Gov. Dannel Malloy plans to reintroduce a bill this session to formally establish the Office of Early Childhood to deliver improved programs and services to children from birth to 5 years old and their parents, the governor announced at a scholarship breakfast with members of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority in Hartford.
“I signed an Executive Order last year establishing the Office of Early Childhood because this fundamental priority was too vital to put on hold," Malloy said in a statement. "With another legislative session on the horizon, I believe it’s critical that the office be statutorily created to ensure future continuity of services. A smart, coordinated system that makes sure we are providing quality services to the children who need them is an important part of our effort to give everyone in our state the chance to succeed throughout their lives."
You can read the executive order here.
It recommending consolidating several programs previously housed in five separate state agencies.
A news release from Malloy’s office is necessary to detail the transfer of authority of the other state agencies to the OEC.
“Over the past seven months, we have made significant strides in early childhood in our state,” Dr. Myra Jones-Taylor, executive director of the OEC, said in a statement. “We have developed and validated our Early Learning and Development Standards, worked towards improving our child care licensing system, and invested in professional development and support to increase quality among our providers. We look forward to continuing to improve the early childhood experience for young children in our state. We hope that this legislation will be passed soon so that we may move forward with our important work.”
