Early Childhood and Development Committee Meeting: Jan. 7, 2025

Early Childhood and Development Committee Meeting Recap: September 2, 2025

The Buncombe County Early Childhood and Development Committee held a meeting on September 2, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at 200 College Street. The primary focus of the session was the development of a long-term funding strategy for the county’s early childhood education and development fund, established by a 2018 resolution to address barriers such as affordability, workforce shortages, and low enrollment in licensed childcare.

Key Decisions The committee approved the minutes from the August 5, 2025 meeting. The motion was made by Al Whitesides and seconded by Adrian Sandler. No other formal votes were taken during the session, as the remainder of the meeting was dedicated to discussion and information gathering regarding future strategic priorities.

Discussion Highlights Staff presented a series of steps to define the committee’s funding strategy, which included revisiting the 2018 authorizing resolution, reviewing program-level and system-level results, and comparing various investment models. The presentation highlighted data from the "State of Child Care in Buncombe County" report, noting that only 28% of children aged 0–5 are currently in licensed care, and that the county’s average quality rating (3.94 stars) falls below the state average (4.25 stars). The committee discussed the trade-offs between different investment approaches, such as focusing funds on a single initiative versus a variety of projects, and supporting operational classrooms versus whole-system workforce development.

Commissioner Al Whitesides emphasized the importance of measuring success and aligning data with business metrics to attract corporate investment. The Chair noted the need to align funding strategies with community concerns and board perspectives, moving beyond a purely competitive grant system. Staff also presented program-level results from current grantees, including an 88% increase in children meeting developmental milestones at Buncombe County Schools Learning Labs and 100% of teacher residency participants at the Verner Center for Early Learning being employed full-time in Buncombe County.

Community Input Kellana Capers, a prospective childcare business owner, participated in public comment. She shared her experiences establishing a new center, emphasizing the challenges startups face due to high costs, limited space, and a competitive landscape. She highlighted the need for support with teacher compensation and benefits to attract and retain qualified staff. The transcript summary does not record a specific response from a committee member to her comments.

Follow-ups Staff member Rachael Sawyer agreed to investigate discrepancies between local data and the "State of Childcare" report, particularly regarding kindergarten readiness numbers. Staff also agreed to reach out to Samantha Cole, the Child Care Business Liaison at the NC Department of Commerce, and to the Buncombe Partnership for Children (SMART Start) to seek input during the October meeting. The committee agreed to consider a work session to delve deeper into strategic priorities and funding approaches.

Impact This meeting marks a significant step in the committee’s effort to refine how it invests in early childhood education. By reviewing current data on availability, quality, and affordability, and by comparing Buncombe County’s efforts to those of other North Carolina counties, the committee is working to ensure its funding strategy effectively addresses the needs of families and providers. The discussion of potential partnerships with local employers and the review of the NC Tri-Share pilot indicate a focus on creating sustainable business models for childcare providers and expanding access to care for residents.