About

Iowa’s Community Empowerment was established during the 1998 legislative session in an effort to create a partnership between communities and State government with an emphasis to improve the well-being of families with young children.  Within local empowerment areas, local citizens are able to lead collaborative efforts involving education, health, and human service programs.  The 2010 legislative session brought about some changes in Iowa’s early childhood structure merging Community Empowerment and the Early Childhood Iowa Stakeholder’s Council to the current name Early Childhood Iowa (ECI). Early Childhood Iowa is located in the Department of Human Services, Early Childhood Services.

Early Childhood Iowa Areas serve all 99 of Iowa’s Counties.

Achieving Results:  Every community in Iowa will have the opportunity to develop the capacity and commitment for achieving these results:

  • Healthy Children
  • Children Ready to Succeed in School
  • Safe and Nurturing Families
  • Secure and Nurturing Child Care Environments

The Early Childhood Iowa legislation established two specific programs School Ready and Early Childhood.  These programs provide funding to encourage communities to “work together” to assist families with children ages zero to five.

Purpose of funds is to support a comprehensive school ready plan.  Funds can fund programs, services and activities to support children prenatal through age five and their families. The funds are separated into categories Program Discretionary, Home Visitation, and Administrative.  Each category has specific requirements on how local area boards may use the funds.

To improve the quality of early care, health and education programs and services.

  • Support quality improvement efforts,
  • Are evidence-based, quality practices and services, that positively affect outcomes for children,
  • Produce and document expected performance outcomes,
  • Align with the BVCS Early Childhood Community Plan and identified priorities
  • Provide funding for staff/administration cost to help the board meet administrative responsibilities.
  • Use the funds to support the early care, health, and education for children prenatal through age five and their families based on a comprehensive needs assessment and Community Plan.
  • Demonstrate the effectiveness of programs, services, and activities funded through performance measures.