A Message from Your Public Policy Chair
Jean Goulart |
Welcome! I am honored to be Public Policy Chair for our association for the term of July 1, 2017 through June 2019. I am eager to get to know those of you who are joining us and delighted to continue my relationships with all of you who have contributed so much throughout the years. I see my term as chair as an excellent opportunity to increase CAAEYC’s advocacy voice for our workforce, children and families. We must ignite the light, then let it shine!
I wish to thank all our public policy committee members for their volunteer work as California Region Representatives. Many of these wonderful advocates were here for multiple terms and have also been past PPC Board Chairs.
CAAEYC appreciates your answering the ECE field’s call for advocacy volunteers.
Region 1 - Jenna Kline and Jean Goulart
Region 2 - Linda Olivenbaum, Becky Billing and Cheryl Horney
Region 3 - Eileen McCourt and Chris Pedersen
Region 4 - Karen Dominguez and Jennifer Escamilla
Region 5 - Fran Chasen and Joyce Robinson
Region 6 - Anne Broussard and James Moses
Last year we made some changes to our committee structure to allow us to deliver more to members. We have developed three focus workgroups within our committee to expedite our volunteer advocacy with CAAEYC and for members, children and families. We have designated three focus workgroups:
- Legislative Action: We review all early education workforce and childcare legislation to determine their impact on our field. As appropriate we take watch, support or opposition positions on these bills.
- Advocacy and Professional Development: We collaborate with other statewide agencies to offer advocacy training and legislative visits at the State Capitol on an annual basis with our Early Learning Advocacy Day (ELAD). We are intending to offer advocacy training combined with legislative visits in local offices throughout the state.
- Communication and Outreach: We want you to be involved with advocacy. Your public support, big or small, moves change. Accept our invitation to join us in the work of advocacy for our early childhood workforce, children and families.
Each Chapter that is affiliated with CAAEYC is required to receive and disseminate information from the Public Policy Committee to their Chapter and Satellite members. Each Chapter that is affiliated with CAAEYC is encouraged to have a member on at least one Public Policy Committee Workgroup. Welcome Inland Empire Chapter of CAAEYC Juliet Pailes and Santa Clara Valley Shelby Garrett. Our committee looks forward to welcoming and meeting all representatives. Anyone is welcome to attend meetings (whether conference calls or live) of the Public Policy Committee. All efforts will be made to ensure statewide geographic representation of voting members, especially Workgroup Co-Chairs.
The Chair of the Public Policy Committee is selected by the committee members and services as the Vice Chair prior to being approved by the CAAEYC President and Board of Directors and is a voting member of the CAAEYC Board of Directors. Workgroup Co-Chairs will lead alternate years of a two-year term and represent the membership across the state. We encourage all members to participate in Public Policy Committee meetings (whether conference calls or in person).
Visit the CAAEYC Public Policy web pages for legislative updates on bill status of watch, support or oppose. Our pages include committee contact information, how to join the committee or workgroup and how to be our guest conference call meetings.
We want to hear from YOU! What is most important to you as an early childhood educator? What ideas do have? What topics should the Public Policy Committee focus on? Which legislative bills are at the top of your list? Be on the lookout for an electronic survey before summer so you can let us know your thoughts. We want to represent our membership’s interests and ideas! You are encouraged to reach out individually as well. Meet us this April 19-21, 2018 at the CAAEYC Annual Conference and Expo in Pasadena at the HUB (CAAEYC’s booth in the Expo Hall).
One individual can make change and when individuals become a TEAM, Together Everyone Achieves More!
Public Policy Calendar
Conference Call meetings are the second Monday of the month from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. Email Jean Goulart at bundleofjoy.jean@att.net for call-in details and password.
- Early Learning Advocacy Day (ELAD), Sacramento, Thursday, March 1, 2018
- NAEYC Policy Forum, Washington, DC March 4-6, Sunday-Tuesday.
- CAAEYC Conference, Pasadena, April 19-21 Public Policy Advocacy Sessions, HUB Booth, Meet/Greet, and Center for Social Change
- Week of the Young Child April 16-20