1. The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, known as ECEAP, is Washington state’s pre-kindergarten program for low-income and at-risk 3- and 4-year-olds.
ABOUT THIS SLIDE DECK:
It is intended as a catalog of current data and topics, from which you can select and re-order slides for presentations.
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2. DEL Organization
ECEAP is administered by the Washington State Department of Early Learning (DEL).
DEL is the newest state agency, and celebrated it’s 10 year anniversary in 2016.
DEL is a cabinet level agency, which means DEL Director Ross Hunter sits on the Governor’s cabinet.
DEL has four “divisions”:
ECEAP is in the Quality Practice and Professional Growth division - with Early Achievers, DEL’s PreK-3rd grade alignment, coordination with OSPI on kindergarten assessment (WaKIDS), and our professional development initiations.
The other DEL divisions are:
Communications/Government Relations
Licensing and Oversight - includes licensing, background checks, aligning our standards between programs
Partnerships and Collaboration -Strengthening Families WA, Early Supports for Infants and Toddlers, home visiting, Head State State Collaboration Office and Healthiest Next Generation and more. 2

3. DEL ECEAP Staff 2016
This is the current ECEAP team at DEL. There are 18 DEL ECEAP staff located in Olympia and around the state.
Our Management team includes:
Pre-K-3/ECEAP Administrator Kelli Bohanon
Program Collaboration and Operations Manager Karin Ganz
Monitoring & Oversight Manager Karen Healy
Data Analyst Joyce Kilmer.
The Pre-K Specialist staff are the main point of contact for Contractors regarding the Performance Standards, the ECEAP contract, and to help with training resources, requirements and other questions you might have. They:
Conduct monthly calls with ECEAP directors
Monitor contractors for compliance
Use a strength-based approach and team decision making
Provide technical assistance and support
The data analyst and coordinators:
Design enhancements for the Early Learning Management System (ELMS)
Manage ELMS support and fixes
Monitor data reported through ELMS.
Provide data to contractors, policymakers and researchers
Create reports, including the state Saturation Study and annual outcomes reports.
Coordinate the ELMS to GOLD data feed.
Provide DSHS client addresses for you to use to recruit families.
Justin Chan, our ECEAP Program Coordinator, manages contracts and oversees the legislative session, facility study and community work.
Kelcy Shaffer, our Program and Planning and Operational Specialist, approves vouchers for payment, coordinates fiscal reviews, and creates the annual calendar.
Administrative Assistant Svenja Hopkins responds to questions through the ECEAP Inbox, and is responsible for much internal coordination. 3

4. What is ECEAP?
ECEAP is Washington’s pre-kindergarten program that prepares 3- and 4-year-old children from low-income families for success in school and in life.
In 1985, the state Legislature established the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP).
Recommended by the Washington Business Roundtable and shepherded into existence by former Governor Booth Gardner, Washington created one of the first state-funded pre-kindergarten programs in the nation.
They wanted to extend the benefits of the federal Head Start program to more Washington children.
Their goal was to support the healthy development and future success of low-income three- and four-year-olds. 4

5. Goals of ECEAP
Comprehensive education, family support, and health services
Whole child development to enhance success in school and life
Strength-based
support for families
Culturally-relevant
services
The goals of ECEAP are:
To provide a comprehensive pre-kindergarten program that integrates education, family support and health services.
To foster the development of the whole child and enhance opportunities for success in school and life.
To focus on parent and family strengths and support each parent as their child’s first and most important teacher and provider of safety, loving care and stability.
To honor each family’s culture and language, and ensure culturally-relevant services. 5

6. ECEAP Comprehensive Services
Health Coordination Services
Family Partnerships
Early Childhood Education
Washington state has one of the few state-funded pre-k programs with comprehensive services.
This means integrated high-quality preschool education, family support, parent involvement, and health and nutrition services.
This comprehensive approach is based on well-researched programs that save states money by reducing special education and criminal justice costs, and increasing high school graduation rates and future employment prospects.
Health Coordination Services include:
Vision, hearing, and height/weight screenings
Ensuring children have medical and dental homes
Ensuring children’s well child exams and dental screenings are up to date
Integrating health practices into the daily curricula, such as physical activity, hand washing and tooth-brushing.
Providing nutritious meals
Working with families on needed health referrals
Creating individualized health plans for children with chronic health conditions
Family partnerships include:
Partnering with parents in a strength-based approach to assess the family’s unique strengths and needs
Professional family support staff working with families throughout the year to support family goals
Increasing families’ knowledge of supports and strategies for self-sufficiency
Parent education opportunities inside and outside of their child’s classroom
Parent leadership opportunities through parent committees and Policy Council
Early Childhood Education includes:
Classrooms that support the whole child in physical motor, cognitive, language, social and emotional development
Developmentally appropriate curriculum to support kindergarten readiness
Curriculum informed by observational assessment of individual children, as well as family input
Rich learning environments that reflect the daily life, family culture and languages of the enrolled children
Language-rich, positive adult child interactions
Periodic conferences for parents and children to share about children’s growth and development 6

