Board of Early Education and Care
March 9, 2010
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Department of Early Education and Care
51 Sleeper Street
Boston, MA 02210
MINUTES
Members of the Board of Early Education and Care Present
J.D. Chesloff, Chairperson
Paul Reville, Secretary of EOE
Kathleen Betts, Designee of the Secretary of EOHHS
Elizabeth Childs, M.D.
Carol Craig O’Brien
Julie P. Culhane, Ph.D., (by phone)
Chi-Cheng Huang, M.D.
Mary Pat Messmer
Sharon Scott-Chandler
Sherri Killins, Ed.D., Commissioner of the Department and Secretary to the Board
Members of the Board of Early Education and Care Absent
All members of the Board were present.
The meeting was called to order at 1:07 p.m.
Welcome and Comments from the Chair
Chairperson Chesloff welcomed attendees and provided an update on Board vacancies. He announced
that Orlando Isaza has resigned from the Board. Chairperson Chesloff mentioned that he had spoken with
Mr. Isaza last month who had expressed his excitement in getting re-engaged with the Board’s work.
However, due to Mr. Isaza’s current family circumstances, he has resigned. Chairperson Chesloff
expressed gratitude for Mr. Isaza’s participation on the Board and wished him and his family well.
Chairperson Chesloff noted that EEC’s Board now has two vacancies which will make populating Board
subcommittees difficult. Chairperson Chesloff stated that he will staff EEC’s Advisory Council as the Board
liaison for the time being.
Chairperson Chesloff continued by updating the Board on Early Education for All’s Advocacy Day at the
State House. He remarked that the day went well, and the field was well represented with a number of
participants. He also mentioned that, in his new role as Chairperson of the Board, he has been meeting
with legislators, as well as meeting with State budget committees along with Commissioner Killins.
Chairperson Chesloff noted that he and other Board members spent time since the last meeting working
on Commissioner Killins’ annual evaluation, and that this item would be addressed later in the meeting
agenda. He also mentioned that Board Member Julie Culhane chaired the Evaluation Committee and
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although she could not attend today’s meeting, she will be participating by telephone and will be providing
a more detailed update on the Commissioner evaluation process.
Agency Updates: Comments from the Commissioner
Commissioner Killins thanked those present at the Board meeting. She acknowledged Orlando Isaza’s
resignation from the Board, noting that he was a valuable member of the Board’s Planning and Evaluation
Committee, providing strong representation on behalf of the Western part of the state, and he will be
missed.
She continued by providing the Board with Agency updates, noting that EEC, in partnership with the
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) held a Pre-K to Third Literacy Conference last
week. Districts, defined geographically to include early education and care programs and providers from
the mixed delivery system, were invited to attend. Interest in the conference was so high that people had
to be turned away; this was reflective of people’s interest in talking about birth to age 8 strategies.
Commissioner Killins mentioned that the conference’s keynote speaker remarked that it was the first time
people had come together for such a conference. EEC will continue to work collaboratively around birth to
age 8 initiatives, and such work will include regional meetings this summer.
Commissioner Killins continued with an update on the All Together Now Conference, held March 4th-6th in
Worcester. EEC allocated resources to this conference which significantly reduced the cost per participant.
She noted that 600 participants attended this conference which included trainings related to assessment,
Special Quest, and other key topics.
Commissioner Killins thanked Cheryl Liebeling from ESE, Stacy Diminio from Education Development
Center, and Nancy Topping-Tailby for their assistance in coordinating these conferences. She also
thanked EEC staff who helped coordinate both conferences and recognized Board Member Carol Craig
O’Brien’s help developing the Literacy Conference from its initial stages.
Commissioner Killins reported on EEC staffing, announcing that Judith Alexandre has accepted the position
of Program Funding Specialist. Ms. Alexandre most recently held the position of Executive Director of the
Multilingual Action Council at Wheelock College; she will begin her employment on March 15, 2010. On
March 8th, a new developer joined EEC’s IT Unit. Prabhu Mani will be working with the subsidy applications
CCIMS and eCCIMS to support recent financial assistance policy changes. Veronica Wornum, EEC’s
Financial/Forecasting Analyst, announced her resignation effective March 5, 2010, accepting a promotional
opportunity with Medicaid at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Ms. Wornum had been
with EEC since May 2008. Jennifer Ahern, who currently works in the Grants Unit as a Program Funding
Specialist, has accepted a position at ESE. Commissioner Killins welcomed new staff and wished Veronica
and Jennifer the best in their new positions.
