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LD 14 Town Hall – March 13, 6:30–7:30 PM

Zoom Link: [Zoom]

LD 15 Town Hall – April 1, 6:30–7:30 PM

Zoom Link: [Zoom]

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Support early childhood education programs and make a difference in kids’ lives. Join our Have a Heart campaign to advocate for funding.

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Start Early - Our Work in Washington State

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Start Early works together with partners to promote comprehensive birth-to-five learning experiences for all children in Washington state.

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Ballmer Group Creates New Grant to Help Expand Access to Early Learning in Washington

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Ballmer Group invests in WA State ECEAP to expand access to early childhood education for low-income families.

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The Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) was created by the Legislature in 2007.

ELAC representatives from around the state meet regularly to provide input and recommendations to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) so our strategies and actions are well informed and broadly supported by parents, child care providers, health and safety experts and interested members of the public.

Governor Jay Inslee holds final authority for policy decisions.

The council has adopted a Racial Equity Framework through which it conducts its business as an advisory board to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Members

The Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) members are a diverse group of people whose role is to provide DCYF with input and recommendations to inform DCYF's work.

ELAC includes parents, child care providers, health and safety experts, legislators, representatives of Tribal Nations, independent schools, K-12 and higher education, and others who are interested in creating a statewide early learning system that helps all children realize their full potential.

Some ELAC members are appointed by the Governor. Others are appointed by various entities as required in the legislation that created ELAC.

Meetings

The Early Learning Advisory Council has six regular meetings each year, held on the first Tuesday of odd months. At each meeting, ELAC members get updates on DCYF's work and provide input and recommendations to DCYF.

Members of the public are welcome to attend ELAC meetings. Public comment periods are offered throughout each meeting. The locations and times vary for each meeting.

2022
December 6, 2022 August 2, 2022 October 4, 2022 June 7, 2022 April 12, 2022 February 1, 2022
At the time of the meeting, please join the Zoom meeting via the link below.

9:00am-3:00pm

Meeting number (access code): 824 9183 1069
Meeting password: 904723

Join by phone: 1 253 215 8782 US Toll
Passcode: 904723

2021
December 7, 2021 October 5, 2021 - Joint Early Learning Advisory Council, Provider Supports Subcommittee, and Parent Advisory Group Meeting August 3, 2021 June 1, 2021 - Joint Provider Supports Subcommittee Meeting March 30, 2021 - Joint PAG Meeting February 2, 2021

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Department of Children, Youth & Families

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The Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) was created by the Legislature in 2007. Read the statutory language ELAC representatives from around the state meet regularly to provide input and recommendations to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) so our strategies and actions are well informed and broadly supported by parents, child care providers, health and safety experts and interested members of the public.

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ELAC rep needed for Investing in Children Coalition

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ELAC rep needed for Investing in Children Coalition

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$1,250 available to support participation

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Please follow this link to sign in for today's meeting!

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Please follow this link to sign in for today's meeting!

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February Investing in Children Coalition Meeting

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Please complete this form to sign in for today’s meeting! If you have trouble completing this, please send the requested information to forthekids@yakimavalleycf.org.Thank you!

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@forthekidswa

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Headspace | Mini Meditation | Let Go of Stress

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Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

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borrowed from ESD 105

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Legislature Home

In 2023, the legislative session will return to an in-person format. Legislative buildings are open and capacity in legislative hearing rooms adjusted. Remote participation opportunities will continue. Please go to the House Operations and Senate Operations plans for more details. To view legislative proceedings click here for TVW. Please click here ​ for more information about testifying in a committee, submitting written testimony, getting your position noted for the legislative record, and contacting your legislator.

What's happening on the floor?

Today is Day 60 of the 2023 Regular Session

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​More Information

Get bills via web services: The Legislature makes bill, committee, and law information available via web services for developers using automated systems. For more information, see the Legislative Web Services page.

Budget Links:

Reports to the Legislature: Find reports filed by state agencies and other organizations as requested by the Legislature.

