Early Childhood Focus

OPINION Washington's Children Paying the Biggest Price in Economic Downturn

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:22:29 PST

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

Child Care Cuts In Yakima

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:26:36 PST

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.

Gov. Gregoire Signs Bills to Improve Washington State Child Care

Wed, 18 May 2011 17:40:15 PST

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.

Bill Implements Harsher Penalties for Unlicensed Child-care Centers

Tue, 17 May 2011 10:04:29 PST

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.

Small Childcares Earn Big Tax Dollars

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:36:25 PST

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.

Child Care Feels Pinch of State�s Cuts

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:07:59 PST

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.

Families Move Off Child Care Subsidy Waiting List, Onto Program

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:39:17 PST

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.

Gates/WSU Child Care Program in Doubt

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:46:55 PST

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

WA House Approves Budget Cuts, 1st Vote of Session

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:42:18 PST

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.

Bill Would Increase Child Care Subsidies

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:11:39 PST

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.

Cuts Hit Program Funding Child Care

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 14:33:50 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Spokesman-Review
By Kevin Graman
More than 4,000 working poor households across the state will lose their child care subsidies in the coming year as a result of budget cuts to Washington WorkFirst, the state�s temporary assistance program.

Effort Underway to Save Child Care Subsidy Program

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:45:24 PST

EXCERPT FROM: King5.com
By Chris Daniels
OLYMPIA � Several low income families are making a last minute push to save a child care subsidy program. Many families are expecting to see the aid evaporate due to state budget cuts.

Alert: Washington Working Connections Child Care Subsidy to Be Cut?

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:32:12 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Examiner.com
By Wilda Herald
The Washington budget meltdown mess is claiming victims. Latest is the potential cut to the childcare subsidy for about 2,500 families. This subsidy allows low-income workers to afford child care. The Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP has the following information about the Childcare Subsidy

Student-Parents Concerned with Campus Resources

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:20:28 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Daily
By Katie Burke
Zach Folwick scours Craigslist on a regular basis to find babysitting care for his 2-year-old daughter.

Parties Join Forces to Boost Education

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:19:53 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Olympian
By Staff
A coalition of 18 Thurston County agencies and people has aligned its efforts to advance early-childhood education, but a panel of educators says too many gaps still exist in reaching children from birth through
age 5.

State Child Care Cuts Put More Working Families at Risk

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:11:09 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Public News Service
By STAFF
SEATTLE - About 2,500 low-wage working families in Washington will soon be scrambling to afford their child care. They are being disqualified from receiving state child care assistance under the Working Connections program, as part of last week's budget cuts.

Child Care Subsidies Among Gregoire Cuts

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:48:47 PST

EXCERPT FROM: KPLU
By Gary Davis
(KPLU) - Among the budget cuts announced by Governor Chris Gregoire on Thursday are child care subsidies to families on welfare. Gregoire says September's revenue forecast is likely to be bleak, and the outlook prompted her to make $51 million in reductions to the state's Workfirst program.

Washington State Considering Deep Cut in Child Care Subsidies

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:16:36 PST

EXCERPT FROM: BirthtoThrive Online
By Paul Nyhan
With time running out in the Washington State legislative session, a cut in child care subsidies for poor families remains a $30-million part of a House plan to balance the budget, though the Senate appears to support more funding.

Pathways Child Care Program faces Funding Cuts

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:15:31 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The News Tribune
By Kristi Pihl
PASCO � A little girl bends over a coloring book, her crayon spreading red across the page.

Washington Governor Restores Some, Not All, Cuts to Early Learning

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:36:37 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Birth to Thrive Online
By Paul Nyhan
In one of the toughest budget seasons in recent years, Washington State Gov. Christine Gregoire offered some good early learning news, restoring funding for 1,500 public preschool slots and child care subsidies for working poor families in her new budget.