Photo Credit: Erica Hallock

Trivia!

With George Washington’s Birthday upcoming on Feb. 22, I looked into why our state is named after our country’s first President and learned we were almost named something else. What was the other potential name?

Highlights of the Week

Burning the Midnight Oil. Both the Senate and the House put in long hours of Floor action to meet Tuesday’s deadline for bills to pass out of their house of origin. The House went into the early morning hours of Saturday and Sunday and then pulled an all-nighter Monday into Tuesday before adjourning for a few hours of rest after 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.

As you can imagine, when legislators and staff are under tremendous pressure to get through a lengthy list of bills, all on little sleep, tempers can flare. Before the Senate adjourned Saturday, Feb. 12, President Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday, Senate Majority Floor Leader Jamie Pedersen closed Floor action with this appropriate Abraham Lincoln quote, “I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.”

Revenue Forecast. On Feb. 16, the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council received an updated revenue report from the State’s Economist, Dr. Steve Lerch. Washington’s economy continues to be strong with revenues once again exceeding projections. From Nov. 11, 2021 to Feb. 10, 2022, for example, the state’s revenues were $452 million (or 5.9%) above the November forecast. The major takeaway from the presentation is that the state currently has an approximate $15 billion surplus as a result of new revenue, reserves and one-time federal funding.

On the upside, Washington continues to add new jobs, new COVID-19 cases are declining and retail sales and real estate remain robust, driving the increased revenue. On the downside, high inflation is problematic, worker absence due to illness increased during the Omicron outbreak and supply chain challenges persist.

Notably, this growth is expected to slow after this year and both Senate Ways and Means Chair Christine Rolfes and House Appropriations Chair Timm Ormsby noted this projected slowdown in their remarks, stressing the importance of caution in their budgeting. They both recognized the current surplus is larger than expected and will necessitate adjustments in their budgets. They also cautioned that because they budget over four years, and uncertainty exists in these out-years, particularly due to inflation, they have to use care in making long-term investments. Representative Ormsby also highlighted the need to stabilize the workforce among the state’s service vendors and identified increasing reimbursement rates as a strategy to achieve that goal.

These revenue numbers will be used to inform the Senate and House Operating budgets which will be released, likely early next week.

Caseload Forecast. The Caseload Forecast Council met Friday following the release of Start Early Washington’s last update. In addition to the revenue forecast, the caseload forecast is important information used to finalize the budgets. This forecast looks at expected demand for services such as Medicaid, corrections and K-12. Drops in caseload create savings, and increases create demand for additional investment.

The caseload forecast included updated projections for ECEAP and Working Connections Child Care:

• ECEAP. For State Fiscal Year 2022 (ending June 30, 2022), the Forecast Council projects a caseload of 11,465, which is down 382 children, or 3.2%. For state Fiscal Year 2023 (ending June 30, 2023), they expect caseload will remain as projected at 14,890.
• Working Connections. For State Fiscal Year 2022, the council projects a caseload of 20,750, down 852 families, or 3.9%. For State Fiscal Year 2023, they project a caseload of 26,104, down 783 families, or 2.9%.

For both programs, COVID-19 creates the greatest uncertainty to the forecast. Questions impacting the caseload include whether a COVID-19 vaccine will be available for young children and how future outbreaks will be contained. Additionally, for ECEAP, the current caseload is below 2019-2020 levels and for Working Connections, COVID-19 has led to reduced entries and increased exits of children from the program.

Legislative Updates

As the legislative session continues to advance, the number of bills still “alive” continues to decline after each cutoff. For example, Representative Klippert’s SHB 2082 relating to a statewide assessment of child care access for families of children with developmental delays or disabilities is considered “dead” because it was not passed out of the House by the Feb. 15 cutoff.

After days (and nights!) of lengthy floor sessions, attention returned to committee activity bright and early on Feb. 16, with the next cutoff for bills to be passed out of the opposite house policy committee quickly approaching Feb. 24. With the fiscal committee cutoff for bills in the opposite chamber following on Feb. 28, expect marathon policy and fiscal committees over the next 10 days to meet the deadlines.

Also, check out Start Early Washington’s bill tracker at the top of our Start Early Washington State Resources page for the latest information.

What’s Up Next?

Back to Budgets. With the caseload and revenue forecast releases, the House and Senate are expected to release their respective operating budgets by early next week. The Senate Ways and Means Committee has a Monday, 4 p.m. public hearing scheduled to receive feedback on their budget. The House Appropriations Committee has a Monday, 3:30 p.m. public hearing on the books. The actual release of both budgets is unknown as of this writing. Stay tuned for a summary after the release of the budgets, capturing all the major highlights.

While the Operating budget often receives much of the attention, the Legislature frequently passes three budgets – Operating, Capital and Transportation. The Senate released its proposed Capital budget this week. We will include more detail in the addendum to be released after the Operating budgets come out, but we can flag that the Senate Capital budget contains funding for early learning facilities. Specifically, it includes $31.5 million from a mix of one-time federal funding and state bonds for early learning facility grants ($25.3 million for competitive grants and $6.2 million for designated projects) as well as $18.5 million in one-time federal funding for minor renovation grants. Notably, this was a bipartisan Capital budget, with the two Democratic and two Republican leads listed as sponsors. As of this writing, the House Capital budget has not been released.

