DEL
Assistant Director Luba Bezborodnikova provided an update on the negotiated
rulemaking process. The negotiated rule makers have reached consensus on 110
out of 116 sections of regulation and have received and reviewed more than
1,500 public comments as part of the process. ELAC members provided input on
possible partnerships for trainings on the new licensing rules. Training and
communication about the new rules will take place between August 2018 and
August 2019, when the rules will go into effect.
Vickie
Ybarra, director of DCYF’s Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability
(OIAA), discussed the mission of OIAA, which is to develop and present a plan
for DCYF to achieve the best possible results for Washington’s children and
families. To do that, Ybarra’s six-member team is crafting stakeholder
engagement plans to aid in the development of child outcome goals and
measurements. ELAC members emphasized the need to measure behavioral and
mental health and to consider new approaches to early learning and measurements
of child outcomes.
ELAC members
also provided their input on excerpts from the 2018 Child Care and Development
Fund (CCDF) Plan, which will be submitted to the federal government on July 1.
The CCDF is the primary source of federal funding for Washington’s child care
subsidies. DEL is required to draft plans and present them for public comment
every three years.
Assistant
Director Frank Ordway ended the day seeking input from ELAC on future early
learning investments. Governor Jay Inslee requested proposals for increasing
investments in the education of 3- and 4-year-olds in Washington state. DEL is
working to put together a recommendation for Governor Inslee by June and sought
initial input from ELAC. Ordway stressed his hope that ELAC play a large role
in the development of policy recommendations for the governor.
“I am committed to public engagement, and it’s critical that we get
your support,” Ordway said. “We need the support of the advocacy community and
providers across the state.”
ELAC members
offered some initial thoughts on early learning investments, including the need
for better data and close collaboration with other state agencies. Some members
also suggested greater investment in wrap-around services such as mental health
and dental care. The topic will be on the agenda for further discussion at the
next ELAC meeting.
Ordway and State
Representative Tom Dent, an ELAC member, also took a moment to honor Representative Ruth Kagi, who announced she would not seek re-election this
fall after serving 20 years in the state legislature. Kagi has been an advocate
for children since her election to the House of Representatives in 1998 and
served as chair of the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee since
2002. Kagi co-sponsored the 2015 Early Start Act and the 2017 bill that established
the new DCYF.
Representative Dent praised Kagi in remarks he made to ELAC members.
“It was a great experience for me and I’m personally going to miss
her,” he said. “She was so open to my ideas.”
ELAC was
created by the state legislature in 2007 to provide input and recommendations
to DEL to ensure that the department’s strategies are well-informed and broadly
supported. Meetings are held six times a year and are open to the public. The
next meeting will be held June 5. To keep updated on meeting agendas and
locations, visit: https://del.wa.gov/partnerships/elac/meetings.
