strategicplan2011-14
DESCRIPTION
Early Learning Strategic PlanTRANSCRIPT
-
2011-2014 Agency Strategic Plan
Kids Potential, Our Purpose
-
2
For additional copies of this report, please visit www.del.wa.gov.
-
3
Table of Contents Directors Letter..4 Vision, Mission, Strategic Goals...5 The Early Learning Plan..6 Agency Overview...8 Challenges.13
Achieving Results for Children and Families Performance Management..14 Strategic Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Measurements...16 Statutory-Authority References....27
-
4
October 2010 Message from the Director
I am pleased to present our updated agency strategic plan, which will guide our work for 20112014. Since the Department of Early Learning (DEL) submitted its first strategic plan in 2009, much has happened within our agency, around the state and nationwide. Washington is poised to build a statewide early learning system second to none. The reasons for this are many, including:
The continued support of Governor Chris Gregoire and the Washington State Legislature in prioritizing our states youngest learners. The creation of a state Early Learning Plan, a roadmap for all entities that work with families in ensuring every child grows up healthy, capable, and ready for school and life. A growing public awareness of research supporting the incredible importance of a childs first years. A strong, action-oriented early learning partnership between DEL, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Thrive by Five Washington.
DEL is one of many entities that will be responsible for implementing the statewide Early Learning Plan. Our strategic plan lays out how we will help build a statewide, child-focused early learning system that supports school readiness. Our four priority strategic goals will focus our work and ensure we build the early learning system children need.
1. Provide high-quality, safe, and healthy early care and education opportunities for all children.
2. Partner with and inform parents, families and communities about early learning. 3. Support early learning professionals with professional development and
technical assistance. 4. Promote excellence and hold the system accountable for results.
Particularly in these economic times, our agency will focus on actions that are bold, strategic and cost-effective, and that, above all, improve outcomes for children.
Bette Hyde, Director
-
5
The Washington State Department of Early Learning Vision Our State offers world-class, developmentally
and culturally appropriate early learning
opportunities for all of Washingtons
youngest learners, so each child enters
kindergarten with a solid foundation for
success in school and life.
Mission Statement
The Department of Early Learning develops,
implements and coordinates system oversight
to early learning policy and programs that
create safe, healthy, nurturing learning
experiences for all Washington children.
Strategic Goals
GOAL ONE
Provide high-quality, safe, and healthy early care and education opportunities for all children
GOAL TWO
Partner with and inform parents, families and communities about early learning
GOAL THREE
Support early learning professionals with professional development and technical assistance
GOAL FOUR
Promote excellence and hold the system accountable for results
-
6
Ready and Successful Children
+ Ready and Successful Parents, Families and Caregivers + Ready and Successful Early Learning Professionals + Ready and Successful Schools + Ready and Successful Systems and Communities = A Ready and Successful State
The Washington State Early Learning Plan
After more than a year of working with hundreds of Washington residents, the Washington
State Early Learning Plan was finalized on September 1, 2010. We are proud of this effort.
This 10-year plan is the roadmap to build an early learning system in Washington that ensures
all children in our state begin with a solid foundation for success in school and in life. The plan
will guide early learning policy and funding decisions during the next decade, with the goal of
building a statewide system that supports school readiness for children in Washington.
This plan is organized not by a childs age, funding sources or child development domains.
Rather, the plan creates a framework for a comprehensive system of care, education, pro-
grams and services for children and families and is organized based on who and what needs to
occur to make that happen: Families and caregivers, children, communities, schools, educa-
tors, and systems.
The result is the following early learning equation:
-
7
The Need for an Early Learning System
What is it?
An early learning system brings together the independent services and programs for:
Prenatal care;
Child care and preschool;
Kindergarten through third grade;
Health and nutrition;
Social-emotional development and mental
health;
Parent and community partnerships;
Parenting education and resources;
Higher education in child development and early
childhood education; and
Professional development for early learning
professionals.
An early learning system coordinates people and resources
toward a common goal of supporting and assisting
children. The system includes various policies, programs
and services for young children and the adults who care for
and teach them. When these elements are aligned
effectively, children have the best opportunity to reach
their full potential.
