Mississippi State
Early Childhood Advisory Council




WHAT IS SECAC?



SECAC serves as not only a group of advisors, but as liaisons between the governor’s office and administrative agencies and providers. SECAC does not make policy or approve regulations; it informs early education and care in Mississippi by making recommendations.

UPCOMING MEETINGS


SECAC'S MISSION


ACCORDING TO THE HEAD START ACT



Conducting a periodic statewide needs assessment concerning the quality and availability of early childhood education.
Identifying opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration and coordination among federally-funded and state-funded child development, child care, and early childhood education programs and services.


Developing recommendations:
• For increasing the overall participation of children in existing child care and early childhood education programs.
• Regarding unified data collection systems.
• Regarding statewide professional development and career advancement plans for early childhood educators.
• For improvements in state early learning standards and undertaking efforts to develop high-quality comprehensive early learning standards.


Assessing the capacity and effectiveness of 2- and 4- year public and private institutions of higher education in the State.
Holding public hearings and providing opportunities for public comment on the activities described in clause.
Submitting a statewide strategic report addressing the activities described above to the state director of Head Start Collaboration and the governor.


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    OUR MEMBERS





    Andrea Sanders
    Executive Director of SECAC
    Commissioner
    Child Protective Services

    Dr. Michael Cormack, Jr.
    Deputy Superintendent
    Jackson Public Schools

    Dr. Stephanie Davidson
    Associate Professor
    Jackson State University

    Dr. Chad Allgood
    Co-Chair of SECAC
    Department of Early Child Care and Development
    Mississippi Department of Human Services

    Nita Norphlet-Thompson
    Co-Chair of SECAC
    Executive Director
    Mississippi Head Start Association

    Tina Routh
    Director
    Department of Early Childhood Education
    Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

    Candice Taylor
    619 Coordinator
    Mississippi Department of Education

    Wendy Bailey
    Executive Director
    Mississippi Department of Mental Health

    Dr. Linda Southward
    Executive Director
    Children’s Foundation of Mississippi

    Michelle Connelly
    Executive Director
    United Way of West Central Mississippi

    Dr. Sondia Christian
    Director Business Integration
    Ingalls Shipbuilding

    Dr. Angela Rutherford
    Professor, Department of Teacher Education Director, Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction

    Lori Gloyd Rolison
    Director
    Little People’s Christian Academy
    4th Congressional District

    Jennifer Calvert
    Director
    Calvert’s Learning Center
    Lead Partner forAmory Early
    Learning Collaborative
    1st Congressional District

    Dr. Cathy Gaston
    Director
    Friends of Children of Mississippi
    2nd Congressional District
    Travonda Morris
    Director
    Prep Learning Academy
    3rd Congressional District
    Dr. Eileen Beazley
    Head Start Collaboration Director
    Office of Governor Tate Reeves
    Dr. Jill Dent
    Early Childhood Director
    Mississippi Department of Education
    Dr. Julie Parker
    Associate Professor
    Mississippi State University
    Jamilia Taylor
    Associate Director for Nurturing Homes Initiative & MSCCR&R
    MSU Extension Services
    Angela Crockett
    Deputy Director
    Division of Early Childhood Care and Development - Mississippi Department of Human Services
    Dr. Susan Buttross
    Division Head
    Child Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
    University of Mississippi
    Tamara Smith
    Director of Early Education
    Midtown Partners, Inc.
    Nicole Banes
    Director
    Office of Licensure - Mississippi State Department of Health
    Kris Adcock
    Director
    Mississippi State Department of Health