And, as noted in our last update, the proposed Transportation budget was released last week. The revenue bill, which outlines the funding sources for the transportation proposal, was the final bill debated in the Senate before the 5 p.m. house of origin cutoff. As one would expect, a hearty debate ensued, including a request for a ruling from the Senate President about the bill’s title. In the end, the revenue bill passed 29-20.

Photo Credit: Erica Hallock (Feb. 8, 2022)

Trivia!

Senator John Lovick (D-44th District, Mill Creek), the first Black man to serve in the State Senate since former Senator George Flemming in 1991, passed his first Senate bill Feb. 2. What was the bill’s subject?

Highlights of the Week

Fiscal Cutoff. Monday was the deadline for bills to pass out of their respective fiscal committee. Both the Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations Committee finished up just before 9 p.m. that day. The Senate Ways and Means Committee had the longer agenda with 73 bills scheduled for executive session, and the House Appropriations Committee had just 30 bills in executive session and 5 bills on their public hearing schedule.

Part of the reason the House Appropriations Committee took about the same time for a much shorter agenda was the time spent debating two bills – one to extend collective bargaining to legislative staff and another related to creating “middle housing” near transit and in areas typically dedicated to single-family housing. These lengthy debates provided a bit of a preview of bills that will take a lot of time when they get to the Floor.

“Semi In-Person” Floor Action. After the fiscal cutoff on Monday, action quickly pivoted to Floor activity with the deadline for bills to pass out of their house of origin of Feb. 15. This phase in the process coincided with the decision to allow more legislators to return to in-person Floor activity. The Senate now allows up to 30 members on the Floor, after a negative COVID-19 test, and the House increased the number of their members in-person to 20, requiring that all in-person legislators be vaccinated, boosted and masked.

Right as the Senate was beginning an intense period of Floor activity, Lt. Governor (and Senate President) Denny Heck announced a breakthrough COVID-19 case. Fortunately, Lt. Governor Heck is asymptomatic, and Senator Lovick, having served as Speaker Pro Tem during his time in the House of Representatives, smoothly transitioned and presided over much of the Senate Floor activity.

Transportation Budget Released. On Tuesday, Senate and House Democrats released a $16.8 billion transportation package titled “Move Ahead Washington.” You may ask, why I am including an update about a Transportation Budget in a newsletter focused on early learning? There are a few reasons. First, everything in Olympia is interrelated and actions in one area influence others. But the main reason I am including this here is because this Transportation Budget assumes a transfer of $2 billion from the Operating Budget, an unusual move.

A couple of other takeaways – the proposed Transportation Budget does not include a gas tax increase, contains a number of initiatives focused on active transportation (e.g., Safe Routes to Schools) and transit (e.g., free public transit for all youth). Of course, the proposal includes a number of infrastructure investments throughout the state – a chicken in every pot approach.

Legislative Updates

What’s Still Moving? Be sure to check out Start Early Washington’s Bill Tracker on our State Policy Resources page for the latest information on bills. After the fiscal cutoff earlier this week, many early learning related bills are “dead”. A few bills still moving include:

2SSB 5793 – Compensation for Lived Experience. The Senate Ways and Means Committee approved 2SSB 5793 Monday which seeks to provide authority and structure for compensating people with lived experience, who are not otherwise compensated for their participation, to participate in state workgroups, advisory groups, etc. up to $200 a day. The committee approved a substitute bill by making the following additions/clarifications:

• Directs the Director of the Office of Financial Management to decide “reasonable allowances” for child and adult care reimbursement for individuals attending meetings or doing work approved by the chair;
• Requires state agencies to minimize the impacts of stipends and reimbursement on public assistance benefits to the greatest extent possible;
• Extends the provisions to advisory groups to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; and
• Authorizes for lodging and travel reimbursement when an individual is attending a meeting or official duties approved by the chair if the agency decides participation is desirable to implement principles of equity.

The bill passed off the Senate Floor on a 31-18 vote Feb. 10.

 SHB 2082 – Child Care Access. SHB 2082 directs the Department of Children, Youth and Families to conduct a statewide assessment of child care access for families of children with developmental delays or disabilities, to better understand the availability, affordability and accessibility of care that meets the needs of families. This assessment should then inform recommendations that are due by June 30, 2023. It is now on the House floor awaiting consideration.

SSB 5838 – Diaper Subsidy. SSB 5838 would provide a diaper subsidy for families participating in TANF. The House companion, SHB 1947, did not advance past cutoff, so the Senate bill will be the vehicle. The bill passed the Senate Floor on a 48-1 vote Feb. 10.

2SHB 1890 – Children and Youth Behavioral Health Workgroup. 2SHB 1890 would create a strategic plan advisory group under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Workgroup. It would also allow for stipends of up to $200 per day for workgroup members with lived experience. The bill passed out of the House on a 87-7 vote Feb. 10 and is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care Feb. 15 at 8 a.m.

What’s Up Next?

Timing for Remainder of Session. Short sessions always move quickly, and the next 27 days will move particularly fast. Following is an outline of key dates ahead:

Feb. 15 – deadline for bills to pass out of their house of origin (e.g., House bills pass out of the House and Senate bills pass out of the Senate)

Feb. 16 – State Revenue Forecast (this information will inform budgets)

Feb. 24 – deadline for bills to pass out of policy committees of the opposite house

Feb. 28 – deadline for bills to pass out of fiscal committees of the opposite house

March 4 – deadline for bills to pass out of the opposite house

March 10 – Sine Die (Adjournment)

March 11 – Breathe!

