Formation of Early Childhood Development and Early Learning Task Force OK’d by Council

The City Council on Monday unanimously approved an Early Childhood Development and Early Learning task force on Monday.

The task force will work with staff to review the status of the implementation of the early child development policy adopted by the City Council 2015.

“I recommend the council appoint the task force and we get to work on the issue,”  said Mayor Victor Gordo.

Efran Aguilar, Geoff Albert, Toni Boucher, Lila Guirgus, Ree Harris-Hudson, Peggy Nguyen, Dr. Dianne Philibosian, Marie Kanne Poulsen, Ernesto Saldana, Tony Santilena, Blanca Siebels, Melani Smith, Susan Wood and Dr. Vera Vignes will make up the task force.

The members represent a diverse cross-section of early childhood and early learning experts, practitioners and advocates; leadership and early childhood staff of the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD); parents of young children from PUSD; child-care professionals: brain science experts: and workforce, public health and maternal care leaders.

The task force will begin its work no later than March 15 and meet twice a month and

report back to the council on the current status of implementation of policy, the policy’s alignment with the most recent science regarding best practices on implementing early childhood programs, and any policy changes needed to support the city’s youngest children and families die to immediate issues, including the pandemic, racial injustice, cycles of violence and economic instability.

All meetings will be held in accordance with the Brown Act.

The task force will present an update to the City Council no later than June 11 and forward a final report to the City Council on or before September 12 and sunset at that time.

In 2014, the City Council requested an update of the 1994 Child Care Policy be brought forward along with funding options to reinstate the child care coordinator position.

An Ad Hoc Committee of the Human Services Commission met for over 6 months to revise the 1994 policy.

“The updated policy was renamed the early child development policy,” according to Monday’s staff report. “The committee continued its work implementing the new policy and developed the Master Plan for the Young Child, to bring together a range of services and programs with measurable population outcomes. The city established the Office of the Young Child in 2016 to carry out the implementation of the policy’s important work.”

“I think this is a really good step,” said Councilmember Felicia Williams.

Gordo announced his intentions to form the task force during last week’s annual State of the City speech.

“When crises occur, child development does not stop.  As such, it is imperative that our young children and their families receive critical resources to survive this pandemic and to thrive in the years beyond it.

“Eight years ago our former PUSD Superintendent, Dr. Vera Vignes, led the effort to develop our Early Child Development Policy and Master Plan for the Young Child, which unites programs and services to improve the lives of children ages birth to five in our community,” Gordo said. “The City established the Office of the Young Child in 2016 to carry out this important work, and as we now find ourselves challenged by the impacts of the pandemic, racial injustice, cycles of violence, and economic instability, I am concerned with how our youngest children and their families are doing.”