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Build Back Better Act Emergency Response: Messaging 

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Build Back Better Act Emergency Response: Messaging 

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Moms are Rising for a Fair Start for Kids

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Moms are Rising for a Fair Start for Kids

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Child Care and Early Education in the Build Back Better Budget

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Child Care and Early Education in the Build Back Better Budget

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Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is a kindergarten program for children, below the age of five, who do not have access to high-quality early learning experiences prior to kindergarten.

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Build Back Better Summary of Child Care and Pre-K Titles

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Build Back Better Summary of Child Care and Pre-K Titles

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Washington State pioneered a unique approach to home visiting, with a public, private partnership between the Department of Children, Youth, and Families and Start Early. Start Early is a key partner in building the statewide home visiting system. Jointly administered by DCYF and Start Early, the Home Visiting Services Account (HVSA) brings together state, federal and private dollars to support a portfolio of high-quality proven and promising programs - and make sure they deliver results.

The HVSA was established by the Washington state legislature in 2010. Since then, it has grown from funding four grantees serving 120 children to 36 grantees with the capacity to serve 2,000 children statewide.

To read about the current state of the HVSA, read our 2019 Annual Report.

The HVSA only funds a portion of all of the early childhood home visiting that happens in Washington State. To better understand the full landscape of early childhood home visiting, DCYF periodically conducts a "Home Visiting Scan" to inventory home visiting programs around the state.

In 2012, the American Indian Health Commission (AIHC) for Washington State and the Department of Early Learning (DEL) established a partnership to ensure the inclusion of culturally appropriate home visiting and other critical early learning services were included in planning the state's developing home visiting system. This effort focused on the significant disparities experienced by AI/AN mothers and babies.

In partnership with AIHC and with funding from the federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting grant, an update to the original 2013 report was completed in 2017.

Home Visiting Assessment

To complement the Home Visiting Scan, the Washington State Department of Health recently completed a Home Visiting Needs Assessment - a tool that estimates need for home visiting services based on various population-based community indicators of risk. Previously DOH completed a similar home visiting needs assessment in 2011. The purpose of updating this Needs Assessment from the 2011 version is not to redistribute current funds, but rather to use for future planning. We also wanted to analyze communities at a smaller scale than the county level to support planning in smaller geographic areas. As part of our ongoing federal reporting, DOH completed a 2020 update to the MIECHV Needs Assessment, updating data from the original 2010 Needs Assessment.

Recently, we were asked by the state legislature to provide an update letter on the status of the HVSA.

In addition, we were tasked by the legislature to lay out the process for a proposed expansion of home visiting across the state of Washington.

For more information, visit Start Early Home Visiting Services Account.

A primary funding source of the home visiting program in Washington State is the federal Maternal, Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, MIECHV. Since 2010, Washington has received several formula and competitive grants to both fund existing programs and expand the programs reach across the state. Read more

RISE Study

In partnership with Start Early and SRI International, we have concluded the RISE Home Visiting Evaluation. This was a three-year study that ran from fall of 2013 to fall of 2016 and was designed to include both a process and an outcome evaluation.

The process evaluation answered the primary research question: How does the Implementation HUB develop to support high-quality home visiting services in Washington?

The outcome evaluation measured the impact of the HUB on three major outcomes: use of training and TA; model fidelity and implementation quality; and program staff competency and self-efficacy.

The primary research question was: How do the identified programs in Washington that receive support from the Implementation HUB differ from comparison programs in other states with regard to the three major outcomes

During fall of 2016 to fall of 2017, a follow-up evaluation occurred to collect an additional year of outcome data for the rural substudy. The rural substudy used mixed methods to learn more about the experiences of rural programs to answer the primary research question: What are the unique features of implementing evidence-based home visiting in rural communities?

More Information:

For questions, email home.visiting@del.wa.gov.

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Department of Children, Youth & Families

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Washington State pioneered a unique approach to home visiting, with a public, private partnership between the Department of Children, Youth, and Families and Start Early. Start Early is a key partner in building the statewide home visiting system.

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Big Thanks!

This project would not have been possible without the many advocates, experts, and WCFC Early Childhood Network members who provided valuable time, input, and skills. Special thanks to the following individuals who participated on the Fair Start for Kids Act Communication Workgroup:

Toolkit design & content creation

Colleen Condon, Molly Curtiss, Molly Draben, Cadie Dye, Debbie Ham, Brittany Hartikainen, Katie Maisch, Eiledon McLellan, Melissa McPheeters, April Messenger, Linden Obel, Nancy Spurgeon

Toolkit translation

Marina Medrano

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Fair Start for Kids Act Communication Toolkit - Washington Communities For Children

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This project would not have been possible without the many advocates, experts, and WCFC Early Childhood Network members who provided valuable time, input, and skills.

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We Must Fairly Compensate Victims of Family Separation

Take Action

Take Action in Your State

Join a community of volunteers working together in these states to advocate for children

Get involved to make a difference in your community

Click on a state below to learn more and get involved!

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Save the Children Action Network is the political voice for kids. We're building political will to increase opportunity for children and ensure a better future for us all. Together, we can give every child a strong start in life.

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Working Connections Child Care Rate comparison

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Working Connections Child Care Rate comparison

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Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps eligible families pay for child care. When a family qualifies for child care subsidy benefits and chooses an eligible provider, the state pays a portion of the cost of child care. Parents may be responsible for a copayment to their provider each month.

Families experiencing homelessness may be approved for up to 12 months to help resolve issues surrounding homelessness.