Early Learning Facilities Funding Opportunity. On Feb. 28 from 12:30 – 2 p.m., the Department of Commerce will host a webinar providing information about a new round of Early Learning Facilities Funding designed to support minor renovations and small capital purchases. Please note programs do not need to add capacity to qualify for this round of funding. REGISTER NOW.

The Illinois Policy Team at Start Early is pleased to release our annual Illinois Legislative Agenda, a snapshot of the budget requests and legislative priorities for which Start Early will be advocating during the spring 2022 legislative session in the state.

With the new legislative session underway, our team is focused on moving forward funding requests and legislation that will support families and providers across our early childhood system.

Our goals for the year include:

• Securing additional funding for the Early Childhood Block Grant at the Illinois State Board of Education and voluntary home visiting programs, the Early Intervention (EI) program, and the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) at the Illinois Department of Human Services
• Codifying existing timeline for the initiation of EI services
• Expanding eligibility to CCAP and EI for kids involved in the child welfare system
• Passing legislation to create paid family leave program, among other priorities

Each year, we celebrate Black History Month to recognize the contributions and influence of African Americans to the history, culture and achievements of the United States.

Our Start Early staff members: Erice Evans, senior financial analyst; Stuart Lassiter, early childhood practice consultant; Kristie Norwood, education manager for the Early Head Start and Head Start Network of Illinois shared how their heritage has shaped their identity and impacted their work, how they maintain their culture and why it’s important to recognize Black History Month.

How do you feel that your African American heritage has influenced your identity and what do you appreciate most about being Black?

Kristie Norwood: What I appreciate most about being Black is being Black. It is a heritage and legacy of strength and strong traditions of faith and family. I love that feeling of coming into a room and even if there’s only one other Black person there is an immediate connection of knowing each other.

Erice Evans: We come from a very rich background and history that I appreciate as I’m older now that I didn’t really know to appreciate growing up. I love the melanin and the different colors, characteristics, traits and everything that makes us a beautiful people from the outside to the inside. My [African American] heritage has made me who I am today.

Stuart Lassiter: Being Black is my identity and it’s how I’m recognized by others and also how I recognize myself. My family has always stressed what it means to be a Black male. The idea that I heard from my great grandfather, grandfather and uncles of being the best you can be because you have to work from a place of excellence to be seen as being good.

One thing I truly appreciate is our strength, perseverance and striving to always overcome. It’s amazing that we’ve come so far and still have so far to go.

Erice Evans: I love that you mention strength because it is part of our heritage. We were taught the skills to overcome anything. If you get knocked down get back up and keep fighting. We don’t stay down.

Photo credit: Erica Hallock

Trivia!

Who was the first Black woman elected to the Washington State Legislature?

Highlights of the Week

Paid Family and Medical Leave. In a Jan. 18 work session to the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Employment Security Department staff provided an overview of cash-flow challenges facing the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program.

Funded by a combination of employer and employee contributions, the program began January 2020, providing 12 weeks paid time off to bond with a new child or address a serious medical condition of a worker or worker’s family member. To date, more than 37% of applications have been for bonding with a new child; just over 50% for addressing an individual’s medical condition; and 12% for caring for a family member with a serious medical condition.

The program launched right before COVID-19 hit and applications have far exceeded projections, creating a fund deficit beginning as early as March or April 2022. At this time, it is unclear the extent to which the pandemic spiked demand and how projections may need to be adjusted going forward.

For now, budget writers are being briefed on the issue to ensure they allocate sufficient funding to keep the Fund solvent and allow for the continuation of paid leave. Current estimates range from a budget shortfall of $110 million to $405 million.

Fair Start for Kids Act Work Session. On Feb. 2, the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee held a work session that led with an overview of the implementation of the Fair Start for Kids Act to date.

DCYF Assistant Secretary Nicole Rose delivered the agency’s presentation, which included data points updated from a similar work session held in the House Children, Youth and Families Committee last month. Updated information included:

• Child Care Stabilization Grants. As of Jan. 31, DCYF approved 4,872 stabilization grants, representing nearly $288.5 million to stabilize the child care sector.
• ECEAP Expansion. Funding is available for 750 expansion slots in the 2022-23 school year. DCYF received applications totaling 1,358 slots, with the requests breaking down as follows: 214 part-day, 948 school-day and 196 working-day.
• Working Connections Child Care Expansions. After income eligibility rose to 60% of State Median Income Oct. 1 and co-payment amounts dropped, DCYF estimates 2300 new families will be eligible. Roughly 300 families have enrolled to date.
• Home Visiting Expansion. DCYF received $2.6 million in requests from 14 programs for $1.3 million in available funding.
• Early Learning Facilities Fund. More than 140 applications were received totaling $73 million, far exceeding the $22 million included in the Capital Budget.

Assistant Secretary Rose emphasized the workforce challenges facing all sectors of early learning. Staffing limitations in early learning are exacerbated by chronically low compensation and the spread of the Omicron variant which is particularly impacting child care and ECEAP classrooms.

