Murfreesboro Native appointed to the Arkansas Early Childhood Commission

Yesterday, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the appointment of Murfreesboro native Barbie Baxter to the Arkansas Early Childhood Commission. 

Baxter is the Project Manager Director for CADC Early Head Start with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Baxter also has a Bachelor of Arts focused on Sociology, Psychology, and Childcare Management from Henderson State University. 

Baxter oversees 13 facilities in a five-county service area and provides service to 600 children and families in which their program serves. 
Baxter said-quote “I am honored to be appointed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to serve on the Arkansas Early Childhood Commission as the Arkansas Head Start Association-Head Start State Collaboration Office representative.

Baxter stated that she has dedicated 24 years of her professional career to early childhood education; specifically, Central Arkansas Development Council’s Early Head Start/Head Start/Arkansas Better Chance program serving children and their families in Pike, Montgomery, Clark, Hot Spring, and Saline counties in Arkansas. 

Baxter wanted to remind the public that Head Start is a federal program that promotes the school readiness of children from birth to age five from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development. Head Start programs provide a learning environment that supports children’s growth in many areas such as language, literacy, and social and emotional development. Head Start emphasizes the role of parents as their child’s first and most important teacher. These programs help build relationships with families that support family well-being and many other important areas.  Many Head Start programs in Arkansas also provide Early Head Start, which serves infants, toddlers, and pregnant women and their families who have incomes below the Federal poverty level. Services are available at no cost to children and eligible families.  Arkansas Head Start programs deliver child development services in center-based, home-based, or family childcare settings.

In Baxter’s closing statement she said, “In this appointment, I will strive to support all aspects of the Arkansas Department of Education Office of Early Childhood. I am passionate about improving the quality of early childhood education for all children in Arkansas.”