441—121.4(256I) Early childhood Iowa state board responsibility.
	121.4(1) The state board shall provide leadership and coordination for the development of Iowa’s early care, health and education system in cooperation with area boards, community partners and other state agencies.
	121.4(2) The state board shall:
	a. 	Develop and implement a process for designating area boards. The state board shall review the process at the close of each designation cycle.
	b. 	Adopt state-level indicators with input from area boards and the early childhood stakeholders alliance. The state board shall report on indicators each fiscal year and compare the data against baseline data and data from prior fiscal years as available. Indicators shall measure all result areas of the early care, health and education system.
	c. 	Adopt minimum standards to promote equal access to services subject to the authority of the area boards.
	d. 	Adopt guidelines and standards for services provided under a school ready children grant. All guidelines and standards shall be found in the online toolkit available on the official website of early childhood Iowa at earlychildhood.iowa.gov.
	e. 	In cooperation with the early childhood stakeholders alliance:
	(1)	Further the development of an early childhood integrated data system across state agencies and other partners.
	(2)	Develop guidance to identify and improve the quality of services in early care, health and education programs, including evidence-based practices.
	(3)	Promote other measures to advance the initiative.
[ARC 9346B, IAB 1/26/11, effective 3/2/11; ARC 0179C, IAB 6/27/12, effective 8/1/12; ARC 3249C, IAB 8/2/17, effective 9/6/17; Editorial change: IAC Supplement 6/14/23]