With regard to ECEAP, Assistant Secretary Rose noted the higher demand for school and work-day slots compared to part-day slots. She noted that programs requested to return/convert about 300 part-day slots due to low demand. Senator Claire Wilson reiterated that part-day slots meet very few families’ needs, and this reality should be considered in expansion planning.

WSIPP Study on ECEAP. The Washington State Institute of Public Policy (WSIPP) released a January 2022 evaluation of ECEAP and its impact on kindergarten readiness for part- and school-day enrollees. This evaluation resulted from 2019 legislation which required WSIPP to look at ECEAP dosage models (e.g., the comparative impacts of part-day and school-day programs).

Start Early Washington’s Jess Galvez wrote the following summary of the evaluation. Thanks, Jess!

The evaluation examines the relationship between school-day and part-day ECAEP model enrollment and child outcomes. Overall, children exposed to more hours of high-quality early learning programs are more likely to be kindergarten-ready than children attending part-day classes. Specifically, WSIPP notes, … “children in school-day [models] are 15% more likely (on average) to achieve proficiency in all six WaKIDS domains, relative to children attending part-day [models].”

Further, the report’s main analysis indicates a positive relationship between school-day enrollment and kindergarten readiness for non-Hispanic children. However, additional subgroup analyses suggest a significant relationship between school-day enrollment and kindergarten readiness for non-Hispanic BIPOC and white children.

Legislative Updates

The short, 60-day legislative sessions are truly a sprint with one cut-off (deadline) quickly followed by another. Thursday, we saw policy committee cut-off, the deadline for bills to pass out of policy committees. This then pivots to focus on fiscal committees with fiscal committee cut-off scheduled for Monday, Feb. 7. We will see marathon meetings of the Senate Ways and Means and Appropriations Committees prior to that Monday deadline. This includes an anticipated full day of Saturday meetings.

Following the fiscal committee cut-off, attention will shift to Floor activity in both chambers, with the deadline for bills to pass out of their house of origin by Feb. 15. Legislative leaders are watching the COVID-19 caseload numbers closely, and we may see more legislators in-person for Floor activity during this period.

New Length for the Legislative Session? At times, bills are introduced that make me think lawmakers want to ensure we are paying attention. On Jan. 31, Reps. Volz and Walsh introduced HB 2109 which would change the timing of legislative sessions in odd-numbered years from 105 days to ONE (1) day. I assume this bill is intended to make a statement.

Updated Bill Tracker. Don’t forget, Start Early Washington’s bill tracker is available on our website. Because bills are never really “dead” until Sine Die, we created a separate section of the chart for bills that did not advance by the deadlines – in case they get a second life in the process.

Earlier today, Governor J.B. Pritzker introduced his administration’s proposed Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 2023) budget framework, which includes a welcome increase of 10% in state funding for preschool, evidence-based home visiting services and center-based infant-toddler programs funded by the Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG) at the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

Unfortunately, the budget proposal maintains current funding levels for other key early childhood programs, like Early Intervention (EI), the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and IDHS-funded home visiting programs. A more holistic approach to funding early childhood is needed to ensure the state can address the many disparities currently experienced by expecting families and those with young children based on factors like race, income and geography.

“To have the early childhood system our youngest learners deserve, Illinois must approve meaningful increases in state funding every year for the core programs and services families with infants, toddlers and preschoolers need,” Ireta Gasner, Start Early vice president of Illinois policy, said. “We thank Governor Pritzker for his thoughtful education budget, and look forward to working with the Illinois General Assembly to increase funding for the remaining key early childhood programs by 10%, particularly those operated by the Department of Human Services.”

Start Early believes we must build an early care and education system that provides young children and their families with high-quality educational and child development services and supports, beginning prenatally. Only with annual funding increases will we have a system that is resourced to improve the earliest days of a new baby’s life, to ensure young children with disabilities and developmental delays receive the supports they need to thrive, and to provide quality care to families facing considerable challenges.

Despite the notable appropriations approved annually by the General Assembly, early childhood services in Illinois remain woefully underfunded and programs face a critical workforce shortage, fueled heavily by low wages. The final report published by the Pritzker administration’s Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding states the problem plainly: billions of additional dollars in state and federal funds will be needed over time. The state must make a meaningful down-payment in FY 2023 to build toward a system that serves all children and their families effectively – from birth through kindergarten entry.

Today’s budget proposal comes on the heels of many praiseworthy actions taken by the Pritzker administration over the past two years to support early childhood programs during the global pandemic. Without initiatives like the Child Care Restorations Grants, the Child Care Workforce Bonus and the new Strengthen and Grow Child Care Grants, the state’s early childhood system may have crumbled. That said, these short-term programs funded with federal relief dollars do not translate to the kinds of permanent, systemic improvements the state so desperately needs.

Start Early is eager to partner with the legislature and the administration to build the early care and education system that works for every child in Illinois.

Another photo from the author on a foggy morning walk

Trivia!

Which state agency is currently housed at the “Old Capitol Building” in Olympia?

