Early Learning

During their first five years, children develop the skills they need to succeed in school and life.
About 80,000 children enter kindergarten in Washington state each year, and many lack basic language and behavioral skills—such as knowing letters and colors, following directions, getting along with others, and exhibiting impulse control. Unfortunately, when children start behind, they often stay behind, leading to an achievement gap in elementary school and beyond.

Quality early learning builds a stronger education system and more competitive workforce for the future.
Research has shown that children—especially at-risk children—benefit from quality early learning programs. Quality programs offer intentional learning opportunities and a nurturing environment with room for individual attention. Unfortunately, too few children receive high-quality early learning opportunities.

We’re working to build a quality early learning system in Washington state.
Over the past decade, elected officials, business leaders, and philanthropic partners have come together to support quality early learning. Together, we have made great progress. With leadership from the Department of Early Learning, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Thrive by Five Washington, and other education, government and business leaders, the state is developing a coordinated early learning system that measures and improves the quality of services for children.

Next: Our Approach

Since 2005, we’ve collaborated with public, private, and community partners to improve early learning experiences in Washington State. We believe that early learning investments must be driven by rigorous evidence. That’s why we invest in the systems that measure and improve the quality of early learning programs. We also support key strategies in the Washington State Early Learning Plan, including:

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS): WaKIDS brings families, teachers, and early learning providers together to better track kindergarten readiness and help the Department of Early Learning identify which early learning investments are needed most.

Washington’s Voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS): Washington state’s QRIS aims to improve licensed child care by setting quality standards; offering resources and support—such as coaching and mentoring—for child care providers; and providing information about child care options to families.

Preschool Through Third Grade (P-3) Alignment: P-3 efforts across the state bring together school districts and early learning providers to strengthen the quality of children’s classroom experiences, improve transitions between early learning centers and elementary schools, and build state and local P-3 leaders.

Home Visiting Services: Studies show that home visiting can improve parental skills, build parent-child attachment, reduce child abuse and neglect, and promote school readiness. Administered jointly by the Department of Early Learning and Thrive by Five Washington, the Home Visiting Services Account pools public and private dollars to build a strong program infrastructure for home visiting in the state and provides an effective way to measure results and coordinate training across programs.

We are committed to working with a broad range of partners to increase school readiness and help children and families thrive.