(1) Each early childhood council has, at a minimum, the following duties and functions:
(a) To apply for early childhood funding pursuant to section 26.5-2-207;
(b) To increase and sustain the quality, accessibility, capacity, and affordability of early childhood services for children five years of age or younger and their parents. To this end, each council shall develop and execute strategic plans to respond to local needs and conditions.
(c) To establish a local system of accountability to measure local progress based on the needs and goals set for program performance;
(d) To report annually the results of the accountability measurements defined in subsection (1)(c) of this section;
(e) To select a fiscal agent to disburse funds and serve as the employer of the council director, once hired. The fiscal agent may or may not be a county.
(f) To develop and implement a strategic plan as described in section 26.5-2-204 (4), including a comprehensive evaluation and report; and
(g) To actively attempt to inform and include small or under-represented early childhood service providers in early childhood council activities and functions.
Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 599, � 3, effective July 1.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former � 26-6.5-103.7 as it existed prior to 2022.
26.5-2-207. Early childhood councils - waivers - rules - funding - application. (1) A local council may request a waiver of any rule that would prevent a council from implementing council projects. The local council shall submit the request to the early childhood leadership commission created in part 3 of article 1 of this title 26.5. The early childhood leadership commission shall consult with the affected state agency in reviewing the request. The department or other affected state agency shall grant waivers upon recommendation by the commission.
(2) (a) The executive director shall promulgate rules to develop and distribute to councils the application form and application process to be used by each council seeking to receive council infrastructure, quality improvement, technical assistance, and evaluation funding from the early childhood cash fund created in section 26.5-2-209 and other funding sources appropriated for early childhood services.
(b) The department shall, upon receipt, review applications for early childhood funding from the early childhood cash fund established in section 26.5-2-209 and other funding sources appropriated for early childhood services.
(c) The department is authorized to enter into a sole-source contract with any council to increase and sustain the quality, accessibility, capacity, and affordability of early childhood services for young children and their parents.
Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 599, � 3, effective July 1.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former � 26-6.5-104 as it existed prior to 2022.