Highlights of the Week

Takeaways from Legislative Leadership Remarks. Each week, Democratic and Republican legislative leadership holds media “availabilities” (think press conference) where legislative leadership provides updates on the activities of the week and answers questions from the press. In this week’s media availability, as well as a presentation to the Spokane Chamber of Commerce (Greater Spokane Incorporated), Democratic leadership stressed that the state’s current revenue surplus of over $10 billion represents a lot of one-time revenue and cautioned that investing too much of this one-time funding into ongoing commitments would create budget pressure in the out-years when that one-time funding is no longer available. Democratic leaders also highlighted their priority to further economic recovery for all state residents.

In their media availability, Republican leadership also highlighted similar challenges – and this is where the philosophical differences come into play. Republican leaders are calling for tax relief while Democratic leaders are calling for investments in areas such as housing, small businesses and supports for students in the K-12 system (think more school nurses, counselors, etc.).

During the Greater Spokane Incorporated event, Speaker Jinkins shared that if the COVID-19 numbers continue to decline, she hopes and expects legislators to be back on campus for in-person Floor action (assuming under the protocols adopted prior to the Omicron spike which would call for rolling cohorts of legislators on the House Floor). It is good to remember Speaker Jinkins works in public health, so public health recommendations will guide any decision to resume work in-person. I did not hear Senate leadership address the question as it relates to their plans, but assume the two bodies are coordinating and consulting with each other.

Long-Term Care Implementation Delay. With action Tuesday in the Senate Ways and Means Committee and Wednesday evening on the Senate Floor, the Senate was on a fast track to pass a bill that will delay implementation of the state’s new Long-Term Care program (WA Cares) for 18 months. Governor Inslee signed the bill on Thursday.

Bill Updates

It was a busy week in Policy Committees with a mix of Public Hearings and Executive Sessions (votes). Start Early Washington’s bill tracker is published every Thursday during the legislative session on the top of our Start Early Washington State Resources page. Please note that we expect frequent changes to the schedule over the next 10 or so days, so it is a good idea to refer to the Legislature’s official bill information page for the most up-to-date information.

Representative Jesse Johnson and his son Elijah at the HB 1947 bill hearing

HB 1947 (Diaper assistance for families participating in TANF). W.C Fields famously said “Never work with animals or children” because they are scene-stealing and unpredictable. This adage played out Friday in the hearing on HB 1947 in the House Committee on Housing, Human Services and Veterans when the bill’s prime sponsors, Representatives Noel Frame and Jesse Johnson, brought their adorable, scene-stealing children to help make the case about the need to support families with the expense of diapers. That bill is scheduled for an Executive Session Jan. 28.

A companion bill in the Senate (SB 5838) was also heard in the Senate Committee on Human Services, Reentry and Rehabilitation Committee Jan. 21, and voted out of that committee Jan. 27. A representative from the Nurse-Family Partnership program testified from the perspective of a home visitor about the pressure the expense of diapers places on families with young children.

HB 1843 (Child Care Licensing). On Jan. 26, the House Children, Youth and Families Committee heard Representative Eslick’s HB 1843 which would change child care licensing ratios to increase the maximum group size for both preschool and school-age children by one child. This would move the maximum group size for preschoolers from 20 to 21 (with a ratio no less than 1:11) and the size for school-age children from 30 to 31 (with a ratio no less than 1:16).

Both the Department of Children, Youth and Families and Schools Out Washington testified in opposition to the proposal as currently written. Concerns expressed included the potential for negative safety impacts on children, additional workload for staff and moving the ratios from rule – which provides DCYF with flexibility to grant exemptions – to statute, which would remove flexibility to respond to individual circumstances.

HB 1843 has not been scheduled for a vote as of this writing.

SHB 1872 (Care Worker Center). On Jan. 26, the House Committee on College & Workforce Development approved Substitute House Bill 1872. The bill would establish a care worker center to elevate care sectors (including people who work with children, the elderly, people with disabilities) in the workforce to increase retention and recruitment and promote the value and different employment options of a care worker.

As reported in our update from last week, the bill includes child care workers in this effort. Child care advocates who testified stressed the importance of increased compensation. The Substitute Bill aims to address this compelling need and expands the definition to refer to early learning, rather than solely child care. The Substitute bill also provides more detail on the structure and responsibilities of the proposed care worker center. The next step for this bill would be a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee.

SSB 5793 (Stipends for participation in state groups). Last Friday, the Senate Committee on State Government and Elections approved Substitute Senate Bill 5793 which looks to change current statute to allow for individuals with lived experience participating in state boards, commissions and other workgroups and advisory bodies to be compensated for their engagement. While there is widespread agreement on the bill’s goal, discussions are underway to work through the logistics of how to operationalize this goal and avoid unintended consequences. In short, the bill is still a work in progress.

SSB 5793 will be heard in the Senate Ways and Means Committee Feb. 4.

What’s Up Next?

The first cutoff is next Thursday, Feb. 3, when bills need to be voted out of Policy Committees in their house of origin. Quickly thereafter, we will see fiscal committee cutoff on Monday, Feb. 7.

The short timeframe between the two cutoff dates means there will likely be a full day of hearings Saturday, Feb. 5 in the Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations Committees to get through the volume of bills referred to both committees prior to fiscal cutoff.