Commissioner Killins announced that Square One (Springfield Day Nursery) received $250,000 from the
Department of Housing and Community Development’s Community Service Block Grant Special Projects
fund, to allow Square One to work with up to 100 homeless families in the Children in Transition Program:
Early Education and Care for Children of Homeless Families, located in the West Springfield motels.
Commissioner Killins provided updates on recently posted grants. The Access Management reprocurement has been posted; EEC seeks proposals from vendors for any or all of three levels of services
which include subsidy management, information and referral, and enhanced consumer education. The
Educator and Provider Support grant has also been posted and there will be a bidder’s conference March
11th at EEC’s Boston Office. Meanwhile, Associated Early Care and Education has been awarded the FY11
Assessment grant and has begun outreach to programs. Associated and its partners will provide
training/technical assistance, professional development, and assessment and screening tools and
materials to programs in the mixed delivery system statewide. Through this initiative, EEC seeks to help
make child assessment and screening sustainable practices in the early education and care field.
Commissioner Killins provided an update regarding ARRA funding. EEC is gathering data for third quarter
ARRA reporting. EEC will continue reporting on the IDEA Preschool Special Education grants and will
report on the new voucher management model, the Out of School Time initiative and the Information and
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Referral project. Due to the Board’s recent votes to expend ARRA funds, EEC will be able to timely obligate
the funds.
EEC has posted a Request For Proposals seeking a contractor to support the Department in addressing the
needs of English Language Learners.
Commissioner Killins reported that on February 19th, EEC posted for a Quality Rating and Improvement
System (QRIS) Project Specialist who will assist the Department in managing the QRIS pilot. This is a
temporary, part time contracted position, effective through June 30, 2010. The Department will also be
hiring a consultant to conduct an evaluation of the implementation of the pilot program between March 15
and June 30, 2010. The selected vendor will survey and then conduct interviews with participating
programs to garner information about the effectiveness and ease of participation in the pilot and other
factors that will help inform the larger-scale implementation of the QRIS. Finally, three interns from the
Harvard Graduate School of Education will be working on a QRIS consulting project in relationship to the
upcoming pilot. They will be reviewing the process of implementation of QRIS in Massachusetts and
comparing implementation in other states. The project will include recommendations for continuous
improvement.
Finally, Commissioner Killins noted that Income Eligible contracts were used to open access to families.
During the month of February, contract slots were expanded by 5% and income eligible providers were
allowed to use the flex pool to enroll siblings. To date, over 434 siblings have been placed with contracted
providers and 128 of the 728 new contracted slots have been filled.
Comments from the Secretary
Secretary Reville commenting on the current budget situation, stating that he is proud of the budget the
Governor has put forward, though we will need advocacy from the field to sustain functioning within the
fiscal challenges. He noted the accomplishments made with respect to the Governor’s priority on
education in general, and on early education in particular. He reported that ESE has been selected as a
finalist in the Federal Race to the Top grant process, and the Commonwealth will hear by mid-April if it
has been selected. This grant application has implications for early education and care. Secretary Reville
commented that he is excited about the prospects for the grant and noted how ESE was able to pass key
legislation related to charter schools to support its application. He opined that the problem with education
is not in the quality of teachers, but that it is in the quality of teaching and learning. We need to develop
the right team to deal with circumstances that exist and provide supports that allow children to come to
school healthy and ready to learn.
Chairperson Chesloff added that Massachusetts’ selection as a Race to the Top finalist is a remarkable
accomplishment and he congratulated Governor Patrick, Secretary Reville and the team at ESE.
Statements from the Public
The Board of Early Education and Care makes up to 30 minutes available for persons in the audience to
address the Board on specific agenda items. In order to hear as many speakers as possible, the Board
limits individuals to three minutes, although written material of any length can be submitted to
Chairperson Chesloff or Commissioner Killins.

Kelty Kelley - MACPC, Coordinator of Charles River CPC, addressed
the upcoming discussion of Commissioner Killins’ evaluation, noting that it has been a busy year
and that the Commissioner has been receptive and responsive to the field’s needs. She thanked
the Commissioner for her work and also noted that she has heard positive feedback about the
recently posted Educator and Provider Support Grant and upcoming CSEFEL opportunities.

Patricia Quinn - Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy, commented on the urgent need
for access to early education and care for teen parents who need it to complete high school or their
GED, referencing soon-to-be released reports that support this argument and encouraged EEC to
look at her organization’s policies.
