(1) Beginning December 15, 2015, and each December 15th thereafter, the department, in collaboration with the statewide child care resource and referral organization, and the early achievers review subcommittee of the early learning advisory council, shall submit, in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, a progress report to the governor and the legislature regarding providers' progress in the early achievers program. Each progress report must include the following elements:

(a) The number, and relative percentage, of family child care and center providers who have enrolled in the early achievers program and who have:

(i) Completed the level 2 activities;

(ii) Completed rating readiness consultation and are waiting to be rated;

(iii) Achieved the required rating level to remain eligible for state-funded support under the early childhood education and assistance program or a subsidy under the working connections child care program;

(iv) Not achieved the required rating level initially but qualified for and are working through intensive targeted support in preparation for a partial rerate outside the standard rating cycle;

(v) Not achieved the required rating level initially and engaged in remedial activities before successfully achieving the required rating level;

(vi) Not achieved the required rating level after completing remedial activities; or

(vii) Received an extension from the department based on exceptional circumstances pursuant to RCW 43.215.100;

(b) A review of the services available to providers and children from diverse cultural backgrounds;

(c) An examination of the effectiveness of efforts to increase successful participation by providers serving children and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and providers who serve children from low-income households;

(d) A description of the primary obstacles and challenges faced by providers who have not achieved the required rating level to remain eligible to receive:

(i) A subsidy under the working connections child care program; or

(ii) State-funded support under the early childhood education and assistance program;

(e) A summary of the types of exceptional circumstances for which the department has granted an extension pursuant to RCW 43.215.100;

(f) The average amount of time required for providers to achieve local level milestones within each level of the early achievers program;

(g) To the extent data is available, an analysis of the distribution of early achievers program-rated facilities in relation to child and provider demographics, including but not limited to race and ethnicity, home language, and geographical location;

(h) Recommendations for improving access for children from diverse cultural backgrounds to providers rated at a level 3 or higher in the early achievers program;

(i) Recommendations for improving the early achievers program standards;

(j) An analysis of any impact from quality strengthening efforts on the availability and quality of infant and toddler care;

(k) The number of contracted slots that use both early childhood education and assistance program funding and working connections child care program funding; and

(l) A description of the early childhood education and assistance program implementation to include the following:

(i) Progress on early childhood education and assistance program implementation as required pursuant to RCW 43.215.415, 43.215.425, and 43.215.455;

(ii) An examination of the regional distribution of new preschool programming by zip code;

(iii) An analysis of the impact of preschool expansion on low-income neighborhoods and communities;

(iv) Recommendations to address any identified barriers to access to quality preschool for children living in low-income neighborhoods;

(v) An analysis of any impact of extended day early care and education opportunities directives;

(vi) An examination of any identified barriers for providers to offer extended day early care and education opportunities;

(vii) An analysis of the demand for full-day programming for early childhood education and assistance program providers required under RCW 43.215.415; and

(viii) To the extent data is available, an analysis of the cultural diversity of early childhood education and assistance program providers and participants.

(2) The first annual report due under subsection (1) of this section also shall include a description of the early achievers program extension protocol required under RCW 43.215.100.

(3) The elements required to be reported under subsection (1)(a) of this section must be reported at the county level, and for those counties with a population of five hundred thousand and higher, the data must be reported at the zip code level.

(4) If, based on information in an annual report submitted in 2018 or later under this section, fifteen percent or more of the licensed or contracted providers who are participating in the early achievers program in a county or in a single zip code have not achieved the rating levels under RCW 43.215.135 and 43.215.415, the department must:

(a) Analyze the reasons providers in the affected counties or zip codes have not attained the required rating levels; and

(b) Develop a plan to mitigate the effect on the children and families served by these providers. The plan must be submitted to the legislature as part of the annual progress report along with any recommendations for legislative action to address the needs of the providers and the children and families they serve.

[2015 3rd sp.s. c 7 § 18.]

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