DEL and the Dept. of Commerce Partner to Support Early Learning Facility Development

In 2018 the legislature invested in the Early Learning Facilities Fund to help providers “expand, remodel, purchase, or construct early learning facilities and classrooms necessary to support state-funded early learning opportunities for low-income children.” The Departments of Early Learning and Commerce are charged with developing the criteria for funding projects through this fund.

Many of you have been waiting anxiously for news about this program, and we are pleased to be able to share with you initial information about eligibility and funding opportunities. Capital grants will be available to eligible organizations including ECEAP and Working Connections Child Care providers, as well as licensed early learning centers not currently participating in ECEAP, but who intend to do so. Grants will cover facility pre-design, renovations, and major construction or facility purchase.

To learn more, visit http://www.commerce.wa.gov/building-infrastructure/capital-facilities/early-learning-program/. This page will be your go-to resource for funding applications, technical assistance, and program guidelines. You can also sign up there to receive email updates when new information is available.

We look forward to the exciting projects this new resource will help fund!

DEL begins drafting Child Care Development Fund Plan

Beginning January 2018, DEL began coordinating drafting of the state’s Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Plan with the goal of submitting a Plan by July 1, 2018. So what does all that mean for Washington families and child care providers?

CCDF is a federal and state partnership program administered by states, territories, and Tribal Nations. They use CCDF grant funds to provide access to child care for low-income families so they can work or attend job training or educational programs. They also invest CCDF funds to build the skills and qualifications of providers, support child care programs to achieve higher standards, and provide consumer education to help families select child care that meets their needs. Working Connections Child Care is one example of a CCDF-funded program administered by DEL, but the grant also funds other DEL activities, including licensing, Early Achievers, and provider professional development.

Under federal law, Washington is required to submit a CCDF Plan every three years in order to continue receiving the CCDF grant. The Plan serves as the application for CCDF funds and describes the state’s child care program and all services available to eligible families. The Plan is developed in collaboration with numerous partners, stakeholders, and tribal governments to ensure that the state’s CCDF program period addresses the needs of families, providers and communities. Once approved by the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF), it allows the state to continue receiving the CCDF grant.

Washington’s current CCDF Plan is set to expire in 2018, so a new plan must be submitted to ACF by July 1, 2018 and to be completely finalized by October 1. On December 8, 2017, ACF released a draft preprinted (Preprint) form to collect all of the required Plan information (see here). With the release of the Preprint, the path is now clear for DEL to begin coordinating plan drafting. Here is how the drafting process will work and how you can participate:

• Starting in January 2018, DEL will convene an Executive Steering Committee (ESC) composed of representatives of early learning focused organizations, community partners, and government agencies.
• The ESC will review initial Plan drafts, feedback from partners, stakeholders, and tribal governments, and from the general public, and approve a plan for submission by July 1.
• In between, DEL will provide the Plan Preprint and Plan drafts to the Early Learning Advisory Committee (ELAC) and Indian Policy Early Learning (IPEL) group for their feedback, starting in February and concluding in April.
• In May and June, DEL will convene one or more public meetings to receive further community Plan input.
• Then in June, DEL will convene a public hearing, as required by federal law, to receive formal community input on the draft Plan. DEL will then submit the plan to ACF on July 1.

If it all sounds a bit confusing, take heart. DEL maintains a page on its site here where you will find important updates on the status of the Plan as it develops, as well as information on opportunities to give your feedback, and general information on CCDF. Stay tuned!

Letter from the Director: DEL's Budget Request

It’s that time of year again, when DEL submits its budget requests to the Governor’s office for consideration in the next legislative session. This year, however, will be a little unique. Because we’re in a transition phase from being the Department of Early Learning into being part of the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families, our budgeting process is happening in two stages this time around.

Linked here you’ll find the small ask that DEL submitted for two limited technical adjustments:

• Provide full funding for tiered quality reimbursements to child care providers by adjusting the department’s budget to match forecasted reimbursement levels;
• Streamline child care services for families experiencing homelessness and ensure compliance with federal law by transferring the budget for the Homeless Child Care Program from DEL to the Department of Social and Health Services (Economic Services Administration).

As I noted in my letter attached to the budget request, these packages constitute a $3.6 million dollar investment that will keep kids healthy and safe by reimbursing child care providers for high-quality child care environments and keep the state in compliance with federal law.