Basic Eligibility Requirements for Child Care Subsidy Benefits

The child must be a U.S. citizen, legal resident, or otherwise eligible for federal benefits

The family with whom the child resides must live in Washington state

The family's income must be at or below 60% of the State Median Income (SMI) at application or 65% of SMI when reapplying

The family must have resources under $1 million

Child Care Subsidy helps pay for child care while the parent, or parents in a two-parent household, participate in an approved activity. Approved activities include:

Employment or self-employed in legal, income-generating, taxable activities

Education activities include:

High school or high school equivalency programs for parents ages 21 and younger

Attending community, technical, or tribal college full-time and seeking an associate or vocational degree

Attending community, technical, or tribal colleges part-time and seeking an associate or vocational degree AND working 20 hours per week

Activities approved under the parents WorkFirst or BFET plan

Income Eligibility

The maximum household income increases from 200% of the U.S. federal poverty level (FPL) to 60% of the State Median Income (SMI). The maximum monthly income limit by household size is listed below:

Use the chart above to determine if your family may be eligible for WCCC and to determine your approximate copayment. (Example: If your household consists of yourself, your spouse, and two children, your household size is four. If your income is $4,100, your copayment would be $90 per month.)

Application Process

The parent must complete the WCCC application and verification process.

Families can apply by contacting the Child Care Subsidy Contact Center at 1-844-626-8687 or online at www.WashingtonConnection.org.

DCYF gathers and reviews information to determine a family's eligibility.

Families will need to provide DCYF with the name and phone number of the child care provider. You do not have to have a provider before applying for child care subsidy.

View the instructions on creating an online account with Washington Connection.
Child Care Subsidy Program - You May Qualify
Read the printable flyer (available in English, Spanish, and Somali)
Verification Process

DCYF will need to verify the following information, as applicable. Some verification may be obtained using existing DCYF or state systems, or DCYF may request verification from families. All statements must contain a name, address, phone number, date, and signature.

What may need to be verified? (if applicable)

What may be provided? Verification may include:

Residency or citizenship of children

DCYF uses internal systems. If information is not available within these systems, the family will need to provide a social security card, birth certificate, U.S. passport, or immigration documents.

Homelessness

DCYF compares the family's living situation with family records. When conflicting information is presented, DCYF will obtain verification from a reliable source. The reliable source must be aware of family's living situation and must be willing to attest under penalty of perjury.

Custody

Court order, signed statement from the parent(s), or a statement from a third party if unable to obtain verification from the parent(s).

Single parent status

Consumers may provide the declaration form ( DCYF form 27-164) or a statement indicating the name and address of the other parent for each of the children OR attest under penalty of perjury that they are a single parent, the whereabouts of the other parent is unknown or that providing this information would cause fear of harm.

Household composition (everyone living in the household)

Completed landlord statement ( DCYF form 16-238), current lease agreement, or signed statement from the homeowner.

Earned income

DCYF will attempt to verify using available systems. If information is not available electronically, DCYF may use wage stubs, payroll history, or an employer statement that the family lists the actual gross income and month it is received, including any tips, bonuses, or commissions.

Self-employment

Federal or state tax return, tax transcripts including all forms for the most current reporting year. If you use a state tax return and you use a state tax return and claim all business expenses, verification of expenses will be necessary. Verification would include a profit and loss with receipts or bank statements to support the amounts claimed.

Other income (social security income, supplemental security income, unemployment benefits, or any other income received by someone in your family)

DCYF will attempt to verify using available systems. If information is not available electronically, DCYF may use award letters or notifications from corresponding agencies to verify monthly amounts.

Child support

DCYF will attempt to verify using available systems. If information is not available electronically, DCYF may use a signed and dated statement from the non-custodial parent, including the amount and frequency of support, including a signature, date, and phone number where the non-custodial parent can be reached.
If support is ordered through another state, a statement verifying the amount and frequency of support, including a signature, date, and phone number if not printed from the state child support office.
When court-ordered, the consumer pays child support and shows in internal systems, verification of the court-ordered will be required, including verification of the actual amounts paid.

Schooling and education

Copy of school registration and a written statement from a school employee verifying enrollment and the program.

Work-Study Participation

Statement from the college or case manager, including total hours awarded.

BFET participation

DCYF will use internal systems to verify current enrollment in an approved activity and the amount of time participating in this activity.

WorkFirst activity participants

DCYF will use internal systems to verify current enrollment in an approved activity and the amount of time participating in this activity.

Finding Child Care

There are different provider options parents may choose to fit the needs of their family. Parents may choose from:

Licensed or certified child care centers

Licensed or certified family child care homes

Unlicensed care, typically referred to as family, friend, or neighbor (FFN) child care

Licensed child care providers follow minimum licensing requirements set by Washington State to ensure children are in safe, healthy, and nurturing places.
Learn more about licensed child care
If you are not sure where to find licensed child care providers, your local Child Care Aware Washington agency can help. Call 1-800-446-1114 for help.

You have a choice in finding quality early care and learning settings in Washington State.

Some families prefer to have a family, friend, or neighbor care for their child or provide care in the child's home. When you choose a child care provider who is exempt from licensing, you have extra responsibilities.

The provider you must be:
For more information go to the Family, Friends and Neighbor provider page
Note: In-home providers who are relatives and are paid child care subsidies to care for children receiving WCCC benefits, may not receive those benefits for their children during the hours in which they provide subsidized child care.

Additional Support

Parents of children with special needs may qualify for higher rates to help pay for additional supports needed. Further information is provided below.

Questions?

Families or parents with questions about their copayment may call the DCYF Child Care Contact Center at 1-844-626-8687.

Child care providers with questions about a family's copay may contact the DCYF Provider Help Line by emailing providerhelp@dcyf.wa.gov or calling 1-800-394-4571.

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Department of Children, Youth & Families

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Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps eligible families pay for child care. When a family qualifies for child care subsidy benefits and chooses an eligible provider, the state pays a portion of the cost of child care. Parents may be responsible for a copayment to their provider each month.

