ByRepresentatives Senn, Goodman, Goehner, Pollet, Appleton, Ortiz-Self, Stonier, Griffey, Lovick, Callan, Kilduff, Frame, Eslick, Reeves, Doglio, Bergquist, Slatter, Thai, and Leavitt

Read first time 01/17/19.Referred to Committee on Human Services & Early Learning.

AN ACT Relating to eliminating the sabbatical year for three year olds in the early childhood education and assistance program; and amending RCW 43.216.505.

Sec. 1. RCW 43.216.505 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 s 210 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 43.216.500 through 43.216.559, 43.216.900, and 43.216.901.

(1) "Advisory committee" means the advisory committee under RCW 43.216.520.

(2) "Approved programs" means those state-supported education and special assistance programs which are recognized by the department as meeting the minimum program rules adopted by the department to qualify under RCW 43.216.500 through 43.216.550, 43.216.900, and 43.216.901 and are designated as eligible for funding by the department under RCW 43.216.530 and 43.216.540.

(3) "Comprehensive" means an assistance program that focuses on the needs of the child and includes education, health, and family support services.

(4)(a) "Eligible child" means a child not eligible for kindergarten who meets one of the following criteria:

(i) Whose family income is at or below one hundred ten percent of the federal poverty level, as published annually by the federal department of health and human services, and includes a child whose family is eligible for public assistance, and who is not a participant in a federal or state program providing comprehensive services;

(ii) A child eligible for special education due to disability under RCW 28A.155.020;

(iii) A child who has received early intervention services in the early support for infants and toddlers program and is at least thirty months old by August 31st of the school year;

(iv) A child who has been a participant in the early head start or successor federal program providing comprehensive services for children from birth through two years of age and is at least thirty months old by August 31st of the school year; and

(v) May include children who are eligible under rules adopted by the department if the number of such children equals not more than ten percent of the total enrollment in the early childhood program.

(b) Children eligible under (a)(iii) of this subsection may enroll in the early childhood education and assistance program at any point during the school year.

(c) Priority for enrollment shall be given to children from families with the lowest income, children in foster care, or to eligible children from families with multiple needs.

(5) "Family support services" means providing opportunities for parents to: