Governor's Early Care and Education
Advisory Council

The Governor's Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) was formed as a result of the Head Start Reauthorization Act of 2007. This Council will build upon the work of the Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners (WECCP), the Children's Trust Fund Board, and the Partners for Wisconsin Economic Success and the Governor's Birth to Three Interagency Coordinating Council.

The mission of the Council is to help ensure that all children and families in Wisconsin have access to quality early childhood programs and services. The Council's responsibilities include:

• Conducting a periodic statewide needs assessment concerning the quality and availability of early childhood education and development programs;
• Identifying opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration and coordination among Federally-funded and State-funded child development, child care, and early childhood education programs and services;
• Develop recommendations for increasing the overall participation of children in existing Federal, State, and local child care and early childhood education programs, including outreach to underrepresented and special populations; and
• Develop recommendations regarding statewide professional development and career advancement plans for early childhood educators in the state.