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.
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 SECACCommissioner
Child Protective Services
Dr. Michael Cormack, Jr.
Deputy SuperintendentJackson Public Schools
Dr. Stephanie Davidson
Associate ProfessorJackson State University
Nita Norphlet-Thompson
Co-Chair of SECACExecutive Director
Mississippi Head Start Association
Tina Routh
DirectorDepartment of Early Childhood Education
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Candice Taylor
619 CoordinatorMississippi Department of Education

Wendy Bailey
Executive DirectorMississippi Department of Mental Health
Dr. Linda Southward
Executive DirectorChildren’s Foundation of Mississippi
Kelly Butler
Chief Executive OfficerBarksdale Reading Institute
Dr. Angela Rutherford
DirectorCampaign for Grade Level Reading Professor, Department of Teacher Education Director, Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction
Lori Gloyd Rolison
DirectorLittle People’s Christian Academy
4th Congressional District
Jennifer Calvert
DirectorCalvert’s Learning Center
Lead Partner forAmory Early
Learning Collaborative
1st Congressional District
Dean Bobo
DirectorMagnolia Kindergarten
2nd Congressional District
Travonda Morris
DirectorPrep Learning Academy
3rd Congressional District
Dr. Eileen Beazley
Head Start Collaboration DirectorOffice of Governor Tate Reeves

Dr. Jill Dent
Early Childhood DirectorMississippi Department of Education

Dr. Chad Allgood
Co-Chair of SECAC
Co-Child Care AdministratorMississippi Department of Human Services

Dr. Julie Parker
Associate ProfessorMississippi State University

Candice Taylor
619 CoordinatorMississippi Department of Education

Dr. Susan Buttross
Division HeadChild Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
University of Mississippi

Tamara Smith
DirectorLittle Samaritan Montessori Center

Melissa Parker
DirectorOffice of Licensure