Early learning programs, unlike other educational organizations, do not have system structure. Rather the system is made up of numerous nonprofit and for-profit businesses, as well as public agencies.
The lack of an organizational structure requires early learning programs and service providers to come together as a coalition to coordinate and expand services, as well as identify and fill service delivery gaps in the community.
Since 2001, Support for Early Learning & Families, or SELF, has worked with local early learning providers to build a coordinated system.
The gaps in the early learning system won’t be filled immediately, but great strides and progress happen when people come together to solve problems. The term, “we are better together” recently was put into action when several partners worked to resolve unfilled Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program slots . ECEAP is a state-funded preschool program.
Many studies have shown that early childhood education and family support is one of the best investments the state can make. However, reaching the children who most need the support can be difficult.
ECEAP is more than preschool. It provides services and support to those children in families living at or below 110 percent of the poverty level who may qualify for special education or who are experiencing developmental or environmental risk factors.
In 2013, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 5904, mandating the expansion of Washington’s ECEAP program to serve all eligible children by the 2018-19 school year. Currently, only 34 percent of Clark County’s ECEAP-eligible children have access to the program. This expansion created additional spots for Clark County, for a total of 1,110.
Innovative Services Northwest, Educational Opportunities for Children and Families and Educational Service District 112 are the contracted organizations with the Department of Early Learning to provide these services. They also work with community partners to identify eligible children and work with their families to make enrollment possible.
Opportunities, challenges
As the state expands the ECEAP program, local communities are experiencing both new opportunities and challenges. One of these challenges is reaching children and families that have not previously been served. Local ECEAP providers were having trouble filling new slots and asked SELF to help them.
As a result, not only did all of the existing SELF partners agree to help with outreach efforts, but they were able to connect providers with new partners for basic needs such as food, housing and employment services for the community’s neediest families.
Relationships between case managers and outreach coordinators were developed, and after significant, coordinated effort — including going door to door in neighborhoods — all of the new slots for the 2014-15 school year were filled. By working together, the contracted organizations could concentrate efforts and identify more families to move immediately into the slots.
Filled ECEAP slots means that more children entering kindergarten are “school ready.” It is estimated that as many as 30 percent — and in some schools 50 percent — are not ready on the first day of school. And if they are not ready and don’t catch up prior to the third grade, it is most likely that they will remain behind.
SELF approaches everything by asking if is it good for kids. ECEAP is incredibly good for kids. Moreover, it’s important that people, businesses and organizations come together to solve problems. Solving the ECEAP challenges clears the way for the early learning community to tackle another gap in the system.
Debbie Ham is executive director of Vancouver-based Support for Early Learning and Families.