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Help Pass the Build Back Better Budget Proposal 

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Help Pass the Build Back Better Budget Proposal 

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Mom's Rising Fair Start for Kids Act Toolkit

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Mom's Rising Fair Start for Kids Act Toolkit

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Thanks to the Fair Start for Kids Act, financial assistance for child care has been expanded to include more families across Washington State. The good news doesn't stop there! Co-payments have been eliminated for some families and considerably lowered for others.
Even if you haven't qualified in the past, call the Child Care Subsidy Contact Center at 1-844-626-8687 to see if you might qualify now through expansion of our state's child care assistance program. The easiest way to determine eligibility is by phone. Interpretation in multiple languages is available through the phone too!
Not a phone person? You can visit Washington Connection at www.washingtonconnection.org to see if you qualify and to begin an application. Things are hard right now, hopefully this information -- and more affordable child care -- will help make things just a bit easier for you and for your family.

Frequently asked questions about child care assistance:

1. What is child care assistance?

2. Who is eligible for child care assistance?

3. Do I qualify? Is there a copayment?

4. What else do I need to be eligible?

5. How do I determine my family size for the purposes of applying for child care assistance?

6. How is child care assistance inclusive of children with physical, intellectual, and/or developmental disabilities?

7. How does child care assistance serve children and families experiencing homelessness?

8. Are high school student parents eligible to receive child care assistance?

9. Are college students eligible for child care assistance?

10. How can I apply for child care assistance?

11. What are my care options?

12. How can I use child care assistance in a Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregiving setting?

13. Is there support for families and providers who choose Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) care?

But first, the most frequently asked question by parents with young children all across our state: Why is child care so expensive and so hard to find?! Because we've failed to recognize child care as the public good that every parent, provider, and employer knows it is. Thankfully, that's starting to change! In May 2021 Governor Jay Inslee signed the Fair Start for Kids Act (Senate Bill 5237) into law and made child care more affordable and accessible for families and more sustainable for providers. Through a new capital gains tax on the ultra-rich, affordable child care will be expanded to more families over the next decade.

We won't stop until all families have access to affordable child care. Share your child care story and help make change for even more families!

What is child care assistance?

Washington State helps some families pay for all or part of the cost of child care! Through Working Connections Child Care, The State of Washington's child care assistance program, the state will make payments directly to the child care provider you choose for your family. Child care assistance is paid directly to the provider through a voucher that covers the cost of the authorized attendance minus the family's copayment.

Families participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, our state's welfare program, and families with very low incomes will have no co-payment -- that means zero out of pocket expenses. For all other families who qualify for initial eligibility, copayments are limited to no more than $215 per month.

Who is eligible for child care assistance?

Families who earn at or below 60% of the State Median Income may be eligible for child care assistance. For a family of three that's $51,804 per year and for a family of four that's $61,675 per year. What is State Median Income? It's just a way of measuring how your income compares to the incomes of other families in Washington so that child care assistance can be prioritized for those who need it most.

Check out this helpful table to get a sense of whether your family might qualify based on your household's TOTAL GROSS income (for families with two grown ups, that means adding both grown ups' PRE-TAX incomes together):

Do I qualify? Is there a copayment?

Step 1: Find your family size on the horizontal line.
Step 2: Find your family's monthly income before taxes on the vertical line.
Step 3: Follow the horizontal and vertical lines to the point where they meet to estimate your copayment.

What if I don't qualify based on my income?

If your family size (the vertical, or hotdog line) and your monthly income (the horizontal, or hamburger line) don't line up that means you may not qualify right now -- but call 1-844-626-8687 to be sure. We've got good news though! Child care assistance will be expanded to serve more families in 2025 and even more families in 2027.

What else do I need to be eligible?

There are some additional eligibility requirements that Public Benefits workers can help you better understand when you call 1-844-626-8687, including:

Parents in the household must have taxable employment OR meet all WorkFirst (our state's welfare program) requirements OR be attending full-time community, technical, or tribal college and participating in an approved program

The child must be younger than 13 years old or younger than 19 years with special needs

The child receiving care needs to be a U.S. citizen or legal resident

How do I determine my family size?

Washington State doesn't necessarily define family in the same way that families define themselves. For the purposes of applying for child care assistance, family size typically includes just the parent(s) and child(ren) living under the same roof. Other grownups and children in the house, for example grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, aren't included in the calculation of family size. If the parents live separately only the parent and child(ren) living under the same roof are considered in the calculation of family size. When you call 1-844-626-8687 Public Benefits workers can help you better understand how your family size should be calculated.

How is child care assistance inclusive of children with physical, intellectual, and/or developmental disabilities?

Parents of children with special needs may qualify for child care assistance that pays the provider an increased rate to accommodate additional support. For the purposes of eligibility, "children with special needs" generally have physical, emotional or mental challenges limiting one or more major life activities. Major life activities mean breathing, hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, using arms and hands, learning and playing. To apply for an increased rate for your child's care, complete the paperwork in English and Spanish. Looking for additional support? Consider reaching out to the organizations below:

Aging and Disability Services Administration, http://www.aasa.dshs.wa.gov, 1-800-422-3263
The Arc of WA, Parent to Parent, http://www.arcwa.org, 1-888-754-8798
Early Intervention Services, Birth to Three www.withinreachwa.org 1-800-322-2588
Child Care Aware of Washington, http://wa.childcareaware.org/ 1-800-446-1114

How does child care assistance serve children and families experiencing homelessness?

Families experiencing homelessness may be eligible for 12-months without an approved work activity. You may qualify for a grace period if you: Live temporarily with family or friends; do not have a home; live in a shelter, car or park; live in transitional housing; live in Domestic Violence program housing; and/or experience other temporary living situations. Looking for help accessing the homeless child care grace period? Child Care Aware of Washington and Child Care Resources can help!

