2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 10 - Education and Culture
Chapter 164 - Educational Opportunities
Section 10-16z - Early Childhood Education Cabinet. Members. Duties. Annual plan of action. Annual report.

(a) There is established the Early Childhood Education Cabinet. The cabinet shall consist of: (1) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner’s designee, (2) one representative from the Department of Education who is responsible for programs required under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1400 et seq., as amended from time to time, appointed by the Commissioner of Education, (3) the Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner’s designee, (4) a representative from an institution of higher education in this state appointed by the president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education, (5) the Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner’s designee, (6) the Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the commissioner’s designee, (7) the Commissioner of Children and Families, or the commissioner’s designee, (8) the executive director of the Commission on Children, or the executive director’s designee, (9) the project director of the Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration Office, (10) a parent or guardian of a child who attends or attended a school readiness program appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, (11) a representative of a local provider of early childhood education appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, (12) a representative of the Connecticut Family Resource Center Alliance appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, (13) a representative of a state funded child care center appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, (14) two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom is a member of the House of Representatives and one of whom is a parent who has a child attending a school in a priority school district, (15) two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom is a member of the Senate and one of whom is a representative of a public elementary school with a prekindergarten program, (16) two appointed by the Governor, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Head Start Association and one of whom is a representative of the business or philanthropic community in this state, and (17) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary’s designee. The chairperson of the council shall be appointed from among its members by the Governor.

(b) Within available appropriations and such private funding as may be available, the Early Childhood Education Cabinet shall (1) coordinate among state agencies, as well as public and private partnerships, the development of services that enhance the health, safety and learning of children from birth to nine years of age, inclusive, (2) not later than December 1, 2009, and annually thereafter, develop an annual plan of action that assigns the appropriate state agency to complete the tasks specified in the federal Head Start Act of 2007, P.L. 110-134, as amended from time to time, and (3) not later than March 1, 2010, and annually thereafter, submit an annual state-wide strategic report, pursuant to said federal Head Start Act, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, addressing the progress such agencies have made toward the completion of such tasks outlined under said federal Head Start Act and this subsection to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and human services.

(c) The Early Childhood Education Cabinet shall be within the Department of Education for administrative purposes only.

(Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-6, S. 50; P.A. 11-48, S. 285; 11-181, S. 1.)

History: Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-6 effective October 5, 2009; pursuant to P.A. 11-48, “Commissioner of Higher Education” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education” in Subsec. (a), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-181 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner of Children and Families in Subdiv. (7), replacing representative from a Head Start program with a parent or guardian of a child who attends or attended a school readiness program in Subdiv. (10), redesignating existing Subdivs. (12) to (15) as Subdivs. (14) to (17), adding new Subdiv. (12) re representative of the Connecticut Family Resource Center Alliance and new Subdiv. (13) re representative of a state funded child care center, adding additional appointment in redesignated Subdiv. (16) re representative of Connecticut Head Start Association and making a conforming change, effective July 1, 2011.

See Sec. 4-38f for definition of “administrative purposes only”.