ECAC STRATEGIC PLAN
We seek to close the gap between what we know is good for our children, families, and communities and what we currently provide. Nevada Early Childhood Strategic Plan historically has a focus on developing a strong system of support that works across the fields of health, early learning and development, local communities, and family engagement. Once completely aligned, this system will result in positive outcomes for young children and their families to have the ability to successfully reach their full potential. Subcommittees are Responsible for completing the objectives within the goals that are within the current Strategic Plan.
The Strategic plan dictates the subcommittees needed to complete the work, the goals and objectives. The subcommittees create their own action steps to complete the goals before the end of the Strategic Plan time frame. Strategic plans are created as a collaborative effort between ECAC Council members, Subcommittee Members, Community members, family members, and ECAC Partners. They can be anywhere between 3-5 year-long plans, creating a pathway for the ECAC to follow for achievable goals in a doable timeframe.
Strategic Framework
- Every child in Nevada is our child, worthy of our commitment to their care, learning, and well-being.
- Our values and principles lay the foundation for this plan and the important work to follow:
- Reach all children and families, as early as possible, with needed services and supports
- Genuinely include and effectively accommodate children with special needs
- Reflect and respect the strengths, needs, values, languages, cultures, and communities of children and families
- Ensure stability and continuity of services along a continuum from prenatal into school entry and beyond
- Ease access for families and transitions for children
- Value parents as decision makers and leaders
2025
Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Meeting Dates, agendas, and minutes can be found on the Executive Leadership webpage
Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Documentation:
DRAFT 2026-2030 objectives and Approved Goals
ECAC SP Content Outline_DRAFT (1)
Motion 2_SP Ad Hoc to ECAC_2.18.26
Motion 1_SP Ad Hoc to ECAC_2.18.26
DRAFT Subcommittee Structure with Discussion Points 1.29.26
DRAFT 2.6.26 ECAC SP Content Outline
2026-2030 DRAFT Objectives and Goals 1.29.26
SP Ad Hoc Committee Goal Revision
ECAC DRAFT -Public Works finalized Strategic Plan
11.19 Public Works PPT General ECAC
NV ECAC and Public Works Survey Summary by Focus Areas
October 29, 2025 & October 30, 2025 ECAC Strategic Planning Retreat
10.29.25 MINUTES of Ex. Leadership Retreat
10.30.25 MINUTES of Ex. Leadership Retreat
10.29 and 10.30.25 RETREAT AGENDA Executive Leadership STRATEGIC PLANNING
Agenda Item #4 ECAC Retreat_ Goals DRAFT FROM PW
Nevada ECAC GOALS Infographic V1
NV ECAC and Public Works Survey Summary by Focus Areas
Nevada ECAC Strategic Planning 2025 (1)
ECAC 2025 Progress Highlights- Final Draft
The Strategic Planning Ad Hoc recommended the following Subcommittees that were approved by the Council on February 19, 2026:
Executive Leadership Subcommittee
Communication and Engagement Subcommittee
Policy and Finance Subcommittee
Data Subcommittee
NEW! Family Leadership & Engagement Subcommittee
NEW! Workforce Development Subcommittee
- 2026-2030 Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives
GOAL 1:
Comprehensive and Integrated Early Childhood System
Subcommittees: Executive Leadership, Data, Family Leadership and Engagement, Policy and Finance
Goal Overview: The Nevada ECAC supports the development of a comprehensive, connected early childhood system that aims to provide a seamless, unified, and coordinated approach to early childhood development and education, recognizing how various factors (health, safety, education, etc.) that influence a child’s well-being and potential must work together. This approach is critical in setting the stage for a child’s future success by addressing their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development during these formative years.
A high functioning, coordinated early childhood system includes a well-organized network of programs, services, and resources designed to support children and families prenatally through their early years – providing a holistic approach to child development. To achieve this goal, it is critical to align governance structures, policies, fiscal supports and data systems across the various sectors of the early childhood system, including:
Early Care and Education
Health, Mental Health and Nutrition Services
Family Supports
Economic Well-Being
Goal Statement: Promote an integrated, aligned, and family-centered early childhood system that strengthens coordination across agencies to support the delivery of services that meet the needs of children and families.