End of public comment period.
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Routine Business:
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was:
VOTED that the Board of Early Education and Care approve the minutes of the February 9, 2010
Board meeting, as presented by the Commissioner. The motion passed with one abstention; Kathy
Betts, the designee of the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS),
abstained.
Chairperson Chesloff asked the Board to vote on moving the date of the next board meeting. He
apologized for his request and appreciated the Board’s flexibility in considering moving the meeting from
April 13th to April 6th.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was:
VOTED that the Board of Early Education and Care change the April 2010 regularly scheduled
meeting of the Board from April 13, 2010 to April 6, 2010. The motion passed unanimously.

Board Committee Reports
Board Member Childs informed the Board that the first meeting of the combined Policy and Programs and
Fiscal and Budget Committees had occurred. The consolidated Committee worked hard to get through all
of the items on the agenda, and Board Member Childs noted she would comment on each of the agenda
items as it arose.

Advisory Council Update
Commissioner Killins reported that the goals of the QRIS Pilot were discussed at the Advisory Council
Meeting, along with the priority populations bid. The Advisory Council’s feedback will be discussed during
today’s presentations. The Advisory Council met in small groups to discuss recommendations around EEC
strategic areas prior to the July Board retreat.
Disclosures:
Chairperson Chesloff noted that the Board materials include written disclosures and opened the floor for
any other disclosures. Board Member Carol Craig-O’Brien verbally disclosed that her employer,
Westwood Public Schools, currently receives EEC funding and has an interest in receiving additional
funding. Board Member Scott-Chandler disclosed that she works for ABCD which receives EEC contracts
and is interested in future work with the Department. Board Member Messmer submitted a written
disclosure that her employer has an interest in the Priority Populations, QRIS and ARRA agenda items.
Items for Discussion and Action:
I.
Evaluation Process – Discussion and Vote
Board Member Culhane noted that Chairperson Chesloff, Board Member Childs, Board Member Craig
O’Brien and she met as a Committee to evaluate Commissioner Killins’ first year. She referred Board
Members to the materials in their binders which include the Committee’s three part report which consists
of: 1) the results of a survey taken by 80% of the Board that evaluated the Commissioner in light of the
five strategic goals of the Department; 2) an analysis of the Commissioner’s executive functions; and 3) a
Committee summary focusing on how to move forward with Commissioner Killins’ assessment for next
year. Board Member Culhane provided an overview of the Committee’s recommendations, as well as the
evaluation process. She noted that the Committee members are interested in continuing to improve the
process in the future to obtain more reliable results.
Board Member Culhane highlighted some of the Commissioner’s strengths from the report, including her
exceptional job related to Strategic Direction 3 (workforce) and her decision making. Furthermore, she
acknowledged that every rating indicated the highest level of competency.
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Board Member Childs noted that the third part of the report, which focused on moving forward and
acknowledging the Commissioner’s performance, was a difficult decision for the Committee because there
was unanimous acknowledgment of the Commissioner’s outstanding performance, but also a recognition
of the State’s fiscal crisis with respect to salary and hiring freezes. Board Member Childs stated that there
could be conversations about compensation in the future, but that this may not be the time or place for
that conversation.
Board Member Craig O’Brien echoed Board Member Culhane’s comments and noted that the evaluation
process provided the Board with an opportunity to look back at the accomplishments and competencies of
the past year. She described the Commissioner’s work as exceptional and acknowledged that the
Commissioner has provided strong examples for moving the Department forward.
Board Member Childs moved that Board approve Commissioner Killins’ rating as “highly effective.”
On motion duly made and seconded, it was:
VOTED that the Board of Early Education and Care approve the Commissioner’s annual
performance rating of “Highly Effective,” as recommended by the Board’s Evaluation
Committee. The motion passed unanimously.
Secretary Reville commended the Board for a process that was highly professional. He concurred with the
overview and the final evaluation of the Commissioner and noted that, because of his relationship with
Commissioner Killins, he did not participate in the process. Secretary Reville concluded by stating that on
behalf of EOE, Commissioner Killins’ accomplishments will be noted, while recognizing the financial
challenges of the past year.
II.
Priority Populations – Discussion and Vote
Gail DeRiggi, EEC Senior Policy Analyst, presented on the Department’s proposed procurement of early
education and care and support services for priority populations. She referred Board members to the
materials in their binders, which included an updated PowerPoint presentation on the Priority Populations
Procurement. Ms. DeRiggi began by summarizing feedback from the February 26 th Advisory Council
meeting which included:


Concerns that teens may have to apply for TAFDC to receive child care if there is no expansion of
the existing slots for teen parents; and
Support for a blended rate by the Council.