Are high school student parents eligible to receive child care assistance?

Yes, high school student parents and parents 21 years old or younger that are completing a high school equivalency certificate are eligible for child care assistance as long as they earn less than 85 percent of the State Median Income (SMI). A high school student parent is eligible regardless of the other parent's circumstances. How much is 85 percent of SMI? For a family of two it's $4,951.25 per month; for a family of three it's $6,115.75 per month; and for a family of four it's $7,281.10 per month.

Are college students eligible for child care assistance?

Yes! Parents participating in a vocational education program at a community, technical, or tribal college that will lead to an associate degree or registered apprenticeship program will not have to meet work requirements to receive child care assistance. Parents must meet other eligibility requirements.

How can I apply for child care assistance?

There are three different ways to apply for child care assistance:

1. By phone: Call the Child Care Subsidy Contact Center at 1-844-626-8687. The Contact Center has a full staff of Public Benefits workers who can answer your specific questions, determine initial eligibility, and start the application process. ***The easiest way to determine eligibility is by phone. Interpretation in multiple languages is available through the phone too!***

2. Online: Visit Washington Connection at https://www.washingtonconnection.org/ to see if you qualify and to begin an application -- but calling 1-844-626-8687 is highly recommended for a faster response

3. In person: Visit a Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) office in your community to submit an application for child care assistance, along with other public benefits. Find your community office here: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/office-locations

What information will I need to apply for child care assistance?

When you call the Child Care Subsidy Contact Center at 1-844-626-8687, Public Benefits workers may be able to process your application within a number of days by cross-verifying your information. The very first thing you should do is call 1-844-626-8687 to begin your application and then, afterwards, begin to gather the following documentation if requested as part of the process:

Proof of your child's citizenship or legal residency;

Household members;

Household income.

If you'd rather apply online or at a DSHS office you are more likely to need to provide hard-copy documentation of the items listed above. Note that documentation will need to be provided through snail mail or through fax to protect your private data.

When you've selected your child care provider, be sure to provide the Child Care Subsidy Contact Center with their information so they can receive payment.

What are my care options?

Families with child care assistance can choose the care setting and provider that matches their unique needs, including licensed child care centers and licensed family child care homes. Licensed child care providers follow minimum licensing requirements set by the state to ensure children are in safe, healthy and nurturing places. Not sure where to start? Call Child Care Aware of Washington's Family Center at 1-800-446-1114 for help finding high-quality, licensed child care in your community. In addition to providing you a list of child care options that fit your criteria, Child Care Aware can also share with you about using Early Achievers, our state's Quality Rating and Improvement System, as one measure for understanding quality. Support is available in more than 250 languages!

Many families using our state's child care assistance program choose Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) care. FFN care is license exempt, though non-relative caregivers are required to meet health and safety standards. Subsidized FFN care makes it possible for families to choose care settings that closely match their cultural, linguistic, and community ties and it is an essential part of our state's care infrastructure.

How can I use child care assistance in a Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregiving setting?

Family, friend and neighbor (FFN) providers include grandparents, aunts and uncles, elders, older siblings, friends, neighbors, and others who help families by providing child care. Both in Washington and around the nation, FFN care is the most common type of child care for infants and toddlers and for school-age children before and after school.

Some families prefer to have an FFN care for their child or to have care provided in the child's home. When you choose a child care provider who is exempt from licensing, you have extra responsibilities. The provider you choose must:

Be 18 years of age or older;

Be a citizen or a legal resident of the United States;

Pass the DCYF background check. If care is provided in the provider's home, then anyone older than 16 who lives in the home must also pass a background check;

Be physically and mentally healthy enough to meet all the needs of the child in care;

Not be the child's biological parent, step-parent, adoptive parent, legal guardian, in-loco parentis, sibling, or the spouse of any of these individuals

Meet the health and safety requirements if not related to the child.

Families or caregivers considering subsidized FFN care can learn more about requirements and regulations online: https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/services/early-learning-providers/ffn.

Is there support for families and providers who choose Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) care?

Kaleidoscope Play & Learn (KP&L) groups offer parents and other caregivers the opportunity to support their children's early learning through everyday activities, and build relationships with other participants. More about Play & Learn is available online through Child Care Resources: https://www.childcare.org/family-services/find-care-ffn.aspx .

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Get help paying for child care in Washington state

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You may qualify for Free or Low-Cost Child Care! Thanks to the Fair Start for Kids Act, financial assistance for child care has been expanded to include more families across Washington State. The good news doesn't stop there! Co-payments have been eliminated for some families and considerably lowered for others.

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Preschool Programs: Funding Source and Key Program Features

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Preschool Programs: Funding Source and Key Program Features

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Heritage Early Learning Center expansion

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Heritage Early Learning Center expansion

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Heritage University to construct new, expanded Early Learning Center

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Heritage University will construct a new building for its Early Learning Center with more room for Lower Valley children.

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The Annual Report contains over 200 indicators which track demographic, economic, social and environmental conditions of value and concern to the residents of Yakima County.

Find Additional information about Yakima County.

The Annual Report contains over 200 indicators which track demographic, economic, social and environmental conditions of value and concern to the residents of Yakima County.

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The Annual Report contains over 200 indicators which track demographic, economic, social and environmental conditions of value and concern to the residents of Yakima County. Find Additional information about Yakima County. The Annual Report contains over 200 indicators which track demographic, economic, social and environmental conditions of value and concern to the residents of Yakima County.