An unusually large number of bills were introduced in this short session – I believe the number now tops 1,000. These proposals each generate a workload for those engaged in the legislative process. For example, work for the code revisors office in writing the bills and amendments; work for committee staff in scheduling and preparing analyses; and work for the bill sponsors in negotiating amendments with stakeholders. These cutoff dates will hopefully provide a reprieve as the process naturally provides a filter, winnowing down the number of bills under consideration.

Similar to the English language, there is always an exception to every legislative rule and one exception I point out every year is that bills deemed “Necessary to Implement the Budget” are not subject to these cutoff deadlines. Bills “Necessary to Implement the Budget” still must go through each step of the process (no Chutes or Ladders tricks here), but the only deadline they are subjected to is Sine Die (adjournment).

Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee Work Session. On Feb. 2 at 10:30 a.m., the Senate Committee on Early Learning and K-12 will hold a work session that looks at supports for children and families. It will include an update on implementation of the Fair Start for Kids Act as well as Family Engagement strategies. Look for a summary and links to relevant documents in next week’s update.

HB 2068 Action. A Public Hearing and Executive Session are scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 2 on HB 2068, the measure to create the Imagination Library of Washington, building on the Dolly Parton Imagination Library which provides free books to young children.

Speaking of Dolly Parton, I was turned on to the podcast “Dolly Parton’s America” that digs into her career history and the real stories behind her amazing music. I’m only a couple of episodes in, but it is a fascinating look at an inspiring woman.

Photo snapped by the author on a morning walk Jan. 18, 2022.

Trivia!

Why is the sundial in the middle of the Capitol campus referred to as the “Territorial Sundial?”

Highlights of the Week

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Friends and family are often surprised to hear I work on federal holidays such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day.  While most government-related entities close on federal holidays, the Washington State Legislature meets on both days since they occur during the scheduled legislative session.

The Senate and House of Representatives honored Dr. King on his birthday, with both bodies passing resolutions (SR 8634 and HR 4635) during floor sessions dedicated to Dr. King, his legacy and his call for action (Senate Floor Session Honoring Dr. King and House Floor Session).

Long-Term Care Delay.  Much attention has been paid to the implementation of the Washington Cares Fund, the state’s long-term care program created by 2019 legislation and funded by a new payroll tax.  A number of logistical (and philosophical) concerns arose as roll-out drew near, and Governor Inslee and legislative leadership agreed to introduce and support legislation that would delay implementation to give time to work out these details.

This 18-month proposed delay is on the fast track, with the House voting the bill off their Floor Wednesday and, according to Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig during a media briefing this week, the Senate should do the same by the end of next week.

Early Learning Action

Joint Work Session on Transitional Kindergarten.  Friday, Jan. 14, the House Children, Youth and Families and Education Committees held a work session looking at Transitional Kindergarten services and the alignment with other early learning services. Prior to hearing from community providers about their experiences, staff from both committees provided an overview of various early learning opportunities available to our youngest learners.

Following remarks from providers in various corners of the state, representatives of the Department of Children, Youth and Families and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction gave a presentation on their joint efforts to integrate early learning services for 3- and 4-year olds. Of note, DCYF and OSPI have a Phase 2 report Integrated Early Learning due Sept. 1, 2022 and they are also partnering on coordinated recruitment and enrollment.

According to materials shared during the hearing, Transitional Kindergarten:

• Is an early entrance to Kindergarten.
• Serves children who are age 4 by Aug. 31 without access to high-quality early learning experiences prior to Kindergarten, or who have been deemed, through a screening process and/or other instrument(s), to need additional preparation to be successful in Kindergarten in the following year.
• Programs must start before Jan. 31 and have 27 hours and 45 minutes of weekly instruction.
• Has the same requirements as Kindergarten: staffed by certified teachers and paraprofessionals; developmentally appropriate learning environment that addresses the whole child; and administration of WaKIDS.
• Funding is provided through state prototypical school formulas for Kindergarten students. Statewide, Kindergarten students generate, on average, approximately $11,379 in the 2021-22 school year, but that amount can vary based on regionalization or other factors.
• Current funding is $3 million a year. However, caseloads are projected to expand with a total of $11.8 million projected in spending for the 2021-2022 school year. The Governor’s budget for fiscal year 2023 includes $12.6 million.
• Enrollment of 820 students in 35 districts during the 2020-21 school year (note this was during COVID).

New Bill for Dolly. It was a quiet week for introduction of early learning related bills, but on Dolly Parton’s birthday, Representatives Stonier and Abbarno introduced HB 2068 which would bring the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to families throughout Washington state. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides no-cost books to young children.

Key Hearings

HB 1872 (Senn and Slatter). Wednesday, the House College and Workforce Development Committee held a public hearing on HB 1872 which would establish a care worker center to elevate care sectors as a respected sector of the workforce, increase retention and recruitment and promote the value and different employment options of a care worker. The bill calls out three caregiving professions: child care, long-term care and personal care attendants for people with disabilities.

A number of child care advocates testified on the bill, stressing the importance of increasing compensation for the child care workforce and urging that compensation measures in this bill be tied to the Child Care Collaborative Task Force’s Cost of Quality work. The bill is scheduled for Executive Session in the House College & Workforce Development Committee Jan. 26.