7. ECEAP Classroom Models
Part Day
Minimum of 3 hours per day *
30 weeks per year
360 hours per year*
Full School Day
Average of 6 hours per day
At least 4 days per week
1000 hours per year
Extended Day
10 hours per day
5 days per week
Year round - at least 2,370 hours per year
There are currently three models of classroom services in ECEAP, to meet the needs of families and communities.
Part Day
Child slots awarded prior to 2015 required a minimum of 2.5 hours per day, 320 hours per year spread over 30 calendar weeks.
Contractors receiving expansion in 2015 or later must provide a minimum of 3 hours per class session, 360 hours per year spread over 30 weeks.
Full School Day
In 2014 a Full School Day model was created.
These classes operate 5.5 to 6.5 hours per day, a minimum of 1,000 hours per year and at least four days per week.
Some of these classes are in sites with child care licenses or completed expedited licensing visits.
Extended Day
Also in 2014, an Extended Day model was created.
These classes are 10 or more hours per day, five days per week, year round (at least 2,370 hours per year).
Extended Day classes are in sites with child care licenses.
* For Part Day slots awarded prior to 2015, minimum requirements are 2.5 hours per day and 320 hours per year, 7

8. ECEAP Child Development and Learning Outcomes
Social Emotional
50% %
Physical
59% %
Language
51% %
Cognitive
51% %
Literacy
46% %
Math
27% %
Joyce will update this slide for when the data is available.
Child Development and Learning Outcomes:
ECEAP children are assessed three times during the school year to track their social emotional, physical, language and cognitive development and their early literacy and math skills.
ECEAP contractors use GOLD® by Teaching Strategies, a valid and reliable observational assessment system.
Percentages on this slide reflect the number of children at or above age level at the beginning (in red) and end (in green) of the ECEAP year.
A 2014 study by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy found that ECEAP continues to have a positive impact on third, fourth, and fifth grade test scores.
ECEAP’s impact on test scores is almost twice as large as the average effect found when in research on early childhood programs in other states.

9. ECEAP Health Outcomes 2015-16
No medical home:
8% → 3%
No medical coverage:
8% → 0%
Behind schedule on immunizations:
26% → 4%
Behind schedule for well-child exam:
38% → 9%
Medical Care
No dental home:
16% → 5%
No dental coverage:
10% → 0%
Behind schedule on dental screenings:
57% → 7%
Dental Care
Received vision care as a result of ECEAP screening:
206 Children
Received hearing care as a result of ECEAP screening:
49 children
Vision and Hearing Care
Mental health consultation:
402 children
Mental
Health
Health Coordination is one of the ECEAP comprehensive services.
Here are some highlights for the school year.
This includes all children enrolled in ECEAP statewide for 120 or more days.
Percentages reflect the children with this characteristic at enrollment (in red) and at exit (in green).
We are making a significant impact on children’s health and health care while they are in ECEAP.

10. Family Support Goals defined in RCW 43.215.405
Active participation in child’s early childhood program
Increase child development knowledge and parenting skills
Further education and training
Increase ability to use needed community services
Increase self-reliance
Family support services are based on these goals.
Kids' Potential, Our Purpose

11. Who is Eligible?
Children are eligible if they are at least 3, but not yet 5 by August 31 of the school year and either:
From families ≤110% FPL ($26,730 for family of 4).
Qualified for special education services (on IEP).
Receiving Child Protective Services (CPS), Indian Child Welfare (ICW) Services or Family Assessment Response (FAR) services.
Above 110% FPL with specific risk factors related by research to school performance.

12. Prioritization
There are not currently enough slots in ECEAP for all eligible children. They are prioritized for enrollment based on a point system in ELMS. Highest priority is given to eligible children who are:
Four years old.
From the lowest-income families.
Experiencing homelessness.
In foster care.
Receiving CPS, ICW or FAR.
Have multiple risk factors.
DEL is currently conducting research to refine the priority point system. We are evaluating which risk factors most impact Teaching Strategies GOLD ratings at the time children start ECEAP.

13. Who does ECEAP serve? 2015-16 percentages of 13,337 enrolled children
For more detail, see the statewide Child Demographics report in ELMS. 13

14. ECEAP Child Race & Ethnicity14

15. ECEAP Directors Meeting 2012
How many children are served?
Slots: ECEAP has 11,691 funded slots for children.
Children: In , 13,336 attended ECEAP (14% turnover).
Waiting list: In March 2016, there were 3,261 children on the waiting list.
Unserved: There are 23,000 children eligible who are not served by ECEAP or Head Start. 15

16. Slots needed for statutory entitlement
ECEAP Expansion
Slots needed for statutory entitlement
19,091
Slots
School year : +1,850 slots
17,241
Slots
School year : +1,850 slots
15,391
Slots
School year : +1,850 slots
State law requires us to serve all eligible children whose families chose to participate, by the school year.
Based on the forecast provided by the Caseload Forecast Council, we need 7400 more ECEAP slots to address this requirement.
13,541
Slots
School year : +1,850 slots
11,691
Slots
School years and

