SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5160

As of March 9, 2016

Title: An act relating to creating an office of Native early child care and education.

Brief Description: Creating an office of Native early child care and education.

Sponsors: Senators McCoy, Hasegawa, Cleveland, Frockt, Liias, Rolfes, Chase, Habib and Kohl-Welles.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 2/16/15.

Staff: Ailey Kato (786-7434)

Background: Department of Early Learning (DEL). DEL was created in 2006. DEL oversees many programs and services, including but not limited to licensing and monitoring of family home child care facilities and child care centers; the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP); the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers Program; home visiting services; the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills; Medicaid Treatment Child Care; the Early Learning Advisory Council; and Early Achievers, Washington's quality rating and improvement system.

DEL currently collaborates with tribal nations to provide children and families access to early learning resources and information, including developing agreements with the federally recognized tribes on communication and consultation, providing a tribal liaison as the main point of contact for tribal nations, having four sites of ECEAP operated by tribal organizations, and offering a tribal certification process for child care licensing for tribes.

Office of Native Education. In 2011 the Legislature directed OSPI to create the Office of Native Education. This office was tasked with a number of duties. The Legislature also created a public-private partnership account to support the activities of this office.

Summary of Bill: Office of Native Early Child Care and Education (Office). The Office is created within DEL. DEL’s director must appoint an individual to be responsible for the Office.

With additional support of federal and local funds where authorized by law, the Office must:

1. provide assistance to families in meeting the early child care and educational needs of American Indian and Alaska Native children;

2. facilitate the development and implementation of curricula and instructional materials in native languages that promote pride in the unique heritage, culture, and history of tribal nations;

3. provide assistance to early child care and education providers in the acquisition of funding to develop curricula and instructional materials in conjunction with native language practitioners and tribal elders;

4. coordinate technical assistance for early child care and education programs that serve American Indian and Alaska Native students;

5. seek funds to develop, in conjunction with tribal nations, and implement support services for the purposes of the following:

   1. expanding the number of licensed tribal child care providers;

   2. increasing the number of American Indian and Alaska Native early child care and education professionals; and

   3. providing continued professional development for early child care and education professionals serving American Indian and Alaska Native students;

6. facilitate the inclusion of native language programs in early child care and education programs serving American Indian and Alaska Native students;

7. work with all relevant agencies and committees to highlight the need for accurate, useful data that is appropriately disaggregated to provide a more accurate picture regarding American Indian and Alaska Native children; and

8. report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Governor's Office of Indian Affairs on an annual basis, beginning in December 2015, regarding the Office’s activities, specifically noting system successes and accomplishments, deficiencies, and needs.

Public-Private Partnership Account. The Native Early Child Care and Education Public-Private Partnership account is created in the custody of the State Treasurer. The purpose of the account is to support the activities of the Office. Receipts from any appropriations made by the Legislature for the purposes of this section, federal funds, gifts or grants from the private sector or foundations, and other sources must be deposited into the account.

Only DEL’s director or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under current state budgeting, accounting, and reporting system law, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: DEL recognizes the need to collaborate with tribes and wants dedicated staff for this purpose. Currently, DEL’s director and other senior staff are acting as liaisons with tribes, but this is not workable. The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe has been working with DEL and sees that a specific liaison is needed. This tribe would like to grow early learning programs and improve the quality of these programs, and a specific liaison would help this goal. It is critical that early learning teachers participate in professional development to understand tribes’ languages and cultures.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator McCoy, Prime Sponsor; Jacki Haight, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe; Justin Montermini, Greg Williamson, DEL.