Elizabeth Bonbright Thompson: Executive Director
(253) 383-1735 x15, ebthompson@childcarenet.org

Ryan Pricco: Executive Policy & Program Specialist
(253)383-1735 x26, ryan@childcarenet.org

WA Scholarships for Child Care Professionals: $1,000,000 Washington Scholarships for Child Care Professionals (WA Scholarships) is a public-private partnership administered by the WA State Child Care Resource & Referral Network which offers financial aid to licensed child care providers who are obtaining a Child Associate Degree (CDA), Early Childhood Certificate or 2-year degree in Early Childhood Education from a community or technical college. Each scholar pays 10% for tuition and WA Scholarships pays between 75% and 90%. In addition, WA Scholarships reimburses for release time, travel and books and provides the scholar with a bonus at the conclusion of each contract year if the scholar successfully completes all their classes. WA Scholarships is the bedrock of success for the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) and the Career & Wage Ladder Project.

Unlike other state’s, the bulk of funding for WA Scholarships has been from the private sector and the City of Seattle rather than State government. Private funding for the WA Scholarships program has been cyclical and often regional. Counties outside of the targeted areas generally suffer from long waiting lists for only a few scholarship slots. The Legislature must ensure that licensed caregivers in every county in the state have access to financial aid for continuing education credits that dramatically improve the quality of the care and early learning they offer the children in their programs. Some of these new dollars could also be used to establish a WA Scholarships model for ECEAP teachers.

R&R Core Services: $2,000,000

While the state made their first-ever State General Fund investment into the statewide Child Care Resource & Referral (R&R) system during the 2007 Session, supplemental funding is needed. In partnership with the Department of Early Learning, the R&R Network is using the legislature’s appropriated funding to evaluate R&R Services and translate the findings to inform the statewide R&R systems transformation process that is currently underway. It is our objective to create a stronger, more accountable R&R system, prepared to deliver comparable, dependable, quality R&R services. To facilitate this transformation process, as well as ensure there is no drop in current R&R services, the R&R Network will need State supplemental funding to braid with their own contributions to help pay for the promised increase in services to communities statewide.

The legislature’s investment from a year ago is being strategically used to implement a new R&R Network that will be better positioned to serve the children and families of this state in a comprehensive early learning system. An increase in the quality and amount of R&R services will be necessary for an early learning system to successfully implement initiatives like QRIS. Providers will need additional supports such as trainings and home visitations. Thrive By Five WA’s public awareness campaign will drive up demand from parents for referrals and related parenting information. As the R&R system looks to continue its role as “conveners” in local communities, additional funding will be needed for more activities that will attract the private sector and other partners to the momentum of early learning. The R&R system is in statute to carry out these and other services, and additional funding is needed now more than ever. (RCW 43.215.545)

Family, Friend, and Neighbor Support (FFN): $450,000

The Department of Early Learning has contracted with the R&R Network to replicate locally-based supports for FFN caregivers in 3 new communities. These supports must become part of R&R’s core services, since the majority of children in non-parental care are actually in some type of FFN care. With growing awareness of the importance of a quality early education spreading to all communities of the state, demand for FFN supports will increase significantly.

Child Care Resources (the local R&R serving King County) has been a national trend-setter in the FFN arena. The State is now contracting with the R&R Network to replicate this work across the state. The R&R Network has already demonstrated the ability, with a small amount of seed funding, to introduce and sustain FFN supports in a variety of communities throughout Washington. However, FFN support is needed in all communities. Now is the time for the state to provide resources for a very large, very underserved population, in all areas of the state. Any and all statewide early learning initiatives/systems need to include supports for FFN caregivers.