17. Kids' Potential, Our Purpose
Where is ECEAP?
In the school year:
ECEAP is funded by the legislature for 11,691 slots for children.
Operated by 54 contractors, which are organizations that receive funds and guidance directly from DEL to implement ECEAP.
Contractors include school districts, ESDs, local governments, county agencies, non-profit organizations, Head Start grantees, community colleges, community action agencies, child care centers and family home child care providers.
In 35 of 39 counties
(For , unserved counties are Jefferson, Mason and Skamania which are served by Head Start and Garfield county which is sparsely populated._
In more than 350 sites throughout the state (as shown on this map)
With more than 800 classes.
Kids' Potential, Our Purpose

18. ECEAP Sites are in: ECEAP sites are located in:
Public Schools (53% of ECEAP sites are in schools)
Child Care Centers
Faith-based Facilities
Head Start Facilities
Non-profit organizations
Family child care homes
At least 74 sites (20%) offer child care outside of ECEAP class hours. 18

19. ECEAP Communities are:
ELMS calculates the type of community for each ECEAP site by zip code using the federal Rural-Urban Commuting Code classifications as adopted by the state Dept of Health.
If a small town has a majority population commuting to a large city for work, it is classified as Urban 19

20. ELMS Web-based Aligned with ECEAP Standards
Early Learning Management System
Web-based
Aligned with ECEAP Standards
Contributes to state longitudinal data
Provides data for policymakers
What is ELMS?
ELMS stands for Early Learning Management System.
It is the required data system for all ECEAP contractors.
ELMS is web-based - You can access it whenever and wherever you can get on the internet.
It is built to support the ECEAP Performance Standards, so it’s easier for you to stay in compliance with program requirements.
For example:
It awards priority points based on child risk factors, and manages a prioritized waiting list, so you can enroll the children most in need of ECEAP.
It helps you do complicated things, like figure out income when parents have joint custody.
ELMS is part of the state’s Longitudinal data system,
It allows researchers to access de-identified data to see what happens with ECEAP children in general as they move through K-12, higher education and into the workforce.
This will help us learn more about what works to support children for the long haul.
Provides data for the governor’s office, legislators, and other policymakers, so they can make decisions affecting ECEAP.
For these reasons, it is very important that you enter accurate data in ELMS.
ELMS Administrators, such as yourselves, and ECEAP Directors are jointly responsible for this.
Contact us at any time you have questions about how to enter accurate 20

21. Return on Investment
Economists find that high quality early learning programs show the best return on investment of public dollars.
Longitudinal research on programs similar to ECEAP shows increased:
Reading and math skills.
Social competence.
Reduced need for special education.
High school graduation.
College attendance.
Full-time employment in adulthood.
Add links to research. 21

22. High-quality early learning
Full day programming
Teachers are highly educated, supported, & compensated
Evidence-based curricula
Targeted comprehensive services
Rich learning environments
Stimulating and supportive adult:child interactions
Parent engagement beyond “training”
Stable funding
Only high quality early learning environments have these benefits.
Quality early learning benefits ALL children.
Disadvantaged children and families show the most significant outcomes
How is Washington addressing this?
Early Achievers ratings are based on observed classroom quality measures
Coaching for child care and ECEAP on implementing quality practices
Aligning licensed child care and ECEAP (with Head Start when applicable)
Pre-K through 3rd grade alignment initiatives
ECEAP evidence-based curriculum pilot
ECEAP Family Support Pilot

23. Early Achievers ECEAP ratings as of 8-15-16
Connects families to early learning and care programs with the help of an easy-to-understand rating system.
Offers coaching, professional development, and resources for providers to support each child’s learning and development.
All ECEAP sites must attain a Level 4 or 5 rating in the Early Achievers system.
ECEAP sites with child care licenses have 18 months to attain this level.
All other ECEAP sites must attain this level within 12 months of beginning ECEAP classes. 23

24. ECEAP NIEER Rating
ECEAP is consistently ranked one of the highest quality state-funded preschool programs in the nation.
NIEER Rating: 9 of 10 points
8th in the nation for state spending
32nd in the nation for access for 4-year-olds. 19th for 3-year-olds
ECEAP received 9 out of 10 quality points from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for our state early learning guidelines, comprehensive family support and health coordination services, early childhood education (ECE) training requirement for teachers and assistant teachers, class size, staff–to-child ratios, meals and DEL’s monitoring of program quality.
To get the 10th quality point we would need to require lead teachers to have a BA. 24

25. Early Learning Plan “ready” framework
No one does this alone.
Families, teachers, schools, organizations and communities work together to improve school readiness. 25

26. ECEAP Requirements Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 43.215.400 - 456
Washington Administrative Code (WAC) chapter
ECEAP Contract
ECEAP
Performance
Standards
ECEAP is established in state law (RCW) with rules in WAC.
ECEAP Contractors can design services to address local needs while meeting the requirements of the DEL ECEAP Contract, including the Performance Standards. 26

27. ECEAP Funding
In , ECEAP was allocated $99,406,233 by the state Legislature.
This is an average of $8,503 per child.
94% of these funds goes directly to communities for services to children and families. The remaining 6% is for state administration, training, assessment tools, and curricula.
We also received $40,500 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for special projects. 27

28. Morning Break 28

29. LUNCH