Gov. Corzine signs executive order creating NJ Council for Young Children

January 8, 2010

NEWARK- Governor Jon S. Corzine today signed an Executive Order establishing the New Jersey Council for Young Children to ensure collaboration and coordination among early childhood programs in the State and to maintain compliance with federal guidelines.

"The foundation of New Jersey's future begins with early childhood education," Governor Corzine said. "Without question, the work of the New Jersey Council for Young Children will help to ensure the educational needs of our young learners are met and exceeded by making quality early childhood programs available to all of our students."

Establishment of this statewide council is required under the federal Head Start statute. Recently, the federal government announced the availability of federal funding for the council, allocating $1.6 million for its activities. In addition, the creation of the Advisory Council is necessary for New Jersey to apply for the Early Learning Challenge Fund, a pending new federal funding opportunity designed to help states better coordinate and more comprehensively implement early childhood programs.

As a separate entity "in but not of" the New Jersey Department of Education, the Advisory Council's key responsibilities include:

* conducting a periodic Statewide needs assessment concerning the quality and availability of early childhood education and development programs and services for children from birth to school entry;

* 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;

* developing recommendations for increasing the overall participation of children in existing federal, state, and local child care, as well as early childhood education programs, including outreach to underrepresented and special populations;

* assessing the capacity and effectiveness of two- and four-year public and private institutions of higher education in the State to support the development of early childhood educators;

* recommending improvements in State early learning standards and undertaking efforts to develop high-quality comprehensive early learning standards, as appropriate.

The 25-member Advisory Council will be chaired by Ellen Wolock, Ed.D., Director of the New Jersey Department of Education's Office of Preschool Education. The diverse membership represents New Jersey's educational, child care, health, mental health, and disabled communities and includes: Joseph Ferraina, Superintendent, Long Branch School District; Laura C. Morana, Superintendent, Red Bank School District; Peter B. Contini, Ed.D., President, Salem County Community College; Dr. Sharon Ryan, Associate Professor, Department of Learning and Teaching, Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University; Ana I. Berdecia, Senior Fellow/Director, Center for the Positive Development of Urban Children, John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy, Thomas Edison State College; Justine M. Foley, Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) Instructor, Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen; Alice D. Rose, Flight Chief, Family Member Program, McGuire Air Force Base; Theodore Gooding, Executive Director, O.C.E.A.N., Inc.; Hilda "Betty" Acosta, CFDS Manager, PathStone Corporation; Veronica E.

Ray, Executive Director/CEO, The Leaguers, Inc.; Suzanne S. Burnette, State Director of Head Start Collaboration, Division of Early Childhood, NJ Department of Education; Barbara Reisman, Executive Director, The Schumann Fund for New Jersey; Michelle S. Melgarejo, President, New Jersey Family Child Care Provider Association; Aimee Gelnaw, Executive Director, Professional Impact NJ, Kean University; Lorraine C. Johnson, Head Start/Early Head Start Director, North Hudson Community Action Corporation Head Start/Early Head Start Program; Gerard Costa, Ph.D., Founding Director, YCS Institute for Infant and Preschool Mental Health; Cecilia Zalkind, Executive Director, Association for Children of New Jersey; Barbara A.

Kiley, President, Coalition of Infant/Toddler Educators; Lisa Marie Lockwood, President, everychildfirst.com; William Steven Barnett, Ph.D., Director, The National Institute for Early Education Research The following Commissioners or their designees also serve on the Council as ex officio members: Department of Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Health and Senior Services, Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Department of Children and Families.

A statewide strategic report is to be submitted by the Advisory Council to the Governor the State Director of Head Start Collaboration addressing its assessments and recommendations. In addition, the Advisory Council will convene at least four meetings each year to review the implementation of the recommendations and consider any changes to State and local needs.