| Formal Name: | Early Childhood Education Endowment Board of Trustees |
| Contact Person: | Melody Hobson |
| Purpose: | To administer the Early Childhood Education Grant Program for children birth to age three. |
| How Many Affectable: | There are 77,688 children birth to age 3 in Nebraska |
| How Many Served: | 871 infants and toddlers were served in 2015-16 |
| Year Created: | 2006 |
| Year Active: | 2007 |
| Sunset Date: | none |
| Authorization Citation: | Nebraska Revised Statutes Section 79-1104.04 |
| Parent Agency: | For administrative and budgetary purposes only, the Board of Trustees is within the State Department of Education |
| Number Of Members: | 6 |
| Who Appoints: | Governor |
| Legislative Approval: | no |
| Qualifications Of Members: | 2 persons nominated by the endowment provider, 1 early childhood professional representing an urban at-risk area, 1 early childhood professional representing a rural at-risk area, the Commissioner of Education or hisher designee, the chief executive officer of the Department of Health and Human services or hisher designee. |
| Per Diem: | no |
| Expense Reimbursement: | yes |
| Term Length: | The terms of members are three years. |
| Terms Rotate or Expire At Once: | Terms Rotate |
| Required FY 13-14: | There is no legislatively required number of meetings |
| Held FY 13-14: | 6 |
| Required FY 14-15: | There is no legislatively required number of meetings |
| Held FY 14-15: | 6 |
| Required FY 15-16: | There is no legislatively required number of meetings |
| Held FY 15-16: | 6 |
| Support Staff: | The Board of Trustees does not have a support staff for its work. The Department of Education provides budgetary and legal support. The Endowment Provider employees a technical assistance staff paid through technical assistance and evaluation funds. |
| Shared or Separate: | blank |
| FY 13-14 Budget: | $8,000 |
| FY 14-15 Budget: | $8,000 |
| FY 15-16 Budget: | $8,000 |
| Other Funding Sources: | The Early Childhood Education Endowment Cash Fund receives periodic disbursements from the private endowment per Neb. Rev. Stat. Sec. 79-1104.01 |
| Spending Authority: | Neb. Rev. Stat. Sec. 78-1104.02 |
| Since July 1, 2012: | : In 2013, the Board of Trustees approved Early Childhood Education Endowment Program (Sixpence) grants to an additional 14 school districts. In 2015, the Early Childhood Education Endowment Program expanded again and the Board of Trustees approved another 6 Sixpence grants. At this time, the total number of school districts with Sixpence grants stands at 31. The program has an evaluation completed each year. Sixty-eight ( 68) % of the infants and toddlers served experienced 3 or more factors that pose risks to their growth and learning. The majority (range of 73% to 92%) of the children in Sixpence met widely-held expectations for rate of development across all developmental areas. Sixpence programs also made a significant positive impact on parent-child interactions. Parents had a strong relationship with their children and demonstrated significant improvements in overall parent-child interactions as well as in building relationships and supporting their childrens learning. |