-
8
Who is DEL? Emergent brain research and economic studies have shown that investing in early childhood
education promotes the best outcomes for children, families and the economy. As the first
Cabinet-level agency solely focused on early learning, DEL brought visibility, focus, and results
to the issue of our youngest children, placing Washington at the forefront of the nation and
positioning our state to become a model for how to support school readiness. Our programs
contribute to Washingtons continuing socio-economic success by partnering with parents,
supporting early learning professionals and providing each child a solid foundation from birth
to age 5 and beyond. We take great pride in helping create the next generation of Washington
leaders.
DEL was created in 2006 (House Bill 2964) as part of the recommendations of Washington
Learns, an effort led by Governor Chris Gregoire to build a world-class, learner-focused,
seamless education system in Washington. Since that time, our department has been hard at
work building an early learning system. Supporting children and families starts with providing
parents with information and resources. Our department also supports quality, healthy and
safe child care environments by providing professional development opportunities and
licensing and monitoring more than 7,500 child care facilities. Finally, DEL supports early
literacy programs, and oversees high-quality preschool for at-risk children, and early interven-
tion services for children birth to 3 who have disabilities and/or developmental delays.
At DEL, we envision an early learning system in which parents have the necessary resources,
early learning professionals are skilled and supported to prepare children, early learning
environments are healthy, safe, and high-quality, and children arrive at kindergarten ready to
thrive in school and life.
-
9
Department Structure Operational Support
Direct-service operations are supported by a number of specialized units, including informa-
tion technology, human resources, facilities, financial management, policy/legislation and
communications. Support operations are critical to DELs success, as they collect and analyze
important data, maximize efficiency, and communicate information to parents, providers and
state leaders.
DEL is implementing a professional registry system, the Managed Education Registry
and Information Tool (MERIT) online training database for early learning professionals.
MERIT is a voluntary, statewide program that documents and recognizes the professional
achievements of people who work in the childhood care and education profession. This
work will ensure that providers, licensors and state leaders have access to consistent,
verified professional development data.
DEL is transitioning to electronic licensing forms (ELF) with tablet PCs to allow for
electronic collection of licensing data in order to increase mobility, consistency, data
quality, and responsiveness to parents and child care providers.
Service Areas Southwest, Northwest, and Eastern Washington
Our states three Service Areas implement child
care licensing rules and policy for Washington's
more than 7,600 licensed child care settings in
family homes, child care centers and school-age
programs. These businesses serve about 180,000
children. Our licensing professionals around the
state support child care business owners and their
staff in meeting the state's rules for safety and
health, and take action if settings are believed to
be unsafe for children.
Am
on
g o
ur
key
init
iati
ves:
-
10
Department Structure (continued) Partnerships & Collaboration Division
Partnerships and Collaboration ensures that DEL offers programs and services that support
healthy child development in all settings. The Partnership and Collaboration Division includes
our Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), the Head Start State Collabo-
ration Office (HSSCO), our Parent Advisory Group, the Early Support for Infant and Toddlers
program (ESIT), and the Home Visitation Program.
We coordinate early intervention services for children birth to 3 who have disabilities
and/or developmental delays through the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT)
program. These services may include specialized instruction, speech therapy, occupa-
tional therapy, or physical therapy that can help young children. The program also
supports parents as the most critical influence on their childs early learning and
development.
We provide funding and oversight to the Early Childhood Education and Assistance
Program (ECEAP), which currently serves more than 8,000 low-income three- and four-
year-olds each school year. ECEAP offers preschool education, family support, parent
involvement, and health and nutrition services that involve the whole family and helps
prepare children for success in school and life.
Am
on
g o
ur
key
init
iati
ves:
-
11
Department Structure (continued)
Outcomes & Accountability Division
Outcomes and Accountability ensures that our programs and investments positively impact
school readiness for children, families, providers, schools and communitiesand that we have
the outcome data to prove it. The Outcomes and Accountability Division includes the
Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS), Seeds to Success,
professional development programs such as Washington Scholarships, performance-based
accountability initiatives including GMAP, and implementation of the Early Learning Plan.