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Build Back Better Framework | The White House

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The Build Back Better Act will create millions of good-paying jobs, enable more Americans to join and remain in the labor force, spur long-term growth,

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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82040782812

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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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Comments from Ryan Pricco regarding capital gains excise tax

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Comments from Ryan Pricco regarding capital gains excise tax

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Comments from Ryan Pricco regarding capital gains excise tax

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National Equity Project: Liberatory Design Training

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National Equity Project: Liberatory Design Training

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borrowed from ESD 105

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Reconocimiento de Tierra
"Nos gustaría reconocer que venimos a ustedes desde las tierras tradicionales de los primeros habitantes de nuestro valle, las 14 Tribus y Bandas Confederadas de la Nación Yakama, y honramos con gratitud a la tierra misma y a la Tribu Yakama.”

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Liberatory Design - National Equity Project

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Liberatory Design - National Equity Project

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Why Liberatory Design?
We are all living in challenging times that our past experience and training has not sufficiently prepared us for. Too often, well intentioned equity efforts do not succeed-and even produce unintended consequences. This can lead to frustration, hopelessness and cynicism.
It's important to consider why so many equity efforts stall or fail to achieve intended outcomes:

They do not employ a deep enough equity lens-for example, a diversity and inclusion focus as opposed to interrogating deeper causes produced by systemic oppression.

They take the form of traditional linear, hierarchical plans that focus on strategies, goals, timelines, metrics and accountability. These efforts don't recognize the messiness and complexity of the challenge, so they often are ineffective and, sometimes, even backfire.

They are created in the context of dominant white culture, in traditional structures (e.g. committees, task forces), or in teams that don't have an effective approach to the work. Common problems include:

group members unable to engage in authentic critical dialogue;

lack of trust, especially across role/power and identity difference, that undermines team efficacy;

the process doesn't bring forward sufficiently creative thinking;

urgency leads to hasty, misguided decisions;

creative and potentially powerful solutions are not accepted by leadership.

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Liberatory Design - National Equity Project

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Addressing equity challenges and change efforts in complex systems with liberatory design. Learn more about this process or register for an upcoming course.

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Cecilia Gonzalez - Early Learning and Parent Education Manager (La Casa Hogar)

Julia Kagochi - State Equity Specialist (Help Me Grow Washington)

Lindsay Boswell - Director of Grants and Community Impact

Marina Medrano - Bilingual Coalition Coordinator (YVCF)

Michele Cawley - Program Manager (Kittitas Early Learning Coalition)

Minerva Pardo - Schools, Family and Community Engagement Coordinator (WVSD)

Trissa Schiffner - Parents as Teachers Program Manager (Catholic Charities)

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Regional Coalition & Washington Communities for Children (WCFC) Updates

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Regional Coalition & Washington Communities for Children (WCFC) Updates

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Questions, comments, concerns? Write away! 

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Questions, comments, concerns? Write away! 

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We encourage you to use the comment section below to write any questions, comments, or concerns that you have about the meeting. Feel free to also leave questions for the speaker or meeting facilitators.

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Why Early Learning is Important:

Research has shown that children who are able to participate in early learning programs perform better throughout their years of schooling. Early learning programs focus on six areas of kindergarten readiness:

Social-Emotional - Children do better in school when they can regulate their emotions, establish positive relationships with others, and constructively participate in group settings.

Physical - The early years are important for the development of fundamental gross-motor and fine-motor skills needed to be active learners.

Language - Children need to understand increasingly complex language and use language to express their thoughts, ideas, needs, and feelings.

Cognitive - Children are more successful in school when they have positive approaches to learning, and are able to attend, engage, and persist to solve problems.

Literacy - A child's progress in reading and writing is one of the best predictors of whether the child will function competently in school and in life.

Math - Research shows that math is the number one predictor of future success in reading and math.*

*Duncan, Greg. University of California, 2007. Early Childhood Longitudinal studies. "The strongest predictors of later achievement are school-entry math, reading, and attention skills. Early math skills have the greatest predictive power."

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Research has shown that children who are able to participate in early learning programs perform better throughout their years of schooling. Early learning programs focus on six areas of kindergarten readiness: Social-Emotional - Children do better in school when they can regulate their emotions, establish positive relationships with others, and constructively participate in group settings.

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Our Workgroup's Shared Understanding of Equity

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Our Workgroup's Shared Understanding of Equity

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A process and an outcome:

Equity is a process.

Outcomes are individual - an outcome doesn't have to be the same for every person.

You must ask and learn:

Equity should be assessment and community feedback based.

Ask first. Look at answers. Assess. And then implement.

The system does not define the need, the people do.

Equity happens when the induvial is centralized.

Equity is to provide or give resources in the way they are needed, when they are needed, and how they are needed.

It's not just about the kind of resources. It's about how they're distributed and how accessible they are.

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https://www.facebook.com/investinginchildrenwa

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It looks like you were misusing this feature by going too fast. You've been temporarily blocked from using it. If you think this doesn't go against our Community Standards let us know.

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https://www.washingtoncfc.org/fair-start-for-kids-act-communication-toolkit

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Big Thanks!

This project would not have been possible without the many advocates, experts, and WCFC Early Childhood Network members who provided valuable time, input, and skills. Special thanks to the following individuals who participated on the Fair Start for Kids Act Communication Workgroup:

Toolkit design & content creation

Colleen Condon, Molly Curtiss, Molly Draben, Cadie Dye, Debbie Ham, Brittany Hartikainen, Katie Maisch, Eiledon McLellan, Melissa McPheeters, April Messenger, Linden Obel, Nancy Spurgeon

Toolkit translation

Marina Medrano

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Fair Start for Kids Act Communication Toolkit - Washington Communities For Children

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This project would not have been possible without the many advocates, experts, and WCFC Early Childhood Network members who provided valuable time, input, and skills.

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Agenda Planning Tool

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In partnership with Lindsay Boswell, Marina Medrano, and Julia Kagochi (state equity specialist), the Investing in Children Coalition (South Central WA) will be creating a workgroup dedicated to equity conversations. This subgroup will have two main functions:

1) creating a shared regional needs assessment and

2) putting together a template for creating county-specific equity statements and action plans.

We hope that the participants of this work group are representative of the two different counties in the south central region. The initial meeting will be a two-hour session, and the time commitment will be dependent on how the workgroup decides to proceed. There is no cap to how many folks can join the workgroup, just as long as each of the counties have equal voice in the process.

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Who is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine?

Where can I take my child age 5-11 to get vaccinated?

The Pfizer vaccine that is given to adults and adolescents cannot be used for children ages 5-11. The following locations are offering the COVID-19 vaccine to children within this age range. YHD's mobile vaccine clinics are also offering the COVID-19 vaccine to anyone 5 and older. See table under "Community COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics" for a list of available clinics.

Youth under 18 years need parent or guardian consent to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Find more information about COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens on the CDCandDOH websites.

Where can I get a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine?

Several sites are offering booster doses to eligible individuals. Click here for a list of COVID-19 vaccine locations in Yakima County. YHD Community vaccine clinics are also offering Pfizer booster doses to anyone 16 and older. Please take your vaccine card to your appointment.

Community COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics

Community COVID-19 vaccine clinics are currently providing first and second doses of Pfizer vaccine to anyone 5 and older. Pfizer booster doses are also available to anyone 12 and older. Appointments are not required. Youth under 18 years need parent or guardian consent to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Times and locations may change.
Private Clinic Registration for Business/Organization

If you are a business or organization and would like to set up a clinic for employees or members, please email yakimavaccinemobileteam@gmail.com with the following information:

Name of business/organization

Point of contact Name-Email-Phone Number

Date you want the team to come

Time frame you would like the team to come (Ex. 11am-12pm)

Number of appointments required

Location you'd like to host the clinic
Location should have access to bathrooms, chairs, and plenty of space for people to wait for 15-30 minutes.

Once we have received this information we will send you a link to the Private Clinic for you to register your employees, members, etc. Please provide all information for registration prior to the mobile vaccine event for faster processing and screening.

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covid -19 vaccinations questions covid-19 vaccine faq's

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The Pfizer vaccine that is given to adults and adolescents cannot be used for children ages 5-11. The following locations are offering the COVID-19 vaccine to children within this age range. YHD's mobile vaccine clinics are also offering the COVID-19 vaccine to anyone 5 and older.

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Joint ELAC and PAG Meeting Material Continued...

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Joint ELAC and PAG Meeting Material Continued...

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The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC), is a program that helps pregnant women, new parents or guardians, and young children eat well, learn about nutrition, and stay healthy. WIC provides nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, nutritious foods, and help to access health care. Nutrition education is the cornerstone of the WIC Program.

Call to see if you qualify

For Washington, callFor Oregon, call (855) 942-9420

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for WIC:

Live in Washington or Oregon.

Be a pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding individual, an infant, or a child under 5 years old.

Meet income requirements.

Learn more about WIC eligibility and your rights to the program: See if you Qualify

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The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC), is a program that helps pregnant women, new parents or guardians, and young children eat well, learn about nutrition, and stay healthy. WIC provides nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, nutritious foods, and help to access health care.

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@forthekidswa

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In Washington state and across the country, the financial realities of child care are like mismatched puzzle pieces jammed together

Mary Curry has run a child care business from her two-story home on a quiet street in South Tacoma for nine years. Before the pandemic, the business ran at capacity, with a few employees helping care for a dozen children. Now it's just her, taking care of four kids. The finances were never very good, but during the pandemic Curry has been losing money operating her business in accordance with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. She said she has kept her doors open out of a sense of mission to help her community and "my families."

Child care in Washington state and in the U.S. is a broken economic system, according to providers and other experts. The pieces just don't fit, despite small and large efforts to fix the problem.

Even care that meets only minimum licensing standards is too expensive for many parents, yet child care providers cannot pay their workers a living wage. The providers cannot raise prices because if they do, they will lose customers. They cannot reduce their work force - which makes up 60% or more of their budget - because laws and the realities of caring for small children mean that they must keep ratios of workers to children low. So the parents struggle, many child care workers do not make enough money to take care of their own families without government assistance, and providers are scraping by or closing their doors.

A lot of attention has been paid to the problem recently, in both Washington state and Washington, D.C., but many experts think the changes are still not enough. They look to places like Finland, where quality child care is heavily subsidized and generous paid parental leave is available. The results: high enrollment in preschool and strong educational outcomes.

In contrast, states in the U.S. provide far less funding and face other constraints, forcing difficult trade-offs related to child care: "Do you give money to the single mom working, or the parent looking for training? Do you have lower-quality care for more children, or better quality for fewer children?" asked Gina Adams, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research organization.

Experts say that while the profit/loss margins are still razor-thin in the child care industry, there are things that can be done within the current system to help, like shared business services for child care providers, free or subsidized use of real estate, and subsidized health insurance for child care workers.

Can the public and private sectors do enough to " reinvent " the current market, or will federal and state governments have to radically shift how and to what extent they fund child care?

The costs of delivering care

The primary reason child care costs so much is that teacher-to-child ratios are kept low for infants and toddlers in order to provide safe, nurturing environments. In Washington state, those ratios are one care worker to four infants, one worker to seven toddlers, and one worker to 10 preschoolers. Thus, labor costs make up 60% to 80% of a child care provider's budget, even though child care and preschool teachers here typically earn a little less than $16 per hour - below the median pay of fast-food cooks.

In Washington state, the prices families pay for care far exceed neighboring Idaho and Oregon. And the true costs to providers for high-quality, center-based care surpass the national average by several thousand dollars.

