256I.12 Early childhood stakeholders alliance.

1. Alliance created. An early childhood stakeholders alliance is created to support the state board in addressing the early care, health, and education systems that affect children zero through age five in Iowa.

2. Purpose. The purpose of the early childhood stakeholders alliance is to oversee and provide broad input into the development of a high quality Iowa early childhood system that meets the needs of children zero through age five and their families and integrates the early care, health, and education systems. The alliance shall advise the governor, general assembly, state board, and other public and private policy bodies and service providers in coordinating activities throughout the state to fulfill its purpose.

3. Vision statement. All system development activities addressed by the early childhood stakeholders alliance shall be aligned around the following vision statement for the children of Iowa:

“Every child, beginning at birth, will be healthy and successful.”

4. Membership. The early childhood stakeholders alliance membership shall include a representative of any organization that touches the lives of young children in the state zero through age five, has endorsed the purpose and vision statement for the alliance, has endorsed the guiding principles adopted by the alliance for the early childhood system, and has formally asked to be a member and remains actively engaged in alliance activities. The alliance shall work to ensure there is geographic, cultural, and ethnic diversity among the membership.

5. Procedure. Except as otherwise provided by law, the early childhood stakeholders alliance shall determine its own rules of procedure and operating provisions.

6. Steering committee. The early childhood stakeholders alliance shall operate with a steering committee to organize, manage, and coordinate the activities of the alliance and its component groups. The steering committee may act on behalf of the alliance as necessary. The steering committee membership shall consist of the co-chairpersons of the alliance’s component groups, the administrator of the early childhood Iowa office, and other leaders designated by the alliance.

7. Component groups. The early childhood stakeholders alliance shall maintain component groups to address the key components of the Iowa early childhood system. Each component group shall have one private and one public agency co-chairperson. The alliance may change the component groups as deemed necessary by the alliance. Initially, there shall be a component group for each of the following:

a. Governance planning and administration.

b. Professional development.

c. Public engagement.

d. Quality services and programs.

e. Resources and funding.

f. Results accountability.

8. Duties. The early childhood stakeholders alliance duties shall include but are not limited to all of the following regarding the Iowa early childhood system:

a. Coordinate with the early childhood Iowa state board.

b. Serve as the state advisory council required under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, Pub. L. No. 110-134, as designated by the governor.

9. Staffing. Staff support for the early childhood stakeholders alliance shall be provided by the department.

2010 Acts, ch 1031, §289; 2018 Acts, ch 1026, §78

Referred to in §256I.4

Subsection 1 amended