DEL and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), in consultation with
Thrive by Five Washington, have implemented the Washington Kindergarten Inventory
of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) pilot. WaKIDS is a kindergarten readiness transition
process being piloted in school year 2010-2011. The pilot design is uniqueit incorpo-
rates families and early learning providers in addition to a child readiness inventory to
better support smooth transitions into kindergarten.
DEL and Thrive are implementing Seeds to Success, Washingtons voluntary quality
rating and improvement system. It is designed to support licensed child care providers in
improving the quality of child care and to offer information regarding quality to families.
Seeds to Success is currently serving 100 licensed child care centers and family homes in
five communities (White Center, Spokane County, Clark County, East Yakima, and Kitsap
County).
Am
on
g o
ur
key
init
iati
ves:
-
12
Department Structure (continued) Licensing Oversight Division
The Licensing Oversight Division promotes quality, healthy and safe child care opportunities
by ensuring that all aspects of child care licensing policy are aligned. This includes licensing
policy and procedure, negotiated rule making, subsidy policy, collective bargaining agree-
ments between the state and licensed family home child care providers, and administration of
the federal Child Care Development Fund grant.
The Licensing Oversight division sets the rules for child care subsidies for families who
are homeless or employed as seasonal agricultural workers, and for Working
Connections Child Care (WCCC), a subsidy program that provides funding to child care
businesses and license-exempt caregivers who care for children while parents work.
WCCC provides parents with child care services while they are in school, working or
seeking work. We partner with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), the
state agency that determines who is eligible to receive WCCC and distributes payments
to child care providers.
DEL Director Bette Hyde spent the first year of her tenure at DEL traveling around the
state meeting with DEL licensing staff and licensed providers to learn what is working
and what should be improved. The Licensing Oversight Division has taken this informa-
tion and launched a Licensing Reboot Initiative. This work will build upon successful
licensing regulatory practices to increase transparency and consistency, and support
child care licensor and provider collaboration focused on quality care for children.
A
mo
ng
ou
r ke
y in
itia
tive
s:
-
13
Challenges Moving forward despite funding challenges
DEL is poised to move forward and help
implement the Early Learning Plan despite
difficult economic conditions. More than
70 percent of the departments funding
comes from the federal government. For the
past four years, our list of new initiatives has
increased, yet our funding sources have
diminished.
DEL must continue to find innovative ways to
achieve our goals with limited resources.
FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011
Federal $112,100 $142,603 $122,702
State $72,707 $60,400 $59,906
Non-Approp $1,525 $5 $0
Private/Loc $3 $120 $380
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
$ in
th
ou
san
ds
PRE-DEL
Early Learning Programs
POST-DEL CREATION
Early Learning Programs & Activities
ECEAP (Department of Community Trade
and Economic Development (now Com-
merce))
Child care licensing (DSHS)
Subsidy policy (DSHS)
Reading Readiness Initiative
(OSPI funding cut in FY 2009)
ECEAP
Child care licensing
Subsidy policy
Kindergarten readiness assessment
(WaKIDS)
Parent support and information
Seeds to Success (QRIS)
Early Learning Advisory Council and Early
Learning Plan
Thrive by Five WA partnership
Child Care Check
Family home labor agreement
Longitudinal data system
-
14
Performance Management
As part of the establishment of DEL in 2006, HB 2964 requires
the agency to promote a more cohesive and integrated
voluntary early learning system for Washington. How will DEL
know whether its achieving this result? And perhaps more
importantly, how will the Legislature and the public know?
DEL is transitioning to an outcomes-based accountability
system that uses data-driven decision-making to promote
excellence. It will provide performance information to decision
-makers who need to understand how DEL is meeting its
mandate. This work will link the Early Learning Plan roadmap
with our departments outcomes, strategic goals and perform-
ance measurements.
Next, we will be using performance management as the lever
to accelerate our organization along its strategic path,
examining all programs and initiatives from the perspective of
maximizing programmatic effects and increasing our ability to
achieve the outcomes and strategic goals identified in this
document.
