EXCERPT FROM: The News Tribune
By Joel Ryan
Washington’s youngest children are struggling more every day; our state’s Head Start and preschool programs see this firsthand. As more families lose jobs and homes due to the recession, our programs have seen their wait lists more than double, with more than 20,000 children eligible but left out.

EXCERPT FROM: KIMA CBS 29
By Sarah Navoy
YAKIMA -- The ABC & 123 Daycare looks full, but owner, Kelly Connelly, says there's actually plenty of room for more.

EXCERPT FROM: BirthtoThrive Online
By Paul Nyhan
Washington state does not have a lot of extra money lying around these days, but Gov. Christine Gregoire signed three bills into law this week to improve child care.

EXCERPT FROM: The News Tribune
By Katie Schmidt
Looking back on it, Chris and Jamie Thompson can’t believe how much their lives have changed since May 20, 2010. That was the day their 9-month-old son, Colby, was air-lifted from his daycare in Auburn to Seattle Children’s Hospital.

EXCERPT FROM: KING 5 News
By Chris Ingalls
SEATTLE -- One of the biggest social service programs in the state of Washington helps income-qualifying parents pay for daycare.

EXCERPT FROM: The Spokesman-Review
By Pia Hallenberg
Karen Holmes is losing sleep these days. She’s the director of the North East Youth Center in Hillyard, so there’s plenty to worry about in terms of taking care of 70 children before and after school, but lately there’s one specific issue that keeps her up at night.

EXCERPT FROM: DEL Connect
By Washington State Department of Early Learning
On April 1, the Department of Early Learning (DEL) began notifying about half of families on the Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) subsidy waiting list that space is now available for them on the program. We are sending letters to 1,431 families letting them know they have 10 days to call and complete the application process.

EXCERPT FROM: The News Tribune
By Kristi Pihl
PASCO — Hortencia Dominguez Ferrusca's first chance to go to school came as an adult.

EXCERPT FROM: The Seattle Times
By Curt Woodward
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington House on Monday approved a package of spending cuts and fund transfers that reduces this year's state budget deficit by more than half.

EXCERPT FROM: Kitsap Sun
By John Stang
OLYMPIA — A bill to increase state subsidies for child care centers was introduced in the Washington House on Wednesday.