Alaska Early Childhood Coordinating Council (AECCC)
Purpose
The AECCC was created by Governor Sean Parnell in 2010 to facilitate the integration and alignment of services, planning efforts, resources, policy development, and funding between the health, mental health, education, family support, public, and private systems. The Early Childhood Alaska: A Strategic Direction for 2020-2025 plan was created with a cross-section of state, non-profit, business, tribal entity, rural community, and family contributors. The AECCC adopted Early Childhood Alaska: A Strategic Direction for 2020-2025 (hereafter referred to as “Strategic Direction”) as its goals and priorities. As such, it is the current framework from which the AECCC operates. AECCC activities reflect the vision and goals of the strategic direction. The AECCC is an advisory council and does not have the authority or fiscal responsibility for the Strategic Direction.
The AECCC is an advisory body to the Commissioners of the Department of Health and the Department Education and Early Development and commits to using its unified voice and collective leadership to encourage others in our state to adopt and use the Strategic Direction to advance the goals for Alaska’s children and families. Members serve as subject matter experts to the Commissioners, who may bring forth recommendations to the Governor.
The AECCC fulfills the federal requirement for a Head Start advisory council, as well as the as the required advisory body for other federal grant programs including the Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV), the Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five Renewal, and Child Care Development Block Grant program.
AECCC Chairs
The Council is co-chaired by The Council is co-chaired by Commissioner Deena M Bishop, Ed.D. from the Department of Education and Early Development and Heidi Hedberg, Commissioner from the Department of Health.
Deena M. Bishop, Ed.D., Commissioner of Depart. of Education and Early Development
Heidi Hedberg, Commissioner of Department of Health
AECCC Public Meetings
The AECCC meets at least quarterly. Please go to the State of Alaska, Online Public Notices to find the next scheduled meeting.
Contact the AECCC
aeccc@alaska.gov