Early Care & Education Planning Council

Notice of Public Hearing
Imperial County Early Care and Education Planning Council (LPC)
2025-2026 Zip Code Priorities
Monday, May 18, 2026
Imperial Couty Office of Education
Building A/Olin Gresham Room (OGR)
1398 Sperber Road, El Centro, CA 92243
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

The purpose of the public hearing is to discuss the 2025-2026 proposed priorities for state and federal subsidized child care and the CDSS formula used to determine those priorities. All local citizens and any other interested parties or groups are encouraged to comment.

A copy of the annual Zip Code Priorities Report for subsidized child care funding will be available for public inspection by contacting Heather Vessey-Garcia, Early Care & Education Programs Coordinator for the Imperial County Early Care & Education Planning Council, at 760-312-6604 or heather.vesseygarcia@icoe.org.

Written statements and public comments may be submitted via email to
heather.vesseygarcia@icoe.org before May 18, 2026, if interested parties cannot attend the public hearing.

Mission Statement

“Our mission is to advocate for quality early care and education, optimal development and well-being for children and families in our community.”

Council Responsibilities

The Early Care & Education Planning Council’s major responsibilities are to:

Provide a forum for the identification of local early care and education priorities and the development of policies to meet the needs identified within those priorities;
Conduct an assessment of early care and education needs at least once every five years;
Prepare a comprehensive countywide early care and education plan designed to address identified needs; and
Develop and implement the Professional Development & Retention Stipend Program for the purpose of retaining qualified staff providing early care and education services to children enrolled in Imperial County’s state-subsidized center-base programs.