Objectives:
1.1 Develop recommendations and advocate for an integrated early childhood governance structure that continues to improve alignment and coordination across agencies, and supports shared oversight of programs, services, funding, and administration.
1.2 Promote and advocate for a statewide Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) to improve data sharing, accountability, and coordinated service delivery across early childhood programs.
1.3 Strengthen the organizational capacity and infrastructure of the Nevada ECAC to effectively convene partners, including families of young children, align cross-sector efforts, and support a coordinated early childhood system.
1.4 Provide guidance and recommendations for a coordinated and sustainable statewide infrastructure that elevates family voice, engagement, and leadership in decision-making to ensure early childhood services are responsive to the needs of children and families.
GOAL 2:
Workforce Development
Subcommittee: Workforce Development
GOAL OVERVIEW: The Nevada ECAC embraces the principle that a strong early childhood workforce is foundational to Nevada’s success in supporting children from birth through age eight. A qualified and well prepared, respectfully compensated, and representative workforce ensures high-quality services and provides consistent relationships vital for a child’s development.
ECAC will foster collaborations to strengthen career pathways, compensation parity, and amplify the voices of the early childhood workforce to shape statewide decisions and policies addressing the workforce crisis across the range of sectors within the Early Childhood System.
GOAL STATEMENT: Promote the growth and sustainability of a qualified and well prepared, respectfully compensated, and representative early childhood workforce.
Objectives:
2.1 Advance coordinated and accessible career pathways that support entry, advancement, and professional growth across early childhood roles, including pathways that recognize experience, credentials, and lived expertise.
2.2 Advocate for sustainable compensation strategies, including pay parity across early childhood settings and roles, to support workforce stability and recognize the value of the early childhood professions.2.3 Support strategies that strengthen recruitment and retention of a representative early childhood workforce, with an emphasis on reducing barriers to entry, increasing long-term career sustainability, and improving working conditions and supports.
2.4 Identify and promote opportunities to improve accessibility and use of disaggregated data to inform decision-making related to early childhood workforce recruitment, retention, compensation, and professional development. agenda item 4
GOAL 3:
Fiscal Policy and Sustainability
Subcommittees: Data, Policy and Finance
Goal Overview: The Nevada ECAC recognizes that the early childhood system must be sustainably funded at a level sufficient to provide high-quality programs across all sectors to ALL children and families prenatal through age eight. This includes funding to expand access to needed services, ensuring robust funding to support high-quality services, and that funding sources are sustainable to support on-going, seamless service delivery.
Nevada’s early childhood system is heavily reliant on federal funding streams to support essential services for children and families. While these resources are critical, they are often time-limited, restricted in use, and insufficient to meet the full scope of need across the state. This reliance creates instability in program availability, limits the ability to scale high-quality services, and contributes to gaps in affordability and access – particularly for families with infants and toddlers, children with special needs, and those living in rural or underserved communities.
Goal Statement: Promote sustainable and robust funding streams at levels that provide high-quality early childhood services across sectors of the early childhood system.
Objectives:
3.1 Provide guidance and support to track, analyze, and increase transparency and accuracy of existing funding streams across programs, agencies, and services.
3.2 Develop guidance and recommendations for funding needed to ensure access to high-quality early childhood services across sectors for all and to support system sustainability.
3.3 Identify and promote diversified funding sources and fiscal policy that strengthen the long-term sustainability and stability of Nevada’s early childhood system.
GOAL 4:
Advocacy and Influence
Subcommittees: Executive Leadership, Communication and Engagement, Family Leadership and Engagement
Goal Overview: The Nevada ECAC’s primary purpose, as defined in NRS 432A.076, is to “strengthen state-level coordination and collaboration among the various sectors and settings of early childhood programs.” This includes the development of recommendations to:
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Increase participation of children in early childhood programs;
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Establish or improve core elements of the early childhood system;
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Develop or improve a statewide professional development system; and
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Establish statewide standards for early childhood programs.