Ms. DeRiggi provided an overview of current placement data and research supporting priority populations
and explained EEC’s collaboration with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) regarding
approaches for bringing families into the support system. Ms. DeRiggi explained eligibility requirements
for FY11, as well as updates on rates and funding for FY11.
There was some discussion regarding the income guidelines for the priority populations and in particular
their effect on foster care. Commissioner Killins responded that if a family is at risk and they need a slot,
the family should also be income eligible to access care. She mentioned that the Advisory Council
provided feedback that Income Eligible slots should not be used for foster children.
Commissioner Killins thanked Ms. DeRiggi for her work on priority populations, and appreciated Ms.
DeRiggi’s efforts to learn and take up this difficult work.
Board Member Scott-Chandler asked about the supportive caseload and whether it had gone down. Ms.
DeRiggi explained that there was a mismatch between where slots are now located and where they are
needed. Additionally, DCF has implemented a different approach to case management whereby cases are
now closing at a higher rate than in the past. She noted that EEC could easily fully utilize 5,000 to 6,000
supportive slots.
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There was some discussion regarding the waitlists for the priority populations. Ms. DeRiggi stated that
there are approximately 900 children on the supportive waitlist. Commissioner Killins added that the
waitlist reflects only DCF’s data and remarked that some people that are on the waiting list are not
accepting slots when the slots become available; she added that she hopes to address this situation
through a new policy regarding waitlist duration.
Board Member Childs then provided feedback from the Policy and Fiscal Board Committee, stating that the
Committee felt strongly that this is a positive proposal and recommended the Board support the blended
rate. She highlighted three things from the Committee’s discussion. First, EEC should consider
broadening its definition to include homeless children who are not in shelters. Second, there needs to be
a more logical approach to rate setting. She noted that this procurement is an opportunity to get
information from the field about the average costs of care which will allow EEC to determine a more
accurate blended rate for future use. Lastly, the subcommittee supported the addition of an extra 1,000
slots for foster parents/children and more slots for teen parents to meet the statewide need.
Board Member Huang expressed the importance of this proposal and his personal interest in meeting the
needs of homeless families.
Chairperson Chesloff questioned how procurements can move forward without knowledge of FY11
appropriations. Commissioner Killins responded that the Department is projecting based on its current
numbers; all procurements have been posted with language noting that they are subject to appropriation.
If the Department should experience another 9C cut, budget amounts can then be reduced.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was:
VOTED that the Board of Early Education and Care approve the Department’s budget, goals and
criteria, consistent with the presentation to the Board on March 9, 2010, for the procurement of
early education and care and support services for priority populations through a competitive
Request for Responses (RFR), in fiscal year 2011. The motion passed unanimously.
III.
Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) – Discussion and Vote
Commissioner Killins provided an overview of the proposed QRIS Pilot, referring Board members to the
materials in their binders. She reported that prior community feedback suggested offering fiscal
incentives to participating programs. The Department recommends that the Board approve a $4 million
quality improvement plan to move programs to the next level of QRIS by making grants available of up to
$10,000 per program. She expressed EEC staff concerns regarding how to manage this program due to
the tight timeframe, as funds must be spent by June 30, 2010, and programs must be very clear about
their proposed expenditures in their proposals. The proposed submission form will be simple and will
show EEC how programs will use the proposed resources and who they will work with to meet specific
QRIS standards.
Chairperson Chesloff asked if programs must receive the funds by June 30 th. Commissioner Killins
responded that funds must be spent by June 30 th; EEC expects to fund programs around May 1 st. She
noted that grants will be site specific. However, family child care systems can submit self assessment
information and grant documents on behalf of their affiliated providers. In addition, public schools may
submit grant information for multiple schools in a district. Commissioner Killins explained that EEC is
looking at ways to continue this grant process next year. One of the benefits of this program is that EEC
will learn from programs as to what they think they need to do to increase quality. There are multiple
short term purchasing options available to programs with these funds, including such options as certified
playground inspections, leadership training, or a financial review. She hoped the Board will approve the
grant proposal so it could be posted by the end of the week. Grantees will submit questions and proposals
in April and the review will be conducted on a first come, first serve basis.
