December 1, 2009

United Ways of Washington
Legislative Update #1

Intro & Message Contents
Happy holidays! This is the first message from the United Ways of Washington (UWWA) to kick off the UWWA legislative update season which commences as legislative activity in Washington State begins.

In this message:

• About UUWA Legislative Updates
• Subscription Info
• What’s Coming
• What’s Been Happening

About UWWA Legislative Updates
What the update is: Weekly messages delivered to your email inbox during the course of legislative session. Each week the update reports on the key early learning “take-aways” from the week in Olympia and explores in more depth issues of high importance related to policy and budget actions. This is the third year the UWWA (http://www.unitedway-wa.org/) in partnership with the Washington Child Care Resource & Referral Network (http://www.childcarenet.org/) will produce weekly email updates during the legislative session. This update currently reaches several hundred diverse stakeholders across Washington.  

Why the update is useful for you: Last year, subscribers told us that they relied on the UWWA update to save them time and keep them current about important happenings in Olympia by providing “clear, factual, and comprehensive” summaries that were “very easy to read and understand.”  Our goal is broad information sharing of early learning legislative and budget items in Washington State. We aim to provide background and context of the broader legislative and political processes and also offer historical insights that illuminate the activity happening today. We do not issue calls to action, but rather strive to arm you with information that improves your advocacy effectiveness on the early learning issues that matter most to you, your family, and community.

Who the update is for: Parents, community leaders, early learning professionals, K12 professionals, business leaders, policymakers and staff, advocates, and anyone concerned about the well-being of children. The update is for people who know a lot or very little about policy.

Subscription Info
To subscribe please send the following info to Erica Hallock, CEO of UWWA, at erica.hallock@unitedway.org: (1) your name; (2) your organization name; and (3) your email address. We encourage you to forward the legislative updates to your networks. See some 2009 updates at: http://www.unitedway-wa.org/leg_updates.html

What’s Coming
As the Legislature gears up to reconvene on January 11th for a short session and Governor Gregoire finalizes her 2010 supplemental budget for release in early December, the $2.6 billion budget gap looms large. 

At the same time, after months of intensive and inclusive work, a draft Early Learning Plan and recommendations for the 2010 legislative session will be released jointly on December 1st by the Dept. of Early Learning (DEL), the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Thrive by Five Washington (Thrive). Watch DEL’s website (http://www.del.wa.gov/partnerships/elac/elp.aspx) for both reports to be posted on December 1st.

Although the current budget challenges threaten progress made to date on early learning and limit any near-term advances, the work included in the draft Early Learning Plan and recommendations for Governor Gregoire provides a roadmap of steps to take once the economy and state budget situation rebounds. 

Advocate Response.  Advocates are in the process of finalizing their 2010 legislative agendas, with most focusing primarily on preserving existing investments – or a “no cuts” approach.  Under the auspices of the Early Learning Action Alliance (ELAA), parents, providers, early learning professionals and nontraditional supporters such as business, law enforcement and the medical community, have communicated their support of early learning to Governor Gregoire.

We know that most early learning investments in our state are supported by federal dollars, with the exception of ECEAP.  We know that most state investments in early learning are in jeopardy given the budget deficit.  In particular, state funding for child care resource and referral and the Career and Wage Ladder could face elimination of state funding when the Governor’s budget is released in December.

Here is a calendar of upcoming items.

• December 1. The release of two key documents: (1) the Draft Early Learning Plan; and (2) a letter to the Governor from the heads of the DEL, OSPI, and Thrive about the state’s role in providing early learning to all children.
• December 2-4. Committee Days in Olympia. This is the second time the Legislature will come together for committee meetings this interim, or break between legislative sessions. Of note, are the following committees:
•  Wednesday, December 2, 9:00am in House Hearing Room A. Joint Hearing for four key committees: Ways & Means, Education Appropriations, Education, and Early Learning and Children’s Services. There will be a briefing on ESHB 2261, the education reform bill passed at the close of the 2009 session. This bill is of particular interest to the early learning due to the Governor’s May 2009 veto of including a program of early learning for at-risk preschoolers in the definition of basic education which would have given it constitutional funding protection. In addition, it is anticipated that DEL Dir. Hyde and Superintendent Dorn will present on the Draft Early Learning Plan. See agenda at: http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/ELCS/Pages/Agendas.aspx   
• Thursday, December 3, Senate Early Learning and K12 Committee, 3:30pm in Senate Hearing Room A. The Committee will be discussing items related to basic education including status on the Funding Formula Work Group created by ESHB 2261 and a request for an opinion from the Attorney General’s Office on the legal implications for including early learning in the definition of basic education. See agenda at: http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/EDU/Pages/Agendas.aspx
• Thursday, December 3, House Ways & Means Committee, 3:30pm in House Hearing Room A. This will be an important opportunity to hear the latest information on the 2010 budget outlook, hear discussion on cost-savings options, and the fiscal leaders’ perspectives on key issues. See agenda at:  http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/WAYS/Pages/Agendas.aspx
• Friday, December 4, House Education Committee, 8:00am in House Hearing Room A. A preview of 2010 policy recommendations from OSPI will be presented. It is important to note that the Vision Statement included in the Draft Early Learning Plan focuses on early learning as the prenatal through third grade age span. See Committee agenda at: http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/ED/Pages/Agendas.aspx
• Mid-December. The release of the Governor’s proposed supplemental budget which is the starting point of budget discussions for the legislative session. Insiders anticipate the budget to be released the second week of December.  The House and Senate will release their budget proposals later in the session. This year, advocates are taking a “no cuts” stance for critical programs for vulnerable children.
• January 11, 2010. The start of a scheduled 60-day legislative session in Olympia. The session will be dominated with the task of balancing the budget, a constitutional requirement. Legislators will be wrestling with this difficult, and in some cases heartbreaking, work to mend an estimated $2.6 billion budget shortfall. The Governor and policymakers are already discussing the possibility of a mixed approach – doing service cuts as well as indentifying tax increases to help plug the monumental budget shortfall.
• Mid-December or Early-January. The next pre-session UWWA legislative update will be sent.

