Upcoming Meetings for all Licensed Providers
To read an update about all Public Policy Meetings from the January WSFCCA meeting, go here.
The following meetings will be attended by our Public Policy person for WSFCCA, Sue Winn. All meetings listed are open to the public. Licensed Providers are welcome and encouraged to attend and share your input. If you have any questions about any upcoming meeting information listed below, please call Sue Winn at 1-360-466-3077 or email her at swinn@fidalgo.net
Early Learning Advisory Council
ELAC was created by the Legislature in 2007. ELAC representatitives from around the state meet regularly to provide input and recommendations to the Department of Early Learning so our strategies and actions are well-informed and broadly supported by parents, child care providers, health / safety experts and interested members of the public.
Update for Feb / March: The Early Learning Action Alliance continues to push politically. If you get on their list serve you will get continual updates of what is happening in Olympia. As you all know the budget cuts greatly affect Early Learning. Be sure to let the Governor and your legislators know that you do not want this to happen. Remember all it takes is 12 phone calls or emails to make a difference. The message can be as simple as "Please support Early Learning issues"
ELAC Members
Amber Havens - Educational Training Partners
Lorena Lowell - Child Care Center Director, ELAC Co-Chair
Jada Rupley - Associate Superintendenent, ELAC Co-Chair
James Skucy - Executive Director, Benton Franklin Head Start
Nina Auerbach - Chief Executive Officer, Thrive by Five Washington
Leslie Goldstein - Executive Policy Advisor, Governor's Executive Policy Office
Paula Smith - Head of School, University Child Development School
Representative Roger Goodman - Washington State House of Representatives
Robin Higa - Parent
Maria Vera - Early Learning Consultant
Sue Winn - Licensed Family Child Care Provider
Mary Seaton - Director of Early Learning, OSPI
Ann Daley - Executive Director, Higher Education Coordinating Board
Susan Dreyfus - Secretary, Department of Social and Health Services
Charles Earl - Director, State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
Senator Curtis King - Washington State Senate
Todd McNerney - DEL Parent Advisory Group
Peter Berliner - PRI Makers Network Managing Director, Philanthropy NW - Thrive By Five Washington
Dr. Maxine Hayes - State Health Officer, Department of Health
Dr. Ilene Schwartz - Children with Disabilities - University of Washington
Representative Larry Haler - Washignton House of Representatives
Senator Claudia Kauffman - Washington State Senate
Marie Zackuse - Chariwoman, Tulalip Tribes of Washington
Department of Early Learning (DEL) STAFF
Dr. Bette Hyde- Director
Sonali Patel Senior Policy Advisor; Presenting
Sangree Froelicher-Acting Assistant Director, Family Partnerships Division; Presenting
Joshua Verville, Southwest Service Area Manager, Presenting
Kelli Bohanon- Program Administrator, Head Start; DEL Staff to the Council
To read the minutes from the last ELAC meeting, please go here
The Professional Development Consortium (PDC)
Convened by the Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC), was created in response to the Early Learning Partnership Resolution between the Department of Early Learning, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and Thrive by Five Washington. House Bill 1943 directs the Department of Early Learning (DEL) and the PDC to report the Governor and appropriate committees of the Legislature with recommendations for the creation of an integrated system of preparation and continuing education for early learning and the school-age program workforce.
Sangree Froelicher will be facilitating the PDC for the next 6-8 months. She will be assisting with agenda planning and also lead all of the pieces that DEL is responsible for including writing the Brief Status Updates to the Governor and Legislature.
Three more workgroups were added at this meeting and they are:
Mapping Resources and Gap Analysis will be lead by Susan Yang Affolter. Work group members are Hannah Lidman, Brenda Boyd, Katy Warren, Vanessa Maanao, Donna Horne, Jim West and Michelle Andreas. Sydney suggests looking at the defined core knowledge areas and think about mapping in terms of these areas, perhaps by region.
Communications and Connections will be led by Joel Ryan. Work group members are Mari Offenbecher, Sue Winn, Kelli Bohanon, Claire West, Agda Burchard, Elizabeth Bonbright Thompson and Molly Boyajian.
Standards and Competencies will continue being led by Sally Holloway. Work group members are Tenlee Bell, Susan Yang Affolter, Brenda Boyd, Karri Livingston, Joel Ryan, Linda Tyler-Murray, Sheryl Garrison, Donne Horne, Sue Winn, Erica Watson, Jim West, Char Rupp and Jackie Jainga-Hyllseth
Early Learning Action Alliance
The Early Learning Action Alliance is convened by the Children’s Alliance.
The Early Learning Action Alliance is a coalition of more than 40 organizations representing a diverse array of Washington nonprofits, professional associations, businesses and industries. We are united by the belief that all children in Washington state deserve to have the opportunities and support they need in their first five years of life to be prepared for school and a bright future.
September 16th 2009 was the annual ELAA retreat and legislative planning session. Key legislators were invited to lunch for early learning conversations and discussions.
The Collaborative has disbanded since visions and advocacy efforts are over lapping. One current Collaborative activity will continue under ELAA which is now called:
Early Learning and Afterschool Quarterly Meetings with State Agencies. WAEYC will convene these meetings which state agencies will discuss policy and budget information. Meetings will be 1:00-3:00pm in Olympia.
Janet from Schools Out facilitated:
Sonali Patel provided an financial forecast which there is a billion dollar deficit.
Bette Hyde DEL Director provided brief updates on some of the work of DEL
Bob Hamilton DEL Deputy Director is leading the Kindergarten Assessment process. DEL is currently meeting with schools and tribes to get a sense of what they’re currently doing and what they’re concerned about. Who struggles the most with assessments?
Can’t measure how children get along with others can only get this information from the provider or preschool teacher. Bob did acknowledge that there weren’t enough providers included at the table.
Sonali Patel did mention 3 work sessions coming up next week:
1.Wed-QRIS
2. Thur_ K-12 response to Governors letter
3. Fri-Background check
The purpose of this caucus is to raise policy and budget issues to bring to the large Early Learning Action Alliance coalition to be vetted thorough ELAA’s policy agenda setting process. The caucus will meet as needed throughout the year. WAEYC will convene and communicate with the provider caucus.
Last meeting 8/4/09 reviewed preliminary results from the child care subsidy survey. To view results got to http://www.waeyc.org/documents/ProviderCaucus/SubsidySurvey.pdf.
Provider Caucus (new effort)
Washington State Family Child Care Association
Update for Feb / March: The Professional Development Consortium continues to work on the plan for professional development in Washington. We are now looking at core skills needed to work with children. It will help frame the types of trainings available to providers. I am continuing to push for community based training
as well as college credit. You can get info on this group at the DEL wesite. Again--your input is needed.
