are posted under the Documents tab.
• The first convening for the State Advisory Council was held on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M., room 1505-C at the University Center Tower building of the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston. All members of the council attended as well as 41 members of the public. The minutes for this convening are posted under the Documents tab.