What’s Been Happening
Interim has been anything but calm for early learning.  Below is a summary of some of the key activities.  Our aim is to link these multiple and moving pieces together.

Early Learning Plan Work and December 1st Recommendation Processes.  The Governor’s veto of the early learning portion of HB 2261 following the 2009 legislative session and the Governor’s subsequent directive for DEL, OSPI and Thrive to provide recommendations for a comprehensive birth to third grade early learning system (see the Governor’s letter to Superintendent Dorn and DEL Dir. Hyde at: http://www.del.wa.gov/publications/partnerships/docs/GovernorEL_Letter060809.pdf), kicked off a hectic and complicated process to produce what is called the December 1st Recommendations.

In May, the Governor vetoed the portion of the education reform bill, HB 2261, that would consider preschool for at-risk three and four year olds stating she believes high-quality early learning should be available to all children (see veto message at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/Vetoes/2261-S.VTO.pdf). This was a surprise blow to the early learning community which had worked tirelessly with champions in the legislature to include a program of early learning in the definition of basic education hoping to constitutionally protect the program since the paramount duty of the state is to provide for basic education. However, the Governor’s personal and deep “committed to providing quality early learning programs for all of our children” and her dedication to “continue to work to develop an early learning program worthy of our earliest learners” is something early learning advocates support as evidenced in their participation in the Early Learning Plan work and December 1st Recommendation process.

The lead agencies, DEL, OSPI and Thrive, immediately recognized the necessity of (1) responding to the Governor’s directive collaboratively; and (2) integrating the recommendations to the Governor with the already-in-process Early Learning Planning effort.  This required the lead agencies to accelerate the Early Learning Plan process.

The creation of the Early Learning Plan is a mandate outlined in SB 5828 from the 2007 legislative session (see Section 3: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202007/5828-S2.SL.pdf). The Early Learning Advisory Council – in conjunction with DEL, Thrive, and OSPI and tireless advocates – have been working in earnest during an intense timeline to complete the Early Learning Plan draft by the December 1st deadline.  Per SB 5828, the Plan must cross systems and sectors to promote alignment of private and public sector actions, objectives, and resources to ensure school readiness.

A number of groups were established to divide labor and to ensure maximum input.   A steering committee for the Early Learning Plan was already in place and was joined by four newly created workgroups modeled after the Kids Matter Framework – Early Care and Education, Child Health and Development, Parent and Community Partnerships and Social, Emotional and Mental Health. A “December 1st Drafting Team” was also formed, consisting largely of staff from the lead agencies, the workgroup chairs and other key stakeholders. See Structure Chart at: http://www.del.wa.gov/publications/elac-qris/docs/ELP_StructureChart0826.pdf. 

The workgroups set out to develop detailed outcomes and strategies.  They then faced the herculean task of prioritizing the many outcomes and strategies.  A summary of these outcomes and strategies can be found here:  http://www.del.wa.gov/publications/elac-qris/docs/ELP_OutcomesStrategiesDraft102209.pdf. These workgroup outcomes and strategies also influenced the near-term recommendations responding to Governor Gregoire’s directives.

Key Communicators.  DEL, OSPI and Thrive are working diligently to secure feedback on the Early Learning Plan.  DEL is seeking “key communicators” as a mechanism for outreach.  To become a key communicator, click on the DEL website at www.del.wa.gov and go to “become a Key Communicator.”

Quality Education Council.  HB 2261 created a Quality Education Council (QEC) to focus on identifying funding sources and formulas for the changes called for in HB 2261.  Even though the Governor vetoed the portion of HB 2261 that would have included early learning in Basic Education, the portion calling for the QEC to address funding for Early Learning as part of Basic Education.

The QEC, Chaired by Supt. Randy Dorn, has met a number of times.  QEC members Reps. Priest and Sullivan have published a number of proposals and continue to be staunch advocates for including Early Learning in Basic Education.  Their current plan calls for including at-risk three and four-year olds in the definition.  The Priest/Sullivan proposal defines “at-risk” as meeting eligibility for the ECEAP program.  They call for joint governance by OSPI and DEL, a three-year phase-in, voluntary participation and a mixed delivery system of school and community-based providers.

Early Learning Partnership Resolution.  As a symbol of partnerships, in August 2009, the leaders of the Department of Early Learning, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Thrive by Five Washington signed an Early Learning Partnership resolution to collaborate on behalf of young children and families. As part of this partnership, the leaders agreed to meet regularly and review progress on joint efforts. http://www.del.wa.gov/publications/communications/docs/ELPartnershipUpdate_November09.pdf

Helpful Links

About the Early Learning Plan and December 1st Recommendations

• DEL’s Early Learning Plan info: http://www.del.wa.gov/partnerships/elac/elp.aspx
• Check here on December 1st for the release of the Early Learning Plan Draft and the recommendations the 2010 legislative session.
• “Near-Term Policy Priorities,” or the recommendations for the first phase priorities to implement the Early Learning Plan: http://www.del.wa.gov/publications/elac-qris/docs/PartnerAgencyNearTermPriorities-Draft11-4-09forELAC.pdf
• Offer your feedback on the “Near-Term Priorities” document until March 15, 2010 at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2b8OLl_2bBo8WKU1JZc6xpF4w_3d_3d 

About the Budget

• Schmudget: http://schmudget.blogspot.com/. A blog hosted by the Washington State Budget and Policy Center with helpful budget and revenue information.