If you’re thinking “that can’t be everything,” I want to remind everyone that this is a supplemental budget year, meaning that the legislature is charged essentially with only taking up budget changes to fix problems. We are limited and focused in what we can request in supplemental years, and you’ll see that reflected in this year’s package. Additionally, the bulk of what would be considered a DEL ask will come out as the budget request of the new DCYF. Look for a post on that complete budget package on the DCYF website later this week.

Thank you to all of our stakeholders and partners who have provided meaningful feedback and advice during our budget development process.

Heather Moss

Director

Department of Early Learning

DEL Proposes New Rules: Safe Sleep, Environment and More!

DEL Rules Update | February 2017

DEL Files Proposed Rules In January 2017, DEL circulated working drafts of safe sleep and environmental hazard rules to licensed child care providers who would be affected by the rules.  We received valuable feedback and made revisions to the draft rules.  Thank you to all who commented on the drafts! Proposed rules have been filed with the Code Reviser and DEL is accepting comment on the proposals through March 23, 2017.  The proposed rule subjects are: Safe Sleep: Updating rule to current health and safety standards that child care centers and family home child care providers must follow to protect sleeping infants and toddlers who are in their care.  Read the proposal.  Lead and Other Environmental Hazards: To comply with Governor Inslee's directive to reduce children's exposure to lead and other environmental hazards, DEL proposes environmental safety requirements for child care centers and family home child care providers, including testing drinking water to detect hazardous levels of lead and copper, evaluating facilities for paint and soil hazards, and ensuring outdoor gardens are safe for children who play in them.  Read the proposal and small business economic impact statement. Child Care Subsidy Wait List:  Forecasts for Washington State's Working Connections and Seasonal Child Care subsidy programs indicate that consumer needs will likely exceed available funding in the next two years.  Wait lists will be created if that happens and the proposed rules clarify how DEL will administer the lists, including prioritization, when benefits start for a consumer who is taken off the list, withdrawal from and reinstatement to the list, and provider payment terms.  Read the proposal. A 10:00 AM hearing is scheduled on March 23, 2017 to receive public comment on the proposals.  Hearing location: Cascade Conference Room 130 1110 Jefferson Street [DEL State Office], Olympia, Washington March 23 is the last day that comments will be accepted.  Attend the hearing or submit comments in writing by one of the following methods: Online: DEL Rules Comment webpage. Click “Add Comment” to give your input, or “View Comments” to read what others have said. Email the DEL Rules Coordinator Mail comments to Rules Coordinator, DEL, P O Box 40970, Olympia, WA  98504-0970. Only input received at the hearing or written comments received on or before March 23 as noted above will become part of the official record.  DEL will respond to all comments submitted and provide a combined response to all who comment on a particular proposal.  The combined responses will also be posted on the DEL website and provided to anyone upon request.

New rules for Working Connections Child Care in effect

The Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) subsidy program rules changed on Oct. 1, 2011. DEL wants to make sure you know about the changes.

 

WCCC basics
WCCC helps eligible families with low incomes pay for child care while they work or meet WorkFirst participation requirements.

 

What changed? The most recent rule changes:

• Made permanent emergency rules about entry caps, waiting lists, income limits and copayments to ensure the WCCC budget meets limits established by legislation and the Governor.
• Addressed compliance with federal and state audit requirements.
• Clarified several rules to streamline applying for and receiving benefits, and qualifying to be paid as an in-home or relative provider.

Some notable changes include:

• Every applicant must go through the WCCC application process, regardless of their participation in other DSHS assistance programs.
• The benefits start date is now the same for TANF and non-TANF recipients. All applicants must complete the application and verification process within 30 days. Applicants who do not meet the deadline must re-apply if they want to receive benefits.
• Rules around verifying income and employment now allow providing a previous year’s income tax return and allow untaxed, in-kind income and taxable corporate compensation to be counted as income.
• DSHS must verify the citizenship or legal residency of all children who participate in the program.
• Benefits are provided only for hours when parents work outside of the home.
• Self-employed applicants or recipients must provide additional verification such as a business license or registration and a self-employment plan.
• An in-home or relative provider who cares for children receiving WCCC benefits may not receive WCCC benefits for his or her own children during those same hours.

 More information is available on DEL’s website at www.del.wa.gov/care/help/connections.aspx.