Session Laws:

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Legislature Home In 2023, the legislative session will return to an in-person format. Legislative buildings are open and capacity in legislative hearing rooms adjusted. Remote participation opportunities will continue. Please go to the House Operations and Senate Operations plans for more details. To view legislative proceedings click here for TVW.

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Commerce awards over $680,000 to help communities address child care shortages

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Commerce awards over $680,000 to help communities address child care shortages

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Ballmer Group and the Bezos Family Foundation co-fund state Child Care Partnership planning grants to support 13 local organizations serving communities with limited child care options

OLYMPIA, Wash. - The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced more than $680,000 in Child Care Partnership Grants (CCPG) to 13 local organizations to expand child care in communities across the state. Funding will support community-driven planning, pre-design work, and strategies that build local child care capacity and develop solutions to meet community needs. The program is a unique public-private partnership, and this year's awards were funded with investments by Ballmer Group and the Bezos Family Foundation.

The majority of this year's grantees are in rural and underserved counties. One such awardee is in rural Garfield County, where there are currently no licensed providers. Pomeroy Community Connection (PCC) aims to change that. With its $69,000 award, PCC is developing the county's only current licensed center and creating pathways for locals to enter the early learning workforce.

"Families have spent years driving miles out of county or piecing together care from relatives and friends," said Martha Lanman, PCC board treasurer. "Commerce's support allows us to intentionally plan a solution that fits our community and keeps families and talent right here. We are building something with and for Garfield County."

Ballmer Group and the Bezos Family Foundation are significant partners in this program, which provides vital infrastructure to support working parents and local economies state-wide. They provided funding for this year's awards.

"Child care shortages are a struggle for families in every corner of the state," said Leslie Dozono, Ballmer Group senior portfolio manager. "Child Care Partnership Grants have been an opportunity for philanthropy to leverage a successful public grant program for local communities to grow concrete child care solutions."

"Developing a comprehensive child care system relies on strong local planning and collaboration to design systems that work for all Washington families," said Cameron Clark, the Bezos Family Foundation program officer."The Child Care Partnership Grant program is an exemplary model in providing resources and support to communities to develop solutions and projects that work for them. The Bezos Family Foundation is proud to support this strong public-private work."

This year's recipients:

"Child care is economic infrastructure," said Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn. "When parents have safe, reliable places to care for kids they stay in the workforce, employers retain talent, and local economies grow. We're proud to partner with Ballmer Group and the Bezos Family Foundation to create the foundation for a stronger workforce and a more sustainable economy."

"There is no one-size-fits all solution for child care," said Cheryl Smith, Commerce director of community engagement and outreach. "Each community understands their workforce, families, and barriers to care better than anyone else. CCPG honors that by investing in locally led planning. We are honored to partner with Ballmer Group and the Bezos Family Foundation on this community capacity building program."

Since its launch in 2020, CCPG has made awards to 73 unique projects in 33 counties, creating more than 3,500 new child-care slots statewide. These child care planning assistance grants were generously supported by more than $4 million of private matching philanthropy.

Visit the Commerce website to learn more about Child Care Partnership Grants.

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Commerce awards over $680,000 to help communities address child care shortages

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Ballmer Group and the Bezos Family Foundation co-fund state Child Care Partnership planning grants to support 13 local organizations serving communities with limited child care options OLYMPIA, Wash. - The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced more than $680,000 in Child Care Partnership Grants (CCPG) to 13 local organizations to expand child care in communities across the state.

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Yakima County Home Visitor Summit Registration

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Yakima County Home Visitor Summit Registration

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Yakima County Home Visitor Summit Registration

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Yakima County Home Visitor Summit Registration

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As champions for children and families, Start Early Washington works to ensure that families have equitable access to services that promote healthy, life-long positive outcomes for Washington state's youngest children.Sign up to receive the latest early learning program and policy news in Washington state.

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Preschool Expansion: Impact on Infant and Toddler Care

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Preschool Expansion: Impact on Infant and Toddler Care