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Early Learning Plan
Click to read the Draft Vision, Principles, Outcomes and Strategies (also available in Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese) for the Statewide Early Learning Plan and then give your feedback on the document.
Click to read the draft recommendations for near-term or “first phase” priorities to implement the Early Learning Plan and then give your feedback on the document.
Partner Agency Near-Term Priorities - Draft 11-4-09 for ELAC
Click here to give your feedback on the near-term priorities
The 2007 Washington Legislature charged the Department of Early Learning (DEL) and our Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) with developing a statewide early learning plan that ensures school readiness for all children in Washington.
Click here to read the Second Substitute Senate Bill 5828 (2007 Legislative Session) and RCW 43.215.090.
Working with partners and stakeholders, ELAC has been drafting a plan that:
- coordinates the different systems that touch children ages birth to 8 — from early care and education to health to parenting support; and
- measures results over time for children and families.
The expectation is that this plan will be implemented in phases over five to 10 years.
In June 2009, Governor Chris Gregoire asked DEL and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to work together to bring a proposal forward that would ensure all Washington children have the benefit of early childhood education. The Governor followed up with a more detailed letter to Superintendent Randy Dorn and DEL Director Bette Hyde outlining her expectations and timeline for this proposal. A "drafting team" was established to create recommendations to the Governor and an early learning plan.
In August 2009, leaders from DEL, OSPI, Thrive by Five Washington and other groups decided to merge the ongoing work led by ELAC to create a statewide early learning plan with the work of the "drafting team," so that we have one common deadline, process and product.
A report and legislative proposal will be delivered to the Governor by December 1, 2009, with the draft early learning plan to date. A comprehensive early learning plan will be finalized in March 2010. Both Washington Learns and the Kids Matter Framework are the foundational source documents we are using to create the early learning plan.
Click to read the draft Early Learning Plan vision statement.
The ELAC Early Learning Plan Management Team serves as final decision-makers for the process and products, and updates and solicits feedback from the full ELAC regularly. Early Learning Plan Work Groups serve as drafters for different sections/facets of the plan, and members of the “drafting team” are joining a work group. Click to see a list of members of the Early Learning Plan teams.
Work groups are identifying key outcomes and indicators, and drafting sections of the plan, in the areas of:
- Access to Health
- Social/Emotional Development
- Early Care and Education/Child Care
- Parent and Community Partnerships
- Meaningful Engagement and Diversity
How you can be part of the early learning planning
We welcome public input on the early learning plan development. We’ve created a "key communicator" group of people who provide regular input and respond to e-mailed questions as the plan is created. If you would like to be a "key communicator," please e-mail communications@del.wa.gov.
If your community would like to host a public meeting to discuss the early learning plan, please e-mail communications@del.wa.gov. If you would like to attend an Early Learning Plan Community Meeting, please visit our events calendar to see which meeting is taking place closest to you. More meeting dates are still being organized. Click here to see the meeting presenation document.
Meeting summaries
Document updates:
Week of August 17
Week of August 24
Week of August 31
Week of September 21