Public-Private Early Learning System Partnerships

The Department of Early Learning (DEL), in partnership with Thrive By Five Washington, contributes toward local public-private partnerships that improve coordination and the exchange of information between community, early care and education programs, the K-12 system and state level agencies. These partnerships also focus on connecting communities around lessons learned and successful strategies for engaging non-traditional early learning champions and investors.

Historically, most public funding for early learning has come from either federal or state funding streams. At the same time, many communities have established local planning and coordinating bodies that make decisions about local early learning funds, set goals and identify community needs. Other communities have been designated "high-impact" demonstration projects, locally designing their planning structures to identify community-specific values, needs, and goals.

However, there is much work to be done to support communities, to connect communities to one another, and to ensure state and local efforts are closely linked and aligned.

The Early Learning System Partnerships project supports the third goal of Governor Chris Gregoire's Washington Learns Ten-Year Goals for a World Class Education System: All children will enter kindergarten healthy and emotionally, socially, and cognitively ready to succeed in school and in life.

State funds help support communities in setting goals and achieving outcomes in the field of early learning. In partnership with Thrive By Five Washington, these funds are distributed to local communities to:

  • Establish top priority outcomes for a locally coordinated system of programs
  • Establish policies and services that are responsive to the needs of families; are careful in the use of private and public resources; and are effective in preparing young children for success in school and life
  • Identify and articulate goals in alignment with state goals and that connect to communities around Washington

Currently funded through DEL and Thrive by Five as a Public-Private Early Learning System Partner are: