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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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- Use social media to draw awareness
- Coordinate child care site visits with key legislative targets
- Coordinate Q&A sessions with legislators
- Survey for members (find out organization priorities)
- Create a get-out-to-vote campaign and voter information
- Continue 2022 goals

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- To increase the members’ commitment to equity by providing an example of equity or inequity at each meeting and generate examples from members by using the Jamboard.
- To explore what it means to say that in our work “success is unavoidable” by generating examples of actions that remove barriers and facilitate success.
- To explore what it means to engage in assessment-based processes by generating ways to assess our interactions with the people we serve.
- To generate examples of Land Acknowledgement as an action, not just a statement.
- To adopt a flexible approach to exploring what it means to be an organization that supports equity, diversity, and inclusion and is respectful of our ancestors and environment.
- Look at adding indigenous voices to our Equity Action Team and the Coalition.

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Join us March 14-16, 2023 for our 12th annual Summit. Engage with systems leaders, researchers, practitioners, policy advocates, families, key partners and decision makers in a collaborative pursuit to advance the home visiting field.
Learn More

From our classroom to your home, discover early childhood resources from our experts that you can use with your little ones to make learning fun!
Explore Our Resources

Our Mission

Start Early advances quality early learning for families with children, before birth through their earliest years, to help close the opportunity gap.
About Us

What We Do

Our comprehensive approach to early learning and care applies our deep expertise in program, policy and research so that children, families and educators can thrive.
Our Approach

Our Reach

From our roots directly serving families and children on Chicago's South Side and in rural Illinois, we have expanded to impact programs and policies nationwide.

Our Blog & Featured News

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Sign up to receive news, helpful tools and learn about how you can help our youngest learners.
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Start Early | Champions for Early Learning

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Join us March 14-16, 2023 for our 12th annual Summit. Engage with systems leaders, researchers, practitioners, policy advocates, families, key partners and decision makers in a collaborative pursuit to advance the home visiting field. Learn More From our classroom to your home, discover early childhood resources from our experts that you can use with your little ones to make learning fun!

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Erica Hallock, Director of Policy and Advocacy with  Start Early WA

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Erica Hallock, Director of Policy and Advocacy with  Start Early WA

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Erica Hallock

Director, Policy & Advocacy, Start Early Washington

Erica Hallock serves as the Director of Policy and Advocacy for Start Early Washington. She has worked in early childhood, health and human services policy in both California and Washington state.

She has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Riverside and a Master of Public Policy and Administration from California State University Sacramento.

She is a proud mom of two young adults (one of whom teaches in Washington's state preschool program) and lives in Spokane when she is not in Olympia.

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Erica Hallock, Director, Policy & Advocacy , Start Early Washington

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Director, Policy & Advocacy, Start Early Washington Erica Hallock serves as the Director of Policy and Advocacy for Start Early Washington. She has worked in early childhood, health and human services policy in both California and Washington state. She has a B.A.

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February 1, 2023 - WCFC goes to Olympia!

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February 1, 2023 - WCFC goes to Olympia!

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Imagine you can instantly learn any language. Which would you choose?

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Imagine you can instantly learn any language. Which would you choose?

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Imagine you could teleport anywhere. Where would you go right now?

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Imagine you could teleport anywhere. Where would you go right now?

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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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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89642965812

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Managing Anxious Thoughts And Stress With Mindfulness

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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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Claudette Lindquist, Director of Early Learning (Heritage University)
Alternate: Angelica Hernandez, ESD 105

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borrowed from ESD 105

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

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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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Calling for Executive Committee Nominations! 

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Calling for Executive Committee Nominations! 

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For more information please see the Executive Committee section of our website

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Executive Committee | Investing in Children Coalition

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@forthekidswa

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2023 Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) representative(s)

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2023 Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) representative(s)

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Primary: Claudette Lindquist, KCELC
Alternate: Angelica Hernandez, ESD 105

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- Collaborate: Partner more during existing events.
- Learn: Need ideas and approaches. Learn from other organizations about effective family engagement strategies.
- Share: Effective strategies for family engagement.
- Advocate: Collect useful data to identify funding needs and opportunities. Better prepare K-12 system using success that early learning programs have had in family engagement. Early learning is a leader and model for how to effectively engage families.
- Define family engagement and identify best practices.

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In the works

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- Get information about health care in the form of brochures out to programs (ie: home visitors)
- Find out more about developmental screening database
- Tracking developmental screening data

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- Hold a virtual Regional Early Learning Conference
- Begin planning for the EL conference early!

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Angela Abrams, Professional Development Adminstrator, DCYF

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Angela Abrams, Professional Development Adminstrator, DCYF

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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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We keep families and children at the core of all we do

We affirm the importance of nurturing the whole child (social-emotional, cognitive, and physical development; cultural, racial, gender identity; belief system, etc.) and invest in their relationships to community, family, and self-identity.

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ELCP | Early Learning Coordination Plan for Washington State

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We affirm the importance of nurturing the whole child (social-emotional, cognitive, and physical development; cultural, racial, gender identity; belief system, etc.) and invest in their relationships to community, family, and self-identity.

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WA State Early Learning Coordination Plan 2023

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West Valley Early Learning Workshop, Thurs, Feb. 23, 2023, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

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West Valley Early Learning Workshop, Thurs, Feb. 23, 2023, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

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Link to registration forms in English and Spanish:  https://wvsd208.org/students-and-families/new-to-the-district/early-learning-initiatives

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We strive to provide children preschool through 3rd grade with access to high quality instruction, family engagement, and other supports related to physical and emotional well-being.

Please see the following opportunities provided by the West Valley School District below.
West Valley Early Learning Workshop February 23, 2023 West Valley Early Learning Workshop February 23, 2023-Spanish West Valley Early Learning Official Partners West Valley Early Learning Resources

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Early Learning Initiatives - West Valley School District 208

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We strive to provide children preschool through 3rd grade with access to high quality instruction, family engagement, and other supports related to physical and emotional well-being. Please see the following opportunities provided by the West Valley School District below.