BILL REQ. #:  S-0386.1 

Read first time 01/29/2003.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to early learning; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that there is an increasing awareness of the importance of the first five years of life in a child's development. The legislature further finds that research has demonstrated that high quality early childhood education and learning programs can have significant and lasting benefits for a child during those early years.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     By August 2003 and annually thereafter, the superintendent of public instruction shall prepare, distribute, and post on the agency web site information for parents, preschools, and child care providers about how to select early childhood education programs for children, how best to prepare children for kindergarten, and guidelines for preparing children for success in school, including kindergarten readiness guidelines. In preparing the information, the superintendent shall consult with individuals with knowledge of early childhood education and learning, including but not limited to early childhood educators, nonprofit associations for early childhood education, parents, child care providers, and early childhood education faculty at institutions of higher education.