Board Member Childs reported that the Policy and Fiscal Committee spent a lot of time discussing this
proposal. She echoed the timing concern and recommended support for this initiative, noting that this is
an opportunity to understand how QRIS will work and will give the Department more information to move
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forward. The Committee suggested that the Department require a commitment from funded programs to
share their best practices. She recognized that not all programs will receive funding and that EEC may not
be able to fund programs next year, so we want to get broad program type and geography representation
this year. Board Member Childs explained that EEC may consider using license plate funds for a similar
grant program next year.
Board Member Scott-Chandler suggested that if May 1st is when grantees are to receive payment, EEC
should check in at that time to determine what has been spent or committed in case funding needs to be
reconfigured. Commissioner Killins replied that she will update the Board in May. She mentioned that
EEC is posting a notice of intent form for programs to submit to EEC which will provide an early indication
of which and how many programs will participate.
Secretary Reville referenced the Committee’s comment to share best practices and asked if there are
mechanisms in place to make this happen and transfer information. Commissioner Killins responded that
a critical part of the process is for regional staff to conduct orientations. Over time we may want to utilize
people who have participated in the pilot to be part of these sessions in the future, in capacities as peer
coaches or mentors. Secretary Reville wondered if the Readiness Centers could do something to help. He
explained that EOE had this issue with charter schools and one of the things learned is that it is important
to be deliberate about creating mechanisms for sharing information.
Board Member Childs opined that expectations should be built into contracts so that programs participate
in best practice forums or data sharing. There was a discussion about how best practices could be
monitored and utilized. There were suggestions that evaluators of the QRIS Pilot can keep track of what
best practices emerge and/or that EEC staff monitor these practices. Commissioner Killins responded that
this would not be easy. However, the Department has posted for a consultant to work with EEC through
the end of the fiscal year and has enlisted current staff, Kelly Schaffer and Nicole Lessard, to help with the
process. In addition, EEC is hiring an outside evaluator. She also mentioned that three Harvard graduate
students will look at other states and how they rolled out their QRIS. Commissioner Killins stated that
incomplete applications will not be funded and EEC staff will not chase programs for paperwork. She
noted that programs with an existing relationship with EEC have an advantage to get their funds sooner.
It will take a couple of extra weeks to receive funding for people that do not have a relationship with EEC.
Chairperson Chesloff commented that the Committee discussed how the Department will get out as much
funding as it can responsibly, given staff resources and not knowing what the process will look like. Board
Member Scott-Chandler added that a range of programs should be represented in the Pilot in order to
gather as much information as possible.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was:
VOTED that the Board of Early Education and Care approve the Department’s plan to administer
up to $4 million of CCDF quality funding for QRIS Quality Improvement Grants through a
competitive grant process, provided that such funds are utilized in Fiscal Year 2010. The motion
passed unanimously.
IV.
ARRA Proposals
Commissioner Killins began the discussion by noting that all but $6 million of the ARRA funds will be
obligated by the end of the week. She then turned the discussion over to EEC’s Director of Educator and
Provider Support, Phil Baimas, to present the Department’s proposal to allocate ARRA funds to supplement
the Commonwealth’s professional development investment in the Center for Social and Emotional
Foundations in Early Learning (CSEFEL) pyramid model.
CSEFEL – Vote and Discussion
Mr. Baimas began by highlighting the fact that Massachusetts was one of ten states selected to participate
in the national CSEFEL professional development model. He then provided an overview of CSEFEL and the
plan to supplement the CSEFEL model with ARRA funds. He summarized the background and main
components of CSEFEL and highlighted that this proposal was received favorably by the Fiscal and Policy
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Board Committee. Mr. Baimas reviewed the ARRA proposal, including using federal stimulus funds to
develop intensive trainings for up to 2,000 participants and to provide follow-up mentoring as a necessary
component. He noted that EEC anticipated issuing an RFR in April with the hope that a vendor would
develop a training model in the spring so that actual trainings would start in the summer through
September 2011. In conclusion, Mr. Baimas stated that supporting CSEFEL is a proactive approach to
responding to the need for training to support children with diverse needs and challenging behaviors, both
of which present often in early education and care programs.
Board Member Scott-Chandler acknowledged that this ARRA proposal represents a tremendous training
opportunity that will be available to programs statewide.
Board Member Craig O’Brien confirmed her support of the proposal, but requested the language in the
motion be changed to say early education and care professionals, as opposed to child care staff.
