"NEW SECTION. Sec. 102. FAIR START FOR KIDS SPENDING GOALS AND STRATEGIES.The spending goals and strategies for the fair start for kids account created under section 101 of this act include, but are not limited to:
(1) Increasing child care subsidy rates, with the goal of moving toward the full cost of providing high quality child care;
(2) Expanding health care coverage through state sponsorship of child care workers on the Washington health benefit exchange and providing consumer assistance through navigators, as well as any other expansions of access to affordable health care for staff in child care centers, family home providers, outdoor nature-based care, and early childhood education and assistance program staff;
(3) Increasing child care and early learning providers' compensation;
(4) Implementing the provisions of collective bargaining agreements for family child care providers negotiated pursuant to RCW
41.56.028;
(5) Supporting and expanding access to the early childhood education and assistance program to reach state-funded entitlement required in RCW
43.216.556;
(6) Making child care affordable for families;
(7) Providing resources and supports for family, friend, and neighbor caregivers that better reflect the full cost of care;
(8) Providing professional development opportunities for child care and early learning providers;
(9) Delivering infant and early childhood mental health consultation services;
(10) Establishing prekindergarten through third grade systems coordinators at educational service districts;
(11) Supporting youth development programs serving children and youth ages birth through 12 including, but not limited to, expanded learning opportunities, mentoring, school-age child care, and wraparound supports or integrated student supports;
(12) Awarding grants and loans through the early learning facilities grant and loan program established under chapter
43.31 RCW;
(13) Paying enhanced rates for special rate designations in the working connections child care programs, early childhood education and assistance programs, and birth to three early childhood education and assistance programs including designations established in sections 302, 304, 305, and 404 of this act;
(14) Supporting costs for transparent data collection and information technology systems operated by the department and department contractors, in particular, to ensure equitable systemic service provision and outcomes;
(15) Providing access to learning technology;
(16) Providing child care resource and referral services;
(17) Conducting quality rating and improvement system activities through the early achievers program;
(18) Expanding prenatal to three services and supports, including the birth to three early childhood education and assistance program and the in-home parent skill-based programs established in RCW
43.216.130;
(19) Building and delivering a family resource and referral linkage system;
(20) Administering comprehensive shared services hubs to allow the ongoing pooling and shared use of services by licensed or certified child care centers and family home providers;
(21) Training department staff to ensure consistent and equitable application of child care licensing and quality standards across the state including antibias and antiracist training;
(22) Providing incentives for child care providers to become licensed; and
(23) Recognizing the benefits of the diverse workforce and facilitating communication in the three most commonly spoken languages by developing a language access plan that centers on equity and access for immigrants, multilingual providers, caregivers, and families."
(2) Adds supporting youth development programs serving children and youth ages birth through 12 to the spending goals and strategies section.
(3) Directs the Early Learning Advisory Council to convene a temporary licensing subcommittee to provide feedback and recommendations by December 1, 2022, on: (a) Improvement to the statewide licensing process; (b) strategies to increase the number of licensed child care providers; (c) model policies for licensed child care providers, including a licensing guidebook; and (d) incentives and financial supports to help prospective providers navigate the licensing process.
(4) Requires the Secretary of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to engage in negotiated rule making with the largest organization representing child care center owners and directors; the largest organization representing supervisors, teachers, and aides; and with other affected interests before adopting requirements that affect child care center licensees.
(5) Restores the existing definition of "school age child," which includes 12-year-olds.