Measureable Outcomes
DEL identified nine agency-level outcomes (see right) as an
initial foundation for our outcomes-based performance
management system. Collectively, the outcomes tell a story
about DELs role in developing and sustaining a system of early
care and education in Washington.
Ultimately, DELs priority outcome is a child outcome:
Washingtons children should be more successful in school and
life. Each of DELs outcomes contributes to the achievement of
that vision.
Agency-Level Outcomes
Washington has a sufficient
supply of licensed early care
and education opportunities.
Washington children spend
time in quality environments
that are safe and healthy.
Families understand the steps
to make informed choices
about early care and
education.
Providers are supported with
resources and information.
Providers maintain and
improve the quality of their
early care and education
services.
Children are able to learn and
grow.
Children are ready for
kindergarten.
Students maintain
developmental gains.
Students meet learning
standards across domains by
third grade.
-
15
Performance Management (continued) Priorities of Government
DELs outcome-based accountability system will allow us to stay focused on how the
departments activities affect the Governors Priorities of Government and contribute
to making Washington the best-managed state in the country. DEL actively participates
in the Governors Government Management Accountability and Performance (GMAP)
forums on education and vulnerable children and adults and contributes to five of the
Governors six priorities of government.
D
EL S
trat
egi
c G
oal
s
Priorities of Government
Stu
den
t A
chie
vem
ent
Vu
lner
able
s/
Hea
lth
Safe
ty
Eco
no
mic
D
evel
op
men
t
Go
vern
men
tEf
fici
ency
Provide High Quality, Safe and Healthy Early Care & Education Opportunities for All Children
Partner with and Inform Parents, Families and Communities about Early Learning
Promote Excellence and Hold System Accountable for Results
Support Early Learning Professionals with Professional Development and Technical Assistance
EFFECT: Direct Secondary
-
16
Strategic Goal #1 Provide high-quality, safe, and
healthy early care and education opportunities for all children
Objectives and Strategies Objective 1: Enhance licensing requirements and expand quality learning
Key Strategies:
Explore voluntary preschool certification.
Develop recommendations and implement changes to improve licensing. Recommendations
will specify resources necessary for improvements such as continuing licenses, technology,
weighted regulations, and evidence-based rule making.
Work with stakeholders to develop a strategy to align licensing requirements with Seeds to
Success, Washingtons quality rating and improvement system.
Objective 2: Build continuum of supports and services for infants, toddlers and their families
Key Strategies:
Develop and implement a joint state policy that better integrates programs consistent with
the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) Part C with other early learning programs so
services and funding are better coordinated and more streamlined for children and families.
Objective 3: Make home visiting available to at-risk families
Key Strategies:
Build a coordinated, culturally responsive home visiting system with evaluation, accountabil-
ity, quality support and technical assistance.
Leverage federal, state and private home visiting dollars in strategic direction that benefits
children and families.
-
17
Objective 4: Increase use of early literacy services and programs
Key Strategies:
Sustain and expand evidence-based early literacy programs
like Reach Out and Read and Dialogic Reading.
Expand funding to school districts and early learning partners
to align early literacy standards, curricula and evaluation for
young children.
Objective 5: Expand and enhance ECEAP
Key Strategies:
Establish preschool entitlement program in 2011 and fund all
eligible children by 2018 (HB2731).
Create a technical work group with options for having a
program as part of basic education or as an entitlement. Work
group must recommend program standards, eligibility,
funding, and implementation schedule to the Quality
Education Council by November 2011 (SB6759).
Objective 6: Align prekindergarten and K-3 instructional and
programmatic practices
Key Strategies:
Provide support and resources to school districts in continuing
to develop preK-third grade models in communities.
Embed preK-third grade research and practices into both early
learning and K-3 programs and initiatives.
Align early learning guidelines with K-3 learning standards.
Measurements
Percent of children
demonstrating kindergarten
readiness on WaKIDS
disaggregated by race,
ethnicity and income .
Number of teachers who
meet ECEAP professional
development requirements.
