School’s Out Washington announces Quality Enhancement Grant

School’s Out Washington is now accepting applications for its annual Quality Enhancement Grant, which helps improve the quality of school-age care programs licensed or certified by DEL.

Programs may apply for up to $3,000, and may use the funds for a variety of projects that support improved program quality. Programs serving low-income families, children of color or children with special needs are strongly encouraged to apply and will get bonus points in the grant review process. Applications are due by Nov. 4.

Visit www.schoolsoutwashington.org to learn more and apply.

The Quality Enhancement Grant is funded by DEL with federal Child Care and Development Fund dollars.

Federal government releases Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge grant application

The U.S. Department of Education today released the application for the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant, which will provide $500 million in state-level competitive grants to improve early learning and development programs. The Department of Early Learning (DEL) is leading Washington’s application for the grant, which could bring up to $60 million to our state over four years to support early learning for our children.


RTT-ELC is meant to help states raise the quality of early learning programs so that children start school ready to succeed. DEL Director Bette Hyde said, “I believe Washington is well positioned to be competitive in the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge. We are rolling out our kindergarten entry assessment program, WaKIDS, this school year and we are taking our Quality Rating and Improvement System to 65 child care providers this year as we move toward statewide implementation.”

The grant application is due October 19 and the federal government will announce the awards in December.

DEL has created a webpage to keep the early learning community informed about progress on RTT-ELC.

See our July 18 blog post about entering the RTT-ELC.

Other resources:

U.S. Department of Education press release about the grant application: http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/obama-administration-releases-final-application-race-top-early-learning-challeng

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge webpage: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/index.html

DEL announces 65 early adopters for QRIS

The Department of Early Learning (DEL) has selected the Quality Rating and Improvement System Early Adopters for 2011-2012. The Washington Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is our state’s voluntary program for helping licensed child care providers offer high-quality care.


These 65 licensed child care facilities met all eligibility requirements and demonstrated a commitment to providing high-quality care for the children and families they serve. On behalf of our statewide partners and the local implementation agencies, we would like to congratulate Washington’s first QRIS participants!

DEL Director Bette Hyde shared a message about the early adopters.


Having a QRIS in place is one requirement in the federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant competition. DEL is leading Washington’s application for the grant, which could bring up to $60 million to our state over four years.

The full list of early adopters, organized by county:


Clark County

• Cindy Perez
• Southwest Washington Child Care Consortium– South Ridge
• Southwest Washington Child Care Consortium – Image Child Care
• Southwest Washington Child Care Consortium – Fruit Valley
• Debbie’s 24/7 Day Care
• Auntie’s House Child Care
• Caring Corner Preschool and Child Care
• Debra Simmerson
• St John Christian Child Care Center
• P. Nierenberg ELC
• Becca’s Day Care
• Daily Discoveries
• Patience At Hand Child Care
• Points of Light Christian Child Care
• Innovative Services NW
• Country Friends Child Care
• Tads 2 Tots Daycare
• Country Campus Learning Center

Kitsap County

• Wendy Huskey
• Sunny Patch
• Mele’s Bize Bees (Mary Parsons)
• Martha and Mary Early Learning Center -  Silverdale
• Martha and Mary Early Learning Center -  Poulsbo
• First Years Children’s Center
• Chico Christian Child Care

Spokane County

• St. Anne’s Children and Family Center
• Spokane Child Development Center
• Little Precious Ones
• Jolene Bertsch
• Ka Diddle Hoppers
• Little Guys Two
• Paula’s Play House Child Care
• Kim’s Child Care and Early Learning
• Christ Lutheran Child Center
• Valley Learning Center
• Lake City Learning Center
• Green Gable Children’s Center
• Central YMCA
• Rainbow Connections Too