Louise Stoney is an independent consultant and co-founder of both the Alliance for Early Childhood Finance and Opportunities Exchange, a nonprofit consulting group focused on early care and education. She argues that most people who are good at finance can run a large, high-quality preschool care program with decent wages. It's the finances behind caring for infants and toddlers at a center that pose the greater challenge: "I don't see how you do it for less than $25,000 per year," she said - that is $25,000 per year, per child.

Stoney and her associate Libbie Poppick developed a concept they call the " iron triangle " of minimum prerequisites for early childhood education providers to turn a dependable profit: full enrollment, full fee collection and revenues that cover per-child cost ("accurate pricing"). For example, some providers still accept cash and checks from parents, instead of automatically billing their bank accounts, resulting in late and uncollectible payments that quickly add up in a business with such slim margins.

The iron triangle also assumes that providers can take advantage of technology such as child care management software, and/or shared services to manage their businesses more efficiently.

Shared services alliances refer to providers that pool resources to share systems and people for accounting, human resources, regulatory compliance and other administrative work. In Oregon, child care providers are piloting a shared services alliance in several regions after promising results from a smaller pilot in two rural counties. Washington's Fair Start for Kids Act, signed into law in May 2021, authorized creation of a "shared services business hub," and recently awarded a grant for the pilot project.

Seattle already has a pilot program along those lines to help family providers participate in the city's preschool program.

Stoney sees economies of scale and shared services as making room for higher teacher wages. "What shared services is really about is shifting dollars from administration into the classroom," she said. "Providers have to either get bigger or network bigger. No one has ever pushed the field to do this. We've made administrative costs too high. And we don't make efficiency a value."

In the Seattle area, Sound Child Care Solutions is a nonprofit that shares administrative services and fundraising across eight separate child care centers that have common values and goals. Emily Adams, director of development and communications, said they see shared services as a way to enable center directors to focus on programming and invest more in supporting teachers to deliver high-quality care. Given the large number of immigrant and refugee families at some centers, those directors and teaching staff need extra time to incorporate different languages and cultures into their programming, as well as to receive training to address traumatic experiences within families. As a "value driven" organization, it also prioritizes equitable pay and comprehensive benefits for center directors and teaching staff, she said.

Some experts suggest that child care centers must have at least 100 full-time slots to make administrative overhead manageable, and that 300 slots are better. But most child care centers and school-age kid programs are small and thus unable to benefit from any economies of scale.

Family providers - that is, care based in a provider's home - can care for infants and toddlers at lower costs, but Stoney said states need to stop regulating them as though they were tiny child care centers.

Guadalupe Magallan of Kennewick had been working 10-hour days taking care of kids in her home and then working evenings and weekends on administrative tasks. She recently hired an assistant to help with the office work.

"I can't work all these hours with the children and still do all the administrative stuff to make sure I'm sticking to all the regulations and managing the paperwork, IRS, quarterly taxes, salary and more," she said. Like Curry, she is currently losing money.

States are buying into the idea of helping providers buy and run software to assist with their management needs. New Mexico recently partnered with Wonderschool to use its technology platform to assist child care providers, especially small centers and family providers.

In addition to staff ratios and scale, Washington state providers told InvestigateWest about other ways that governments could further assist them:

To help with what one child care company executive called "astronomically unaffordable" real estate prices, cities or counties could designate some commercial locations as low-rent, highly subsidized properties for nonprofit child care providers.

The state's Early Learning Facilities program already offers grants or very low-interest loans to providers seeking to open or expand their facilities. These providers must serve low-income families that use state subsidies to pay for child care. In the next few years, about $40 million will be available, including money to help providers apply.

The state could streamline its 90-day approval process for new child care sites, so that providers are not paying rent for several months before a center can open and begin making money.

The state could create a shared risk pool for small providers to buy health insurance for their workers and workers' families. A new program funded by the state will provide free health insurance for child care workers whose households earn less than 300% of the federal poverty level. But it will not cover all workers, nor any dependents.

And finally, providers face the high costs of low-wage jobs in the form of worker training and turnover expenses. They want to figure out how to pay child care workers more, with wages and benefits that adequately value their work, in part so that workers will stay longer and providers won't have to continuously train replacements.

State and federal support is already a key factor in the labyrinthine world of child care finance. Regional and state entities, such as Washington state's Educational Service Districts ( ESDs), help deliver and add to federal aid for providers and parents. The service districts are public entities that "provide cooperative services" across public, tribal and some private schools offering K-12 education.

In south-central Washington, for instance, ESD 105's early learning program serves kids as a contractor for the federal Head Start program and for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), which provide free preschool and supportive services for low-income families.

Stacie Marez, director of ECEAP and community partnerships at ESD 105, said the high rate of turnover due to low wages and lack of benefits means ECEAP programs at child care centers are constantly having to train new workers. When the three-year professional development cycle finishes, she said, "it's just about the time we lose them to the school district."

The school district can run state-funded ECEAP programs with better pay and benefits because of the district's diversified funding sources, centralized administration (like shared services) and absorption of some ECEAP programs' expenses such as utilities and classroom space.

The prices we pay for care

Child care providers bill what they think community families can pay, not what it costs to run a financially stable business. But those "private pay" rates, also known as market rates, aren't always high enough to keep providers in business.

The state sets Working Connections Child Care subsidy rates based on surveys that show what providers are charging in a particular area of the state. Working Connections is a program for low-income families with children up to 12 years old. The process to set rates for ECEAP-funded slots is more complicated.

Families that are eligible for subsidies find a participating provider to accept their children. The state then pays the provider. With ECEAP, parents pay nothing; with Working Connections, parents pay a share of that rate as a co-payment, from zero to $215 per month, depending on their income.

Even if the subsidy rates were 100% of market rate, they would underpay many providers. The Fair Start for Kids Act just increased Working Connections subsidies from 65% to 85% of market rate and raised ECEAP rates by 10%.