Percent of students meeting
or exceeding third grade
reading and math standard,
disaggregated by race,
ethnicity and income.
Percent of eligible children
ages 3-5 enrolled in pre-K,
including ECEAP and Head
Start.
Timely monitoring visits of
licensed facilities.
Timely licensing complaint
inspections.
Response time to licensing
complaint/abuse inspections .
-
18
Objectives and Strategies Objective 1: Implement Seeds to Success, our states quality rating and improvement system
Key Strategies:
Articulate and begin implementation of the five-year vision for advancing statewide.
Publish ratings and increase parent outreach statewide to build public awareness and un-
derstanding of Seeds to Success.
Directly link the QRIS model design and strategies to positive outcomes for children and
families.
Validate the full set of quality standards for QRIS in field test sites through rating.
Align current professional development and technical assistance with Seeds to Success
coaching and evaluation.
Objective 2: Provide more parenting learning opportunities
Key Strategies:
Support Thrive by Five Washington in implementation of statewide parent outreach and
engagement campaign.
Work with Washington State Child Care Resource & Referral Network (CCR&R Network),
OSPI, Thrive by Five Washington, Office of the Education Ombudsman, and others to ex-
pand parent outreach.
Strategic Goal #2 Partner with and inform parents,
families and communities about early learning
-
19
Objective 3: Support family, friends and neighbor care (FFN)
Key Strategies:
Support continued development of the FFN system
through the CCR&R Network.
Support inclusion of FFN providers in the state profes-
sional development registry.
Objective 4: Strengthen public awareness and commitment
Key Strategies:
Develop clear and consistent statewide messages around
the importance of early learning and school readiness.
Continue media and community-based strategies to build
public awareness
Collaborate and partner with stakeholders to advance
early learning priorities.
Measurements
Number and/or percent
of licensed child care
slots available in levels
1-5 of Seeds to Success
centers and homes.
Number and/or percent
of child care slots in
centers receiving three
seeds on family and
community partnerships.
Whether parents can
find child care in their
community that: is
affordable, is clean and
safe, respects each
familys culture, and
helps children be ready
for school.
Percent of families who
report reading stories to
their children every day.
Cost of child care as a
percent of median
income.
-
20
Strategic Goal #3 Support early learning professionals with professional development and
technical assistance
Objectives and Strategies Objective 1: Implement comprehensive professional development and compensation
system
Key Strategies:
Develop and disseminate Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals for
early learning professionals.
Develop recommendations and implementation plan for a comprehensive professional
development system, building on recommendations from the Professional Development
Consortium.
Develop and implement statewide training on new core competencies and incentivize
professionals to attend training.
Objective 2: Expand registry for early learning professionals
Key Strategies:
Build a high-quality and accessible state early learning professional development registry
to promote a well-trained and educated, supported, and better compensated early
childhood and school-age work force that includes:
A registry database platform for early learning (Managed Education Registry
Information Tool, or MERIT).
A system of coordinated, consistent, and verifiable processes, procedures, and
protocols for the registry database.
Partner with the CCR&R Network, OSPI, educational service districts and other stake-
holders to expand collaboration opportunities to support MERIT.
-
21
Objective 3: Provide health, mental health and social-
emotional consultation in early learning settings
Key Strategies:
Develop DEL regional system of interdisciplinary consulta-
tion services for improving the quality of care for infants
and toddlers, led by 10 regional hubs.
Measurements
Number of early
learning providers
enrolled in DELs
Washington
Scholarship program.
Percentage of early
learning providers
enrolled in Washing-
ton Scholarship
program who receive
degree or credential.
Provider education
level (less than HS,
HS/GED, CDA, AA in
ECE, AA other, BA in
ECE, BA other, MA in
ECE, MA in other).
Average subsidy
rate.
Percent of providers
and licensors using
MERIT.
-
22
Strategic Goal #4 Promote excellence and hold
the system accountable for results
Objectives and Strategies
Objective 1: Ensure DEL employees have training, technology and tools necessary to effectively manage programs Key Strategies:
Implement Electronic Licensing Form project for all licensing staff.
