Early Learning Advocacy Update

by | Feb 14, 2020 | Agencies and Committees, Early Learning, Education News, The Advocate, WFIS News

WFIS is a longtime member of ELAA (Early Learning Action Alliance) a broad coalition of organizations representing a diverse array of Washington nonprofits, professional associations, and businesses 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.

Details from ELAA’s email update on week 5 of the legislative session are shared below.

Policy priorities

  • Fair Start for Kids Act: Representative Senn’s Fair Start for Kids Act, SHB 2661, had a great hearing in House Appropriations but did not make it out of the committee before fiscal cutoff. The fiscal note was posted following the hearing and is available here.
  • Community-based pathways: Representative Dent (R – 13th District) amended HB 2556 to include ELAA’s community-based pathways priority. The amended bill was passed unanimously by House Appropriations and then voted off the floor unanimously.
  • Child care access for families experiencing homelessness: Representative Callan’s HB 2456, expanding the Working Connections Child Care grace period for families experiencing homelessness to 12-months, was voted off the floor with 60 votes in favor and 37 votes in opposition. Senator Nguyen’s companion bill SB 6351 was amended in Ways & Means to include 6-months rather than 12-months and then referred to the Rules Committee. We remain united in our support for 12-months of continuous care.
  • Dual language learning: Senator Wellman’s SB 5607, starting the early learning dual language grant program, was passed by Ways & Means and is waiting to be pulled from the Rules Committee to the floor.
Budget advocacy
Each of our priorities are dependent on investments in the supplemental budget. Without a policy vehicle providing a platform for education, some of our priorities need additional attention in budget conversations. Be sure to lift up these priorities that don’t have policy vehicles in your messaging. Additional talking points in support of early learning (updated since they were last sent out!) are attached along with a one-pager that describes the critical role early learning plays in advancing racial equity.
  • Take steps now to address the broken market:
    • Increase Working Connections Child Care rates so providers can keep their doors open and serve more families. The relationship between caregivers and children is cornerstone for development and learning, and yet it is increasingly challenging for early learning providers to make ends meet. Early learning providers must be adequately resourced and compensated.
    • Invest in a complex needs fund for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) to support 3,700 children with high risk factors, significant trauma, and barriers to school readiness.
    • Adjust the co-payment structure for Working Connections Child Care to address the co-pay cliff. For too long, parents scraping by at or near minimum wage have had to turn down promotions for fear of losing child care—because policymakers designed a payment cliff that hardworking people can’t climb up. That hurts families and economic productivity—which hurts us all.
Early learning advocacy day
The Early Learning Action Alliance invites you to make some noise for the little ones at our first Early Learning Advocacy Day! Join us to Think Babies, stroll the capitol, and advocate for early learning resources for children and families in Washington. We invite you learn about advocacy, take a deep dive on issues such as prenatal services, home visiting, ECEAP, and child care, and rally on the steps! Kids are more than welcome at this event! We’ll have activities on hand for all!

Contact April (april@wsaheadstarteceap.com) or Keshia (Keshia.Porcincula@childrensalliance.org) with questions.

12:00-1:30 – Block Fest on Capitol Campus

Fun stations and more in the Washington Room on the Capitol Campus.
1:30 – STROLL Through the Capitol to the Steps
We will take a stroll with music and chanting from the Sundial in between the legislative buildings so that legislators in committee hearings will see us “strolling” and end on the Capitol steps for the rally.
2:00 – Rally on the Steps

Hear from parents, providers, and advocates who want quality early learning access for all Washington families. Hear from Lawmakers about why they are prioritizing child care access.


