Invest in early learning.
Ensure every child reads by the third grade.
The first five years of a child’s life lays the groundwork for school readiness and success in life. High-quality early learning programs lay the foundation for success. We are on the right track by beginning to invest in high-quality early learning like the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), family home visitation and preschool targeted to at-risk children and supporting parents as their child’s first teachers. The return on investment is clear. We need to continue to invest in early learning and support educators with higher salaries and more opportunities for professional development.
Improvements
- Third grade reading levels have increased for all subgroups.
- Increased access and quality to the Early Childhood Education and Assistance
- Program (ECEAP) by adding funding for 2,250 additional slots and increasing the per-child funding level to $6,500.
- The Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is underway in six pilot sites:
Vancouver, Bremerton, Yakima, White Center, Spokane and Pierce County. - Thrive by Five established two state-of-the-art early learning demonstration sites in the White Center and Yakima communities.
- The Working Connection Child Care Subsidy led to an increase in the subsidy rate provided to family child care providers.
- The state began phasing in universal all-day kindergarten, starting with the highest poverty schools.
- The Legislature funded a study to develop appropriate ways to assess young children’s preparedness for kindergarten.
No Change
- Compensation for child care providers and early education teachers has held steady with the rate of inflation.
- Little expansion in higher education programs needed to provide additional training for child care providers
and early education teachers.
Going Backward
- There are 933 fewer licensed child care facilities since 2005.
- Accredited child care centers decreased by 3% since 2006.
Strategies
- Develop a kindergarten readiness assessment that is linked with a longitudinal data system.
- Improve access to high-quality child care by expanding QRIS.
- Continue to phase-in universal all-day kindergarten and reduce class sizes in early grades.
- Support better compensation and professional development for child care providers and early learning educators.
- Expand capacity in higher education and apprenticeship programs to provide additional training for child care providers and early education teachers.
- Implement Washington Head Start.
- Expand strategic family home visiting programs to make sure that the most vulnerable families get the support they need.
Indicators
Access:
In Washington, 14% of all eligible birth to 5-year-old children and families were served by Early Head Start and Head Start programs in 2006. (HSPC)
Availability:
In 2007, there were 7,461 licensed child care facilities (predominately family homes), 933 fewer than in 2005. (Child Care Resource & Referral Network)
Accreditation:
Less than 1% of Washington’s family child care homes are accredited and only 6.3% of child
care centers are accredited by NAEYC. (NACCRRA)
Compensation:
- Child Care Workers: $21,000 annual salary
- Preschool Teachers: $27,200 annual salary
- Kindergarten Teachers: $47,630 annual salary
(Bureau of Labor Statistics: Preschool and kindergarten teacher salary does not include special education pay)
PreSchool Teacher Education:
In 2007, 47% of Head Start and Early Head Start teachers had an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and 30% have a BA in ECE. (Head Start/ECEAP)
Poverty:
In 2007, 18% of children under 5 were living in poverty, which is a slight increase from 17% in 2005.
(HSPC)
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