Train all DEL staff about Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Create online licensing training modules for new licensors.
Implement training for DEL licensing staff in new family home rules once finalized.
Objective 2: Improve Subsidy Policies
Key Strategies:
Streamline the child care eligibility process for families enrolled in ECEAP, Head Start and
Early Head Start by implementing a 12-month reauthorization period that increases
continuity of care (HB3141).
In concert with DSHS, review and improve subsidy policies and procedures.
Objective 3: Promote the use of and embed Washingtons early learning guidelines (the
Washington State Early Learning and Development Benchmarks) in early learning system
Key Strategies:
Develop and implement a collaborative multi-cultural process to review, update, and
align the Benchmarks and K-3 learning standards.
Develop curriculum/training on the Benchmarks and incentivize early learning
professionals to attend training.
Ensure Core Competencies and Benchmarks are embedded in work related to profes-
sional development.
-
23
Objective 4: Implement kindergarten assessment
Key Strategies:
Pilot Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills
(WaKIDS) in 2010-2011 school year to 3,000 students
statewide.
Adopt WaKIDS as first critical step in WA Education Reform
Plan and secure funding to expand WaKIDS Pilot in 2011-
2012, beginning with highest poverty schools with state-
funded full-day kindergarten.
Objective 5: Build statewide infrastructure for partnerships and
mobilization
Key Strategies:
Develop 10 regional hubs to lead improving the quality of
care for infants and toddlers.
Expand accountability system, including: program evaluation,
child and teacher/provider assessment (where possible),
data collection and reporting framework.
Develop a sustainable long-term governance system by
building capacity and integrating parent voice.
Objective 6: Expand P-20 longitudinal data system
Key Strategies:
Implement three-year plan outlined in the federal Education
Data System grant application (approved May 2010).
Establish DEL Data Governance Plan to identify and prioritize data indicators and analyses,
in partnership with OSPI and the Education Data Research Center.
Objective 7: Strive for organizational excellence
Key Strategies:
Review internal system processes for efficiency.
Begin self-reflection and application process for the Baldrige Award.
Achieve designation as Washington Wellness Worksite.
Measurements
% of schools and
children that have
access to WaKIDS
kindergarten
readiness
assessment.
Percentage of
children on WCCC
subsidy program who
receive 12 months of
care without
interruption.
Percentage of
licensed providers
who use the
Benchmarks.
-
24
Appendix A: DEL Statutory Authority The Washington State Department of Early Learning (DEL) was established on July 1, 2006, under House Bill 2964. Our establishing legislation states: a more cohesive and integrated voluntary early learning system would result in greater efficiencies for the state, increased partnership between the state and the private sector, improved access to high-quality early learning services, and better employment and early learning outcomes for families and all children. DELs authority for setting guidelines, using funds and evaluating programs includes: Primary Duties (RCW 43.215.020) DELs primary duties are to implement state early learning policy and to coordinate, consoli-date, and integrate child care and early learning programs to administer programs and funding as efficiently as possible. DELs duties include, but are not limited to: (a) Supporting both public and private sectors toward a comprehensive and collaborative system of early learning that serves parents, children, and providers and to encourage best practices in child care and early learning programs; (b) Making early learning resources available to parents and caregivers; (c) Carrying out activities, including providing clear and easily accessible information about
quality and improving the quality of early learning opportunities for young children, in cooperation with the nongovernmental private-public partnership;
(d) Administering child care and early learning programs; (e) Standardizing internal financial audits, oversight visits, performance benchmarks, and licensing criteria, so that programs can function in an integrated fashion; (f) Supporting the implementation of the nongovernmental private-public partnership and cooperate with that partnership in pursuing its goals including providing data and support necessary for the successful work of the partnership; (g) Working cooperatively and in coordination with the Early Learning Advisory Council; (h) Collaborating with the K-12 school system at the state and local levels to ensure appropri-ate connections and smooth transitions between early learning and K-12 programs; and (i) Upon the development of an early learning information system, making available to parents timely inspection and licensing action information through the Internet and other means. Child Care Development Fund (Code of Federal Regulations Chapter 45, Parts 98 and 99) Washingtons major investment directed toward early learning is the federal Child Care Development Fund (CCDF). DEL uses this federal funding for child care licensing, and related quality activities and child care subsidies in the state of Washington.