Board Member Messmer commented that another added value of this proposal is that it represents a
shared community vision that moves beyond support and care. In sum, she stated that this proposal
creates an incredible opportunity to broaden support in the provider world statewide.
Board Member Betts responded that she is equally supportive, although biased because she is the
principle investigator on a SAMSHA Systems of Care grant which is directly linked to CSEFEL.
Board Member Childs confirmed Mr. Baimas’ earlier statement that the Fiscal and Policy Committee
supports this initiative.
On motion duly made and seconded, it was:
VOTED that the Board of Early Education and Care (Board) approve the expenditure of up to
$300,000 of CCDF quality funds received by the Commonwealth pursuant to ARRA for the
purpose of new statewide training opportunities for early education and care professionals to
address and nurture the social/emotional development of infants, toddlers and preschoolers in
both center-based settings and family child care homes using the CSEFEL Pyramid Model;
provided further that the funds are to be distributed through a competitive procurement in
accordance with the goals and criteria described in the March 9, 2010 Board presentation. The
Board further authorizes the Commissioner to develop and submit a plan to the Governor’s
Office of Administrative and Finance through the Executive Office of Education for approval.
The motion passed with one abstention; Secretary Reville abstained.
Chairperson Chesloff acknowledged that ARRA funding is one area in which the public is particularly
interested and that it is very important that the Board stays on top of this to ensure the Department is
allocating, encumbering and spending funds in accordance with the federal timeline. Board Member ScottChandler added that EEC also needs to show how children are benefiting from ARRA-related projects.
Chairperson Chesloff asked Secretary Reville if this can be coordinated through his office. Secretary
Reville replied that work is currently being done to communicate the stories regarding how stimulus
funding is directly impacting lives. He noted that EOE welcomes any stories reflecting the impact of ARRA
funded initiatives.
Communications – Discussion
Commissioner Killins presented the Department’s proposal to use approximately $300,000 of ARRA funds
to develop a statewide communications initiative to improve the quality of information made available
about the importance of children’s earliest years. She spoke about the need to reach families with
children birth to age 8, and the need to address messaging and measures of impact. She highlighted key
aspects of the proposed communications strategy, including publicizing the importance of EEC as a
national leader to internal and external stakeholders.
Board Member Betts responded that through SAMSHA grant funding, the United Way has been able to
help other departments with marketing plans. She suggested making communication a continuum that
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starts with messaging and where funding is continued over time. She noted her support of this ARRA
funded initiative.
Chairperson Chesloff asked if this topic has been discussed in the Committee meeting. Board Member
Childs responded that the Committee is supportive of the proposal but thought it should be presented to
the entire Board.
Board Member Scott-Chandler mentioned that a key component of the QRIS system is to communicate
quality for families and users, and acknowledged that how to communicate QRIS remains to be
determined– whether through a campaign or education awareness.
Board Member Craig O’Brien expressed her support of this initiative and suggested that EEC follow the
lead of the NAEYC messaging campaign.
Board Member Huang opined that reaching out to populations may be difficult, for instance if families don’t
have a television or e-mail but do have a cell phone. He suggested that the most effective ways to reach
families differs, and asked that social media also be considered as a communication strategy.
Chairperson Chesloff asked if the money could be used to hire a public relations firm to assist EEC in
developing an advertising campaign. Commissioner Killins answered that she is not sure. A few public
relations firms have expressed interest in doing the work, and a few vendors have been mentioned to her,
but she does not think that EEC is ready for a public relations firm, as the messaging needs to be worked
out first.
Chairperson Chesloff requested that the Communications Initiative be on the agenda for the next Planning
and Evaluation Committee meeting.
Noting that the meeting was drawing to a close, Secretary Reville took the opportunity to provide a few
final comments. First, he acknowledged the tight and efficient business process of the Board under
Chairperson Chesloff, by noting in particular that the Board presentations were succinct and effective. He
expressed his appreciation of the smooth transition from Board Member Scott-Chandler to Chairperson
Chesloff. And lastly, Secretary Reville commented on Commissioner Killins’ evaluation by noting that she
did a great job getting acclimated to the Department and has brought thoughtful vision and achieved
many accomplishments in her first year at EEC, despite fiscal challenges. He referred to her as a
teammate and appreciated working with her.
On motion duly made and seconded, it was:
VOTED that the meeting adjourn at 3:45 p.m., subject to the call of the Chairperson. The motion
passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Sherri Killins, Ed.D.
Commissioner of the Department and
Secretary to the Board
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