Early Childhood Iowa state board considers local board restructuring

Plans to move forward with consolidating some local boards of Early Childhood Iowa were discussed at the ECI State Board meeting Friday, though some members of the public brought up concerns about the loss of local control.

Consolidating the Early Childhood Iowa system came up earlier this year, when Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed legislation that would have shifted existing ECI funding, and federal Child Care and Development Fund Wrap Around Child Care funds, to create a new $16 million “continuum of care” competitive grant program for preschool and child care centers that offer full-day care for children.

The legislation ultimately did not pass in the 2025 legislative session, as multiple care providers and child care advocates brought up concerns that the measure would take 42 percent of current ECI funds, and serve a more limited group of child care providers. They also spoke in opposition to the potential regionalization of the ECI system, as Reynolds proposed aligning the boards that govern the program with the state’s Behavioral Health Services System regions.

This change would have consolidated the current 34 ECI area boards, which oversee funding for local initiatives and services for pre-kindergarten children, into seven boards.

Though this restructuring was not approved by the legislature, ECI state board members brought up the subject again at their Friday meeting. Some members of the board said having 34 local boards has made it difficult to gather data, manage contracts and perform oversight functions.

Emily Westergaard, the ECI state board chair, said that the discussion on restructuring was part of a larger conversation as the board weighs competing priorities while “recognizing that resources are finite and the needs are complex and interconnected.”

“This process calls for us to carefully consider data, diverse perspectives and potential trade offs, as well as have an understanding of how choices in one area may affect outcomes in another,” Westergaard said. “By approaching these decisions with transparency, fairness and a commitment to the greater good, I hope we can strengthen the Early Childhood Iowa network and make a lasting impact for our kids.”

But several advocates for local ECI boards, as well as other parties, asked for more time and deliberation on restructuring, and said the current structure does not have enough problems to justify the substantial changes.

Iowa Sens. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport, and Mike Zimmer, D-Clinton, sent a letter to the state board Thursday asking the members to “exercise their autonomous oversight authority to cautiously consider any attempt to radically restructure ECI service areas.”

“We have seen no evidence that the current Early Childhood Iowa system is failing Iowans,” Winckler said in a statement. “Any attempt to massively overhaul the existing system without thoughtful, internal analysis could threaten the consistent local service on which our communities have come to rely.”

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Kevin Grieme, the Health Director of the Siouxland District Health Department, cautioned ECI leaders to make sure the redistricting changes would be beneficial when considering the needs of different communities being served. He said the restructuring of public health boards brought up new concerns in terms of distributing funding or reaching agreements.

“When funding is given to us, we rightfully take a look at it and say, ‘what are our needs, (how do) we prioritize those?’ And I’m not sure you can reach that same sort of consensus and agreement and efficiencies related to that if your territory is too large,” Grieme said.

Grieme said “it’s going to be difficult to keep that local connection” if realignment means the districts move to mirror behavioral health districts.

“One of the things I strongly encourage you is to take the time and consideration and receive (feedback) from the local level to be able to basically justify whatever realignment configuration you develop,” Grieme said.

Unity Stevens, who led one of the work groups looking at restructuring, said it is important to note the new proposed ECI local boards structure “is not a mirror image of the behavioral health districts.”

“Those (behavioral health) districts were organized under a central provider of oversight with district advisory councils — ECI has historically been defined by a citizen-led forward structure, and that remains the intent going forward,” Stevens said.

She added that the new system, if changes are approved, would be “similar to our current setup, but it’s being shaped into a more streamlined structure.”

The next state board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 7, but members discussed the possibility of an earlier special meeting to discuss the restructuring.

This article first appeared in the Iowa Capital Dispatch.