Governor Creates New Early Childhood Council to Encourage Public and Private Sector Collaboration for Wyoming's Children

Press Release

Governor Dave Freudenthal has signed an executive order creating the Wyoming Early Childhood State Advisory Council, which is intended to encourage great coordination and collaboration between public and private care and education programs and services in the state.

"We need to do better by our children," Gov. Freudenthal said. "The State Advisory Council will work to figure out true solutions to Wyoming's challenges with early childhood education," he said. "I look to the Council to push the system forward so that Wyoming can gather data and use it to enhance quality child care and increase the overall level of participation in early childhood programs," Freudenthal said.

Members of the Wyoming Early Childhood State Advisory Council will include representatives from the departments of Education, Family Services, Health, Workforce Services and higher education, as well as the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. Other Council members will be: licensed child care providers, local child development service providers, a parent of a young child and a private foundation that places funding emphasis on early childhood programs.

The Council will conduct a periodic statewide needs assessment regarding the quality and availability of early childhood education and development programs; work to strengthen the early childhood system in Wyoming; and develop recommendations for increasing participation in early childhood systems. Additionally, the Council will provide recommendations on early childhood issues to the governor and the legislature.

The creation of the Council, by Executive Order No. 2010-2, makes the state eligible for $500,000 in federal funding and expands the duties of its predecessor, the Wyoming Early Childhood Development Council.

"The work of the Wyoming Early Childhood Development Council has been essential to my understanding of current issues affecting Wyoming children," Freudenthal said. "Together, we have made a lot of progress for the families in our state," he said. "I expect the State Advisory Council to continue this progress," Freudenthal said.

"The State Advisory Council will expand and encourage the collaboration among advocates, parents, private and public organizations dedicated to working with children and families" Freudenthal said. "And that's good for Wyoming kids."

The Council will be attached to the Wyoming Department of Family Services for administrative purposes and Sue Bacon will serve as the interim coordinator.

Individuals interested in serving on the council should contact Meredith Asay of the governor's office at (307) 777.7434.

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