DEL's updated strategic plan now online

DEL's updated strategic plan is now available online: www.del.wa.gov/about/what.aspx

The strategic plan indicates our clear focus on offering high-quality early learning programs and services, prioritizing the most vulnerable children and families in our state. 

DEL vision: Children in Washington start kindergarten healthy, capable, and confident in their ability to learn and succeed.

DEL mission: DEL offers voluntary, comprehensive, high-quality early learning programs and support to families and early learning professionals.

Our four strategic goals:

• Provide voluntary, high-quality early learning opportunities for children and families in Washington
• Support all early learning professionals with research-based professional development and resources to ensure high-quality early learning opportunities
• Build public awareness of and support for high-quality early learning opportunities
• Promote system excellence by ensuring DEL is well-managed and supportive of its employees

The goals and activities in the plan are cross-walked with  Gov. Jay Inslee’s Results Washington initiative, as well as our state’s Early Learning Plan, so that we are working toward one purpose.

A lot has changed for early learning in Washington since we at DEL last updated our strategic plan in 2011! Here are just a few significant changes in our agency since then:

• The agency has won significant new federal funding to help build our system: a Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant and Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting grants.
• We have expanded ECEAP to offer longer-day programming to more children.
• We have welcomed the Strengthening Families Washington and Medicaid Treatment Child Care programs to our agency.
• We have a new Governor, whose vision for a healthy, vibrant state is monitored through his Results Washington initiative.
• Early Achievers, which was a small pilot serving 100 licensed child care facilities when we last wrote a strategic plan, is now fully available statewide. ECEAP must join by 2015, and more than 2,100 licensed providers have voluntarily joined to date!
• The Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS), which was in pilot phase when we last wrote a strategic plan, is now being implemented in all state-funded full-day kindergarten programs, reaching more than 38,000 incoming kindergarteners and their families.
• We have updated the Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines to span birth through grade 3 and better celebrate our state’s increasingly diverse population.
• We have a stronger focus on health, through the Healthiest Next Generation and Essentials for Childhood initiatives.

If you have questions or comments about the DEL strategic plan, please email communications@del.wa.gov.