White Center

• Educare
• Rainbow Family Child Care
• Maria Nicolas (Pequenos Pasos)
• Linda’s Wee Ones Day Care
• Learning Way School and Day Care
• KinderCare Burien
• From Roots to Wings Child Care
• Fauntleroy Children’s Center
• Curiosity Corner School
• Community Schools West
• Community Day School Highland Park
• Carita de Angel
• Bringing Up Baby
• Ages in Stages Child Care
• KinderCare 892

East Yakima

• YMCA Jewett Child Development Center
• Rosalinda’s Day Care
• Rainbow Kids
• La Petite Early Learning Center
• Kids Inc.
• Enriqueta Arreguin
• Easter Seals – Jane’s House
• Country Kids Child Development Center on 21st
• Country Kids Child Development Center – Terrace Heights
• Bertha’s Day Care
• Balbina Gomez

WAEYC launches "virtual book club"

Always wanted to be in a book club but haven't found the time? Our partners at the Washington Association for the Education of Young Children (WAEYC) have just launched an online book club. It's a great opportunity for parents and early learning professionals to learn some simple ways to build lifelong skills in young children.

Each month for seven months, participants will explore how to guide children to reach their fullest potential through one of seven life skills: Focus and Self Control; Perspective Taking; Communicating; Making Connections; Critical Thinking; Taking on Challenges; and Self-Directed, Engaged Learning. The book club is based on the book "Mind in the Making" by Ellen Galinsky, president and co-founder of the Families and Work Institute.

Washington STARS Credit and OSPI Clock Hours available for participating in the webinars.

Visit www.waeyc.org/mitm.htm to learn more and sign up!

DEL seeks ECEAP "grads"

This fall, DEL is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the state-funded preschool program, ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program). We are looking for "graduates" of ECEAP to tell their story about how the program affected their education or their life in other ways.

Anyone who is interested in telling their story can contact us at communications@del.wa.gov or (360) 725-4392.

It's official! Washington will apply for Race to the Top

Governor Chris Gregoire has made it official: Washington will apply for the federal Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant competition. If successful, our state could receive up to $60 million to help build an early learning system that prepares children for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Governor Gregoire notified the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services last Friday, July 15, of Washington's intent to apply. She designated the Department of Early Learning (DEL) as the lead agency for Washington's application. DEL has created a webpage to keep the early learning community informed about progress on RTT-ELC.

RTT-ELC is meant to help states raise the quality of early learning programs so that children start school ready to succeed. The draft guidelines issued earlier this month show that successful states will demonstrate use of state early learning guidelines, kindergarten entry assessments, and quality rating and improvement systems. Washington is moving forward with all three:

• We are in the process of reviewing and revising our early learning guidelines (which have been called the Early Learning and Development Benchmarks). 
• We have finished piloting our kindergarten entry assessment program, WaKIDS, and will begin rolling it out more broadly in the 2011-2012 school year.
• We have finished a pilot of our QRIS in partnership with Thrive by Five Washington, and are beginning to take it to scale around the state to help child care providers improve the quality of care they offer to children and families--and help families understand what quality looks like.

In Washington, we are at a critical juncture for creating a statewide early learning system--despite the budget crisis, we've found federal, state and private funding to support early learning. We have a 10-year state Early Learning Plan, and strong partnerships with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Thrive by Five Washington and other public and private entities. This grant would help push us to do even more--and that's a welcome push!

New immunization law goes into effect July 22

Our state has one of the highest school immunization exemption rates  in the nation. A new law that goes into effect on July 22 aims to help ensure families claim exemption for reasons other than convenience--and the law affects child care providers.

Senate Bill 5005, passed by the 2011 Legislature and signed into law by Governor Chris Gregoire, says that if a parent or guardian wants to exempt their child from school or child care immunization requirements, they must first get information about the benefits and risks of vaccinations from a licensed health care provider. The provider must sign a certificate of exemption form, which parents must give the school or child care provider to exempt their child.

The law does not change vaccination requirements for school and child care entry.

Learn more about the benefits of immunizations, and about the new law, by visiting the Department of Health Immunization Program online.