That should help. But as Joel Ryan, executive director of the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP, said, "Maybe we can get the subsidy rate high enough that it's not terrible, but it doesn't offset the real costs of child care." Many providers will still face a loss from the state's rates, and most families will continue to pay full price.

Mary Curry estimated that, for this past spring, her costs per child per month were about $1,200, but the state subsidy rate was about $750-$800. Curry had been making it work, in part, by reluctantly keeping staff expenses low, like so many providers do. "Funding was so low, but I could make it work because my children were grown and I didn't have to support them at home anymore," she said. "My husband is the one who gives me this opportunity to do this, because he carries the overhead."

The city of Seattle is planning a cost-of-quality-care study, as is Washington state. The state's report isn't due until November 2022. The text of the Fair Start for Kids Act says the Legislature's intent is to increase subsidy rates gradually, until they cover the full cost of high-quality care. Only a few states are doing this.

According to a model developed by the Center for American Progress, a policy institute that supports "progressive ideas," the Washington subsidy rate covers just 45%-71% of "high quality" care costs, depending on the age of the child and the type of facility. The calculator estimates that the average annual cost in Washington, per child for "base" quality care - that is care that meets minimum state regulations - in a family child care setting is $13,800. Investments to improve quality more than double that number, to $33,700.

Much of this increased cost goes to salaries and benefits for child care workers, whose training, planning time and retention rate are critical components of high-quality care. A few years ago, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment found that 39% of child care workers in Washington relied on at least one public income support program, at a cost of nearly $35 million. Some refer to this as the high public cost of low-wage jobs.

The road ahead

The pandemic has made clear to some people that child care is a core part of keeping our entire economy running, akin to electricity and roads. At the federal level, Congress is considering multiple proposals that would infuse billions of dollars into the child care system. Yet with one exception, that has always been a largely private system delivering a valuable public good.

During World War II, through the Lanham Act, Congress established subsidized child care services to support the families whose adult factory workers or members of the military were not able to care for kids. Family income did not factor into eligibility.

A substantial body of research indicates that a society's investment in early childhood programs gives a strong return. In Boston, quality preschool led to higher rates of high school graduation and college attendance, as well as lower rates of juvenile incarceration. But many payoffs from early learning investments are long-term, while state budgets are hammered out every two years.

Governments can see one quick return on investment in the short term: from better-paid workers. "A high-quality child care system costs money, but a lot goes into the pockets of child care workers," said Simon Workman, a national expert on child care finance and founder of the consulting firm Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies. "They spend it. It circles through the economy."

And yet these programs are not adequately funded in this country, according to providers and policy experts. For now, many families, particularly those with young children, remain stuck.

To that end, the parent ambassador program offered by the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP (WSA), has trained about 300 parents to advocate, educate and organize for quality early learning for all children. The 2021 legislative session felt like an exceptionally big win for advocates like WSA. But the goal of a well-funded, well-supported system is still a long way off. And advocates wonder if they can repeat that success.

Some local providers and policy experts are cautiously optimistic that the state and national debate could shift permanently, to valuing quality child care from birth to age 12 as an essential need for everyone. But for now, Gina Adams of the Urban Institute said, "We have a market system that does not support good quality. ... Our public system only deals with a small part of the problem, with inadequate funding and inadequate public support."
Next: How the lack of access to quality, affordable child care affects families and communities. Do you work or have you recently worked at a child care center? Please call us at 1-425-954-7169 or email us at childcare@invw.org and tell us how to get in touch. We want to hear your story. Feature image: Carlos Rodriguez, ECEAP lead teacher, leads a session at Blossoms Early Learning Center on Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. Mike Kane/InvestigateWest

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The Real Costs of Child Care in America - InvestigateWest

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Mary Curry has run a child care business from her two-story home on a quiet street in South Tacoma for nine years. Before the pandemic, the business ran at capacity, with a few employees helping care for a dozen children. Now it's just her, taking care of four kids.

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Julia Kagochi, Kagochi Consulting | EQUITY

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Julia Kagochi, Kagochi Consulting | EQUITY

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Many individuals and partners contribute to Help Me Grow Washington, and many more are working in the day-to-day efforts to improve systems for our communities. This is not an exhaustive list of Help Me Grow contacts, but a chance to see some active participants.

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Many individuals and partners contribute to Help Me Grow Washington, and many more are working in the day-to-day efforts to improve systems for our communities. This is not an exhaustive list of Help Me Grow contacts, but a chance to see some active participants.

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The Sunnyside community COVID-19 testing center will reopen Wednesday because of rising coronavirus case numbers.

The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday through Thursday at the Sunnyside Community Center, 1521 S. First St., according to a news release from the Yakima Health District.

"With the rise of COVID-19 cases in the community, we knew how important it was to open the community-based testing site in Sunnyside again," said Nathan Johnson, local emergency response coordinator for the health district. "Individuals will now have another option to get tested that is free, low-barrier and accessible. Please get tested if you experience COVID-19 symptoms."

Individuals will park and walk up to a trailer to be tested. Appointments are not required, but people can preregister ahead of time.

The COVID-19 testing center at State Fair Park in Yakima was closed Tuesday because of wildfire smoke, and is scheduled to resume operations Wednesday.

Cases continue to rise in Yakima County because of the more contagious delta variant. From June 1 to Aug. 17, the case rate increased from 120 to 508 per 100,000 the hospitalization rate increased from 2.7 to 7.0 per 100,000. Twenty three people have died, the health district reported Friday.

The health district encourages people to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccination locations are listed at YakimaVaccines.org.

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Community COVID testing center to reopen Wednesday in Sunnyside

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The Sunnyside community COVID-19 testing center will reopen Wednesday because of rising coronavirus case numbers. The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday through Thursday at the Sunnyside Community Center, 1521 S. First St., according to a news release from the Yakima Health District.

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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.