What We Do
The Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education (OAECE) envisions a high-quality, affordable early care and education system accessible to all families. As the Los Angeles County Early Care and Education office, OAECE has a unique mandate to promote systems change by advancing innovative practice and policy. Activities include engaging stakeholders by convening commissions like the Child Care Planning Committee and the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development; informing policy at a local and State level; supporting early educators in Workforce Pathways LA; and building a stronger early education infrastructure in partnership with early education centers, Family Child Care Homes (FCCH), Family, Friends and Neighbors (FFN), school districts, and County Employee Child Care Centers.
One Vision, One Mission
The Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education, Child Care Planning Committee, and Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development share a united vision and mission: Vision – Children are healthy, thriving and have equitable opportunities to achieve optimal development and succeed in life. Mission – Lead, build, and strengthen an affordable and high-quality early care and education system for the children and families in Los Angeles County.
How We Conduct Our Work
Based on the legacy of the Investing in Early Educators Stipend Program (AB 212), Workforce Pathways LA is a comprehensive workforce development model that works in partnership with Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA), the County-wide quality improvement consortium. The project supports participants along the career lattice with a focus on three areas: licensing/health and safety; professional development, permits, and degrees; and workforce systems improvement. Workforce Pathways LA includes financial incentives for achieving milestones along the career lattice and professional development and career advisement targeted to early educators inclusive of family, friend and neighbor care, family child care providers, and center-based staff working directly with children and their families.
The Los Angeles County Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development builds and strengthens early care and education by providing recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on policy, systems and infrastructure improvement.
The Child Care Planning Committee shares a vision and mission with the Policy Roundtable for Child and Development and Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education. Vision: Children are healthy, thriving and have equitable opportunities to achieve optimal development and succeed in life. Mission: Lead, build and strengthen an affordable and high-quality early care and education system for the children and families of Los Angeles County.
The Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education, on behalf of the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development and the Child Care Planning Committee, oversees research and the development of reports and publications that tackle issues relating to enhancing the quality of early care and education programs.
The Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education has compiled a list of web-based resources relating to the field of early care and education, including licensing and regulatory compliance, resource and referral, assessing and enhancing quality, professional development, data and research, financing and technical assistance, connecting families to resources, promoting male involvement in early care and education, and more.
Formed by the Child Care Planning Committee (Planning Committee) and the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development (Roundtable) to focus on federal, state and local policy initiatives as they impact the County of Los Angeles and early care and education services available for Los Angeles County families. Monitors state and federal legislation and budgets and guides the development of recommended positions on selected bills and the Governor’s budget and may revise for proposal to the Board of Supervisors by the Planning Committee and Roundtable. Facilitates updating of the County’s state and federal legislative agendas annually.
Our Team
Elizabeth Casprowitz
Intermediate Clerk
213-639-6452
ecasprowitz@ph.lacounty.gov
Debra Colman
Director
323-346-8830
213-639-6415
dcolman@ph.lacounty.gov
Leanne Drogin
Deputy Director
LDrogin@ph.lacounty.gov
Meliza Hernandez
Program Manager
213-639-6239
MHernandez@ph.lacounty.gov
Betsy Jacoby
Program Manager
213-351-7320
ejacoby@ph.lacounty.gov
Charli Lewis
Management Analyst
213-639-6418
CLewis@ph.lacounty.gov
Zenaida Meza
Program Manager
213-639-6238
zmeza@ph.lacounty.gov
Claudia Valle
Senior Typist Clerk
213-639-6495
clvalle@ph.lacounty.gov
Erica Torres-Ness
Management Analyst
ETorres-Ness2@ph.lacounty.gov
Erica Weiss
Intermediate Clerk
213-639-6418
EWeiss@ph.lacounty.gov