Press Releases
GOV. MALLOY ANNOUNCES DR. MYRA JONES-TAYLOR WILL CONTINUE LEADING THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he will re-appoint Dr. Myra Jones-Taylor as Commissioner of Office of Early Childhood (OEC) when his second term in office begins on January 7, 2015.
"In Connecticut, we've been focused on increasing the access to and the availability of quality, early childhood education because we know that giving more of our young people the preparation they need will increase their opportunities going into adulthood," Governor Malloy said. "Myra has been a very strong advocate for these efforts, specifically when it comes to focusing on the impact that poverty can have on young children's overall success. I am thrilled that she will continue in this position and look forward to working with her and all of the stakeholders whose hard work will help us close the achievement gap and ensure that Connecticut's children arrive at school ready to learn."
As commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood, Dr. Jones-Taylor oversees the state's early childhood programs and systems serving children from birth to age five and their families. Originally appointed as Executive Director for the newly created Office of Early Childhood in June 2013, Dr. Jones-Taylor became commissioner of the cabinet-level agency in May 2014 after the Office of Early Childhood was formally established in statute by legislation. Commissioner Jones-Taylor previously served as Director of the state Office of Early Childhood Planning, a position she was appointed to by Governor Malloy in 2012 for the purpose of creating a statewide plan for a coordinated early care and education system for young children.
"It is an honor to serve Connecticut's young children and families under the leadership of Governor Malloy and Lt. Governor Wyman," said Commissioner Jones-Taylor. "I am delighted to continue leading this agency of dedicated professionals who are passionate about improving the lives of young children while supporting their families. Together, we are delivering on the promise that a coordinated, comprehensive agency is smarter and more effective for young children and their families."
The Office of Early Childhood works to increase the organizational effectiveness of the state's early childhood system while expanding community partnerships, increasing access to early childhood programs and services to young children and their families, and improving the quality of early childhood programs, services and workforce.
Under Commissioner Jones-Taylor's leadership, the department's major accomplishments include:
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Establishment of the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, one of four cabinet-level state agencies in the nation dedicated to serving young children and their families.
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Streamlined numerous programs from four state agencies into one.
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Published the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards (CT ELDS), a document outlining what children, from birth to age five, should know and be able to do. The document was distributed to numerous early childhood providers including preschool teachers, child care centers, pediatricians, Family Resource Centers and libraries.
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Enhanced the child care licensing program by developing a policy and procedure manual for staff to improve consistency. The hiring of additional licensing staff to implement annual licensing inspections is also underway.
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Collaboratively worked with stakeholders to create a plan for a comprehensive home visiting system for Connecticut.
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Working with partners statewide to develop a universal screening system for young children to identify developmental delays early and connect children and families to early intervention services and programs.
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Awarded $12.5 million in discretionary federal funding from the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services through the competitive Preschool Development Grant to expand and improve high-quality preschool for 4-year-olds in Connecticut.
The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood is the state's leader in providing a comprehensive, collaborative system for delivering improved programs and services to children from birth to five years old and their families. The agency's mission is to support all young children in their development by ensuring that early childhood policy, funding and services strengthen the critical role families, providers, educators and communities play in a child's life.
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For Immediate Release: December 19, 2014
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