BILL REQ. #:  S-3999.1 

Read first time 01/31/14.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to the early learning advisory council; and amending RCW 43.215.020 and 43.215.090.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 43.215.020 and 2013 c 323 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department of early learning is created as an executive branch agency. The department is vested with all powers and duties transferred to it under this chapter and such other powers and duties as may be authorized by law.
     (2) The primary duties of the department are to implement state early learning policy and to coordinate, consolidate, and integrate child care and early learning programs in order to administer programs and funding as efficiently as possible. The department's duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
     (a) To support both public and private sectors toward a comprehensive and collaborative system of early learning that serves parents, children, and providers and to encourage best practices in child care and early learning programs;
     (b) To make early learning resources available to parents and caregivers;
     (c) To carry out activities, including providing clear and easily accessible information about quality and improving the quality of early learning opportunities for young children, in cooperation with the nongovernmental private-public partnership;
     (d) To administer child care and early learning programs;
     (e) To apply data already collected comparing the following factors and make biennial recommendations to the legislature regarding working connections subsidy and state-funded preschool rates and compensation models that would attract and retain high quality early learning professionals:
     (i) State-funded early learning subsidy rates and market rates of licensed early learning homes and centers;
     (ii) Compensation of early learning educators in licensed centers and homes and early learning teachers at state higher education institutions;
     (iii) State-funded preschool program compensation rates and Washington state head start program compensation rates; and
     (iv) State-funded preschool program compensation to compensation in similar comprehensive programs in other states.
     (f) To serve as the state lead agency for Part C of the federal individuals with disabilities education act (IDEA);
     (g) To standardize internal financial audits, oversight visits, performance benchmarks, and licensing criteria, so that programs can function in an integrated fashion;
     (h) To support the implementation of the nongovernmental private-public partnership and cooperate with that partnership in pursuing its goals including providing data and support necessary for the successful work of the partnership;
     (i) To work cooperatively and in coordination with the early learning advisory council established in RCW 43.215.090 to develop and implement a statewide early learning plan that guides the department in promoting alignment of private and public sector actions, objectives, and resources, and ensuring school readiness;
     (j) To collaborate with the K-12 school system at the state and local levels to ensure appropriate connections and smooth transitions between early learning and K-12 programs;
     (k) To develop and adopt rules for administration of the program of early learning established in RCW ((43.215.141)) 43.215.455;
     (l) To develop a comprehensive birth-to-three plan to provide education and support through a continuum of options including, but not limited to, services such as: Home visiting; quality incentives for infant and toddler child care subsidies; quality improvements for family home and center-based child care programs serving infants and toddlers; professional development; early literacy programs; and informal supports for family, friend, and neighbor caregivers; and
     (m) Upon the development of an early learning information system, to make available to parents timely inspection and licensing action information and provider comments through the internet and other means.
     (3) When additional funds are appropriated for the specific purpose of home visiting and parent and caregiver support, the department must reserve at least eighty percent for home visiting services to be deposited into the home visiting services account and up to twenty percent of the new funds for other parent or caregiver support.
     (4) Home visiting services must include programs that serve families involved in the child welfare system.
     (5) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the legislature shall fund the expansion in the Washington state preschool program pursuant to RCW ((43.215.142)) 43.215.456 in fiscal year 2014.
     (6) The department's programs shall be designed in a way that respects and preserves the ability of parents and legal guardians to direct the education, development, and upbringing of their children, and that recognizes and honors cultural and linguistic diversity. The department shall include parents and legal guardians in the development of policies and program decisions affecting their children.

Sec. 2   RCW 43.215.090 and 2012 c 229 s 589 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The early learning advisory council is established to advise the department on statewide early learning issues that would build a comprehensive system of quality early learning programs and services for Washington's children and families by assessing needs and the availability of services, aligning resources, developing plans for data collection and professional development of early childhood educators, and establishing key performance measures.
     (2) ((The council shall work in conjunction with the department to develop a statewide early learning plan that guides the department in promoting alignment of private and public sector actions, objectives, and resources, and ensuring school readiness.
     (3))) The council shall include diverse, statewide representation from public, nonprofit, and for-profit entities. Its membership shall reflect regional, racial, and cultural diversity to adequately represent the needs of all children and families in the state.
     (((4))) (3) Councilmembers shall serve two-year terms. However, to stagger the terms of the council, the initial appointments for twelve of the members shall be for one year. Once the initial one-year to two-year terms expire, all subsequent terms shall be for two years, with the terms expiring on June 30th of the applicable year. The terms shall be staggered in such a way that, where possible, the terms of members representing a specific group do not expire simultaneously.
     (((5))) (4) The council shall consist of not more than ((twenty-three)) thirty-three members, as follows:
     (a) The governor shall appoint at least one representative from each of the following: The department, the office of financial management, the department of social and health services, the department of health, the student achievement council, and the state board for community and technical colleges;
     (b) One representative from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, to be appointed by the superintendent of public instruction;
     (c) The governor shall appoint ((seven)) six leaders in early childhood education, with at least one representative with experience or expertise in one or more of the areas such as the following: The K-12 system, family day care providers, and child care centers with four of the ((seven)) six governor's appointees made as follows:
     (i) The head start state collaboration office director or the director's designee;
     (ii) A representative of a head start, early head start, migrant/seasonal head start, or tribal head start program;
     (iii) A representative of a local education agency; and
     (iv) A representative of the state agency responsible for programs under section 619 or part C of the federal individuals with disabilities education act;
     (d) Two members of the house of representatives, one from each caucus, and two members of the senate, one from each caucus, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate, respectively;
     (e) Two parents, one of whom serves on ((the)) a department(('s parent advisory)) parent-represented group, to be appointed by the governor;
     (f) One representative of the private-public partnership created in RCW 43.215.070, to be appointed by the partnership board;
     (g) One representative designated by sovereign tribal governments; ((and))
     (h) One representative from the Washington federation of independent schools;
     (i) One representative of a statewide alliance of early learning advocates; and
     (j) One representative from each of the ten early learning regional coalitions funded by the department and the private-public partnership created in RCW 43.215.070, appointed by the coalition that he or she will be representing, five of whom shall be initially appointed for one year at the discretion of the department in order to stagger their terms.
     (((6))) (5) The council shall be cochaired by one representative of a state agency and one nongovernmental member, to be elected by the council for two-year terms.
     (((7) The council shall appoint two members and stakeholders with expertise in early learning to sit on the technical working group created in section 2, chapter 234, Laws of 2010.
     (8))) (6) Each member of the board shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.240 and reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the board in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (((9))) (7) The department shall provide staff support to the council.