HB 1890 (Callan). Heard in the House Children, Youth and Families Committee Monday and voted out Thursday, HB 1890 brings forward recommendations from the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Workgroup, including a call for the development of a strategic plan and inclusion of compensation of up to $200 a day for individuals with lived experience participating in the workgroup or its advisory bodies. The Committee heard from a range of testifiers speaking to the need to accelerate behavioral health efforts for children and youth as well as the importance of including (and compensating) people with lived experience in policy development. The bill now moves to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.

SB 5793 (C. Wilson). SB 5793 looks to change current statute to allow for individuals with lived experience participating in state boards, commissions and other workgroups and advisory bodies to be compensated for their engagement. It received a groundswell of support in a Wednesday public hearing in the Senate State Government & Elections Committee and is scheduled for Executive Session (vote) Friday morning – about the time this update hits your inbox.

As a reminder, Start Early Washington’s Resource Page contains a bill tracker with the latest information on bills we are following.

What’s Up Next?

The pace of introduced bills slowed dramatically this week. This is expected because the first deadline (called “cutoff”) is just under two weeks away on Feb. 3 for bills to be voted out of policy committees. Next week, expect full committee hearing schedules as well as the Senate’s focus on the long-term care program delay bills. The House Children, Youth and Families Committee will hold hearings on bills related to the composition of the Department of Children, Youth and Families Oversight Board as well as a bill (HB 1843) which would adjust licensing requirements for child care centers and outdoor early learning programs.

By Joan Lombardi

Over the holidays, I heard the term metaverse across multiple media platforms. From TV talk shows and the news to newspaper articles, the concept was everywhere, and I wanted to understand what it means. Meta seems to have several meanings depending on how it is used – as a prefix it sometimes means transformation or transcending.  In the “tech world” the metaverse seems to be referring to some overarching system that would transcend the different parts that make up that world today.

While not totally grasping this emerging concept, these ideas are not completely new to a student of child development. We can relate to the idea of an overarching system evolving beyond its current collection of parts to create an all-encompassing approach to achieving a common goal.

We know health, learning and behavior are connected, and holistic child development requires an integration of these elements that transcends their parts; health affects learning, learning affects health, and social-emotional development affects them both. We also know development begins early, with each stage building on another. Moreover, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory has grounded our thinking: we can’t separate the child from the well-being of the family. They both depend on supportive communities and policies.

As we enter 2022, let’s recommit our energies to creating a system that could be thought of as meta-care. This approach would go beyond a collection of isolated programs and services to an interconnected system supporting the whole developing child. In this community, the parent, childcare provider, physicians, home visitors, teachers, local librarians and housing agencies all matter for a successful start in life.

Last year, I had the opportunity to talk to several parents, providers and local leaders across the country. Each was working to build these connections to make their community “the best place to raise a child.” I recognized four common elements in these initiatives:

• Firm beliefs in centering all actions on family and caregiver voices to improve their living and working conditions
• Commitment to equity
• Processes for data tracking and mapping services
• Continuous improvement mechanisms that include ongoing partnerships across services and sectors

The country’s future depends on how we care for young children and families. In the upcoming year, our hope remains that landmark federal legislation is passed to provide the critical investments we need. When this happens, implementation will move to the states and communities and new opportunities to work together will emerge. We must renew our efforts of support to assure a robust continuum of care: from healthy births to children thriving at age three, at five and beyond.

It doesn’t matter if we use a new term like meta-care; what matters is that we intensify our pursuit of better outcomes for all children. Let’s allow the needs of families and caregivers to guide our actions, transcend old boundaries and make a system of caring a reality for the next generation.

Dr. Joan Lombardi is a national and international thought leader in early childhood. She has been a key collaborator and consultant to Start Early in a variety of ways over the years. 

Trivia!

In Olympia lingo, what is an “X file?”

Highlights of Week One

In a mostly virtual format, the Legislature kicked off its 60-day legislative session Monday. They wasted no time getting down to bill hearings and work sessions. However, the traditional “first day of school” vibes were not felt given nearly all lawmakers, staff and lobbyists were working remotely.

Tuesday, Governor Inslee provided his State of the State address in an empty State Reception Room rather than to a joint session of the Legislature. In his remarks, Governor Inslee urged lawmakers to focus on the urgent crises facing the state, including housing, transportation, the needs of our students and poverty reduction.

Fiscal Committee Hearings. Early in the week, the budget committees held public hearings where more than 100 interested parties in each hearing urged budget writers to include their top issue (fully funded of course) in the final adopted supplemental budget. Testifiers were limited to one minute and, even with that limitation, both hearings ran over two and a half hours. Throughout both hearings, a common theme was around stress within the workforce, particularly in the health and human services arena. Low compensation and fatigue – fatigue exacerbated by nearly two years of a pandemic – were discussed frequently.

In both hearings, David Schumacher, the Governor’s Budget Director, provided an overview of Governor Inslee’s proposed $62 billion budget. Schumacher stressed that with the many urgent needs facing the state, this is not a typical supplemental budget in that it proposes a number of significant investments when most supplemental budgets include tweaks and minor increases. Schumacher cited increased federal funding (most of which is one-time), continued growth in state revenue, declining caseloads in some areas as well as continued uncertainty with the pandemic as factors that influenced budget decisions.

Legislative budget writers will weigh the Governor’s proposal, the testimony received, individual legislative requests and more up-to-date revenue numbers that will come out mid-February and work to craft a final budget before Sine Die March 10.

Work Sessions. Often in the first week or two of the legislative session, committees will hold “work sessions.” In these work sessions, speakers are invited to educate committee members on various issues instead of advocating for the passage of specific bills.

Wednesday, the House Children, Youth and Families Committee held a work session on Fair Start for Kids Act implementation. Nicole Rose, Assistant Secretary for Early Learning and Allison Krutsinger, Director of the Office of Government Affairs and Community Engagement presented for DCYF. They spoke from this PowerPoint which includes a lot of rich data and information. Following are some highlights:

• As of Dec. 31, 2021, nearly $260 million in child care stabilization grants were awarded to 4,319 providers.
• For the state Fiscal Year 2022 ECEAP expansion, DCYF received applications for 1,358 slots.
• For the Early Learning Facilities grant program, more than 140 applicants requested $73 million for projects. Only $22 million in funding was available.
• For home visiting expansion, 7 programs received funding to serve 185 more families with applications for expansion far exceeding available funding.

Following the DCYF presentation, DeeAnn Puffert, CEO of Child Care Aware, updated the committee on implementation from Child Care Aware’s unique perspective as the operator of the statewide call center. Puffert provided a number of examples of families positively impacted by the benefits of the Fair Start for Kids Act, highlighting one family’s joy and relief in learning their child care costs would be reduced by $18,000 a year with the reduction in co-payments.

Finally, the committee heard from two child care providers – Laura Murphey and Jennifer Kelty – who spoke of their on-the-ground experience as providers. They discussed the challenges of navigating providing child care with the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the need for continued investment to stabilize the industry.

Bills, Bills – and more Bills!

It has been a flurry with lawmakers introducing a lot of bills. I check the bill introductions each night and, although there are fewer early learning bills per se, there are a number of bills of interest. Visit Start Early Washington’s resources page to view the latest list of bills we are tracking.

It is important to note that not every bill introduced will receive a hearing, and there are many steps before a bill becomes a law. We will do our best to keep you updated on relevant bills.

Here are some bills that jumped out to me that are a little outside of traditional early learning, but related:

HB 1872 (Senn and Slatter). Establishes a care worker center with the purpose of elevating care sectors as a respected sector of the workforce, increasing retention and recruitment and promoting the value and different employment options of a care worker. The bill calls out three caregiving professions: child care, long-term care and personal care attendants for people with disabilities.

HB 1881 (Harris-Talley and Entenman). Creates a voluntary certification process for birth doulas. The bill specifies that doulas do not need to be certified to continue to practice. It also calls for the joint creation of competency-based requirements with community partners who advance equitable access to improve perinatal outcomes and care through holistic services for black and brown communities.

HB 1890 (Callan). Brings forward recommendations from the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Workgroup, including a call for the development of a strategic plan and inclusion of compensation of up to $200 a day for individuals with lived experience participating in the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Workgroup or its advisory bodies.

HB 1947 (Frame). Provides a monthly diaper subsidy for parents or caregivers of children under age 3 participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

SB 5793 (Wilson). Provides the ability for state boards, commissions, councils, committees and other similar groups to provide stipends for community members with lived experience engaging in such entities.

What’s Ahead?

With the first big cutoff quickly approaching Feb. 3 for bills to be voted out of policy committees, the next 2.5 weeks will focus on policy committee hearings.

Of the bills listed above, the following are scheduled for Public Hearings next week:

• HB 1872 is scheduled in the House College and Workforce Development Committee Jan. 19 at 8:00 a.m.
• HB 1890 is scheduled for a Public Hearing in the House Children, Youth and Families Committee Jan. 17 at 1:30 p.m. and for an Executive Session (vote) Jan. 20 at 10:00 a.m.
• HB 1947 will receive a Public Hearing Jan. 21 at 10:00 a.m. in the House Housing, Human Services and Veterans Committee.
• Finally, SB 5793 is scheduled for a Public Hearing in the Senate Government and Elections Committee on Jan. 19 at 8:00 a.m. and for an Executive Session (vote) Jan. 21 at 10:30 a.m.

In short, the next 2.5 weeks will involve a lot of watching TVW – and waiting for bills of interest to be heard.

How Can I Make My Voice Heard?

If you are interested in following a bill, you can sign up to receive email notifications. That option is on the right side of each bill information page. (I included the doula certification bill as an example). Once you sign up for notifications, you will be notified when there has been activity on the bill.

When a bill has been scheduled for a hearing, you can sign up to provide oral testimony, written testimony or make your position noted for the record. To do this, go to the committee sign-up page. You then identify which chamber the bill is to be heard and click down for the committee and date of the hearing. From there, you click on the agenda item and can sign up. The committee sign-up page also has detailed information.

Events to Promote Racial Equity Dialogues

As we approach the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the National Day of Racial Healing, here are just a couple opportunities to take action and reflect:

• Jan. 18, 12:00 p.m. – The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is hosting an annual observation of the National Day of Racial Healing. Join the conversation to share values and create a blueprint for healing from the effects of racism. “Launched on Jan. 17, 2017, it is an opportunity to bring ALL people together in their common humanity and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world.”
• Jan. 19, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. – The United Way of King County is hosting a virtual conversation about advancing racial equity with the author of “How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America,” Clint Smith and a dynamic panel of experts.