President's Early Learning Council Created?

Here's an intriguing announcement from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Is this President Obama's long awaited "Early Learning Council" ? Let's hope so:)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETuesday, August 3, 2010
Contact: Elaine Quesinberry
at ED (202) 401-1576Kenneth Wolfe at HHS (202) 401-9215

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Health and
Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to Announce Formation of Interagency Policy
Board on Early Learning
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius today announced the
formation of the Early Learning Interagency Policy Board to improve the quality
of early learning programs and outcomes for young children; increase the
coordination of research, technical assistance and data systems; and advance the
effectiveness of the early learning workforce among the major federally funded
early learning programs across the two departments.

"This marks an important step in our effort to help eliminate silos at the
federal level," said Secretary Duncan. "We want to ensure that
collaboration at the federal level mirrors the integration you're striving to
achieve at the state and local levels."

"Providing strong support for this country's children during their earliest
years is one of the most important investments we can make," said Secretary
Sebelius. "This effort will rely on strong federal partnerships,
integrated policy development, and continued innovation from our partners in the
Early Learning field."

They made the announcement at the Early Childhood 2010: Innovation for the
Next Generation meeting at the Hilton Washington in Washington, D.C. The
Early Childhood 2010 meeting brought together state and local partners from a
range of early childhood programs across ED and HHS, key stakeholders and
federal staff to improve collaboration and partnerships at the Federal, state
and community levels in support of integrated early childhood systems.
Through plenary sessions, workshops, state team meetings, and networking
opportunities, participants discussed innovative, evidence-based practices and
their vision for creating a high-quality coordinated early learning and
development system.