Action opportunities
  • Attend mid-session town halls for key decision makers and ask questions that communicate the urgent need for investments in early learning.
    • 3rd LD Town Hall (Sen. Billig, Rep. Ormsby): Feb. 22, 10-11:30 a.m. at the Woman’s Club of Spokane ballroom (1428 W 9th Ave., Spokane).
    • 5th LD Town Hall (Rep. Callan): Saturday, February 22nd
      • Maple Valley: 9:30-10:30am, Tahoma High School Performing Arts Center (23499 SE Tahoma Way, Maple Valley, WA 98038)
      • North Bend: 11:30am-12:30pm, North Bend City Hall (920 SE Cedar Falls Way, North Bend, WA 98045)
      • Issaquah: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm, Blakely Hall At Issaquah Highlands (2550 NE Park Dr, Issaquah, WA 98029)
    • 27th LD Town Hall (Sen. Darneille): Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-noon at Eastside Community Center (1721 E 56th St, Tacoma)
    • 36th LD Town Hall (Rep. Tarleton): Feb. 23, 2-4:00 p.m. at the Lagunitas Taproom in the Free-Lard area (1550 NW 49th St., Seattle)
    • 41st LD Town Hall (Rep. Senn): February 22, 10:00am—11:30am at Bellevue College, Room N201 (3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue)
    • 43rd LD Town Hall (Rep. Chopp): Saturday, February 22nd 1:30 – 3pm at Seattle First Baptist Church (1111 Harvard Ave, Seattle, WA 98122)
  • Contact budget decision makers! Now is the time to connect with leaders in the House and Senate and members of both fiscal committees to be sure they know about the urgent need for investments in early learning. Here are some key decision makers to contact:

All members of House Appropriations, but especially:

Ormsby, Timm (D) 03 2 JLOB 315 (360) 786-7946 Timm.Ormsby@leg.wa.gov Waechter, Shannon
Baker, Audrey		 Shannon.Waechter@leg.wa.gov H
Robinson, June (D) 38 1 JLOB 332 (360) 786-7864 June.Robinson@leg.wa.gov O’Farrell, Kim Kim.O’Farrell@leg.wa.gov H
Sullivan, Pat (D) 47 2 LEG 339A (360) 786-7858 Pat.Sullivan@leg.wa.gov Roberts, Lesley Lesley.Roberts@leg.wa.gov H
Chopp, Frank (D) 43 2 LEG 429A (360) 786-7920 Frank.Chopp@leg.wa.gov Lugo, Daniel Daniel.Lugo@leg.wa.gov H
Macri, Nicole (D) 43 1 JLOB 311 (360) 786-7826 Nicole.Macri@leg.wa.gov Lipsou, Penny Penny.Lipsou@leg.wa.gov H
Pettigrew, Eric (D) 37 2 LEG 434B (360) 786-7838 Eric.Pettigrew@leg.wa.gov Odem, Erika Erika.Odem@leg.wa.gov H
Jinkins, Laurie (D) 27 1 LEG 339C (360) 786-7930 Laurie.Jinkins@leg.wa.gov Dasch, Ann Ann.Dasch@leg.wa.gov H

 

All members of Senate Ways and Means are important too, but especially:

Rolfes, Christine (D) 23 JAC 303 (360) 786-7644 Christine.Rolfes@leg.wa.gov Anderson, Haylee
Owens, Linda		 Haylee.Anderson@leg.wa.gov
Linda.Owens@leg.wa.gov		 S
Frockt, David (D) 46 JAC 224 (360) 786-7690 David.Frockt@leg.wa.gov Chindavongsa, Crystal Crystal.Chindavongsa@leg.wa.gov S
Billig, Andy (D) 03 LEG 307 (360) 786-7604 Andy.Billig@leg.wa.gov Connolly, Noelle
Dinnison, Kate		 Noelle.Connolly@leg.wa.gov
Kate.Dinnison@leg.wa.gov		 S
Dhingra, Manka (D) 45 JAC 239 (360) 786-7672 Manka.Dhingra@leg.wa.gov Jackson, Ashley Ashley.Jackson@leg.wa.gov S
Keiser, Karen (D) 33 JAC 219 (360) 786-7664 Karen.Keiser@leg.wa.gov Minich, Jennifer Jennifer.Minich@leg.wa.gov S