-
25
Child Care Licensing (RCW 43.215.200 43.215.370) DEL is responsible for licensing child care settings: family homes, centers and school-age programs. Licensing regulations are focused on minimum safety and health requirements that serve as the foundation from which quality learning opportunities can be built. Certain types of child care arrangements, such as child care by specified relatives, are exempt from licensing (RCW 43.215.010). Background Checks (RCW 43.215.215 and 43.43.832) DEL has authority to conduct background checks on licensed child care providers working in or having unsupervised access to children in a licensed or regulated child care facility, as well as unlicensed providers who care for children whose parents receive financial support from DEL child care subsidy programs. DEL also is required to disclose, via website or in an easily accessible physical location, the receipt, general nature, and resolution or current status of all complaints on record with the department after July 24, 2005, against a child care center or family child care provider that result in an enforcement action. (RCW 43.215.525) Child Care Subsidies (RCW 43.215.135) DEL sets the policy that guides use of the child care subsidy funds in the Working Connections Child Care program. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), determines and authorizes eligibility and makes payments to eligible child caregivers. DEL also administers the seasonal and homeless child care subsidy programs. State-Funded Preschool (RCW 43.215.400 43.215.450) The state-funded preschool program, the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), is a comprehensive, child-focused program that includes education, health, social, nutritional, cultural and family support services to eligible children and their families. DEL has authority to award funds to approved contractors, adopt rules for use of those funds, and evaluate and report on the effectiveness of the programs. An advisory group to DEL is required by law. Voluntary Early Learning Program (RCW 43.215.141 43.215.143) Beginning September 1, 2011, DEL will oversee an early learning program to provide voluntary preschool opportunities for 3- and 4-year-olds that will be implemented according to the funding and implementation plan in RCW 43.215.142. The program must be a comprehensive program providing early childhood education, developmental screening and family support. Participation in the program is voluntary. On a space available basis, the program may allow enrollment of children who are not otherwise eligible by assessing a fee.
-
26
Head Start (RCW 43.06.110 and Public Law 110-134) Head Start is a federal program serving children ages birth to 5 that promotes school readiness by providing educational, health, nutrition, social and other services to enrolled children and families. The federal government awards grants directly to grantees within the state. DELs Head Start State Collaboration Office, authorized through the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, requires DEL to collaborate with the Head Start grantees to develop partnerships that benefit low-income families and children in healthy family develop-ment. Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program (RCW 43.215.020, 70.198.020) DEL is the state lead agency for the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C, which offers early intervention services for children birth to 3 with disabilities and/or developmental delays. Home Visitation Programs (RCW 43.215.145 43.215.147) DEL is working with the Department of Social and Health Services, Department of Health, and Council for Children and Families to create a plan to coordinate or consolidate home visitation services in our state. The purpose of the program is to help ensure that children and families have access to voluntary home visitation services as an early intervention strategy to alleviate the effect on child development of factors such as poverty, single parenthood, parental unemployment or underemployment, parental disability, or parental lack of a high school diploma. Research shows these are risk factors for child abuse and neglect and poor educa-tional outcomes. DEL also uses funds from the Home Visiting Services Account to contract with Thrive by Five Washington to administer some home visiting services. Longitudinal Study (RCW 43.215.080) Two years after the implementation of the department's early learning program, and every two years thereafter by July 1, DEL must submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature measuring the effectiveness of its programs in improving early childhood education. The first report shall include program objectives and identified valid performance measures for evaluating progress toward achieving the objectives, as well as a plan for commissioning a longitudinal study comparing the kindergarten readiness of children participating in DEL's programs with the readiness of other children, using nationally accepted testing and assess-ment methods. Such comparison shall include, but not be limited to, achievement as children of both groups progress through the K-12 system and identify year-to-year changes in achievement, if any, in later years of elementary, middle school and high school education.
-
27
-
www.del.wa.gov