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Early Learning Implementation Team
Composed of early learning stakeholders from throughout King County, the Early Learning Implementation Team (ELIT) oversees the overall implementation of the Early Childhood & School Readiness Action Agenda. ELIT also acts as the King County Early Learning Coalition, working locally and with other early learning coalitions statewide to implement the WA State Early Learning Plan (ELP) and improve early learning service for children and families.
Action Team Focus- Access to Quality Early Learning (Champions for Children)
- Transition to Kindergarten (Getting School Ready)
- Community Outreach and Education (Prevention and Early Intervention)
CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN ACTION TEAM
The Champions for Children Action Team is a collaboration of public and private organizations working to increase the quality of childcare and after-school programs for all of the community's children.
Strategies:
- Increasing the number of King County children in nationally accredited programs.
- Increasing public and parental awareness of the importance of early learning and care and after-school programs.
- Coordinating with the Washington Scholars program to promote continuing education of early childhood and after-school professionals.
- Collaborating with statewide and local efforts to improve Washington's early learning/childcare and after-school system.
Actions:
- Providing support to childcare and after-school programs seeking national accreditation or reaccreditation.
- Identifying potential funding opportunities for additional accreditation support.
- Acknowledging newly and reaccredited programs.
- Acknowledging Washington Scholars participants and other professional development accomplishments.
- Championing the strategies of the King County Action Agendas for Early Childhood and School Readiness and School-Age Children and Youth.
Accomplishments:
- Increased the number of nationally accredited childcare programs from 9% in 2001 to 17% in May 2006.
- Provided intensive accreditation support to over 30 childcare centers serving diverse communities throughout the county.
- Held 3 recognition events for programs achieving national accreditation and individuals achieving professional development milestones.
- Expanded grant resources to accredit 130 additional childcare centers through United Way of King County/Child Care Resources partnership.
- Launched Family Child Care Accreditation Pilot Project.
Meetings: Meets quarterly (January, April, July, October) on the third Friday of the month from 8:30-10:00am in Seattle. Call for location.
GETTING SCHOOL READY ACTION TEAM 
View Getting School Ready Handbook
The Getting School Ready Action Team seeks to build partnership between parents/caregivers, early childhood educators and kindergarten teachers support children to get ready for school and help schools be ready to meet the needs of their students. The team meets monthly to share and update the community on issues related to school readiness.
Accomplishments:
- Piloted and are implementing Getting School Ready Teams in 25 King County elementary schools during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 school year
- School districts currently hosting GSR teams include Bellevue, Highline, Kent, Lake Washington, Northshore, Riverview, Seattle and Shoreline
- Produced and disseminated Getting School Ready E-newsletters
- Promoted and disseminated over 83,000 Getting School Ready booklets and over 200 kits to the King County community. The purpose of the booklets is to help parents, caregivers, early childhood educators and kindergarten teachers support children to get ready for school; and help schools be ready to meet the needs of their students. The booklets are translated into 7 different languages, including Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Cambodian, Somali, and Vietnamese
- Trained childcare providers, resource agency representatives and parents in use of Getting School Ready materials
| Bellevue School District Child Care Resources City of Seattle Community Day School Association Comprehensive Health Education Foundation East FACES North FACES Seattle FACES Foundation for Early Learning Highline Public Schools Kent School District King County 0-3 Early Intervention/Child Development Program King County Interagency Coordinating Council King County Library System |
Lake Washington School District Latino Child Care Task Force Northshore Schools ParentMap Praxis Institute for Early Childhood Development Puget Sound Educational Service District Riverview School District Seattle Public Libraries Seattle Public Schools Shoreline School District SOAR Talaris Research Institute Tukwila Public Schools United Way of King County Washington Alliance for Better Schools |
Contact: Diane Kroll,
(206) 439-6906 x3988
Meetings: Second Friday of the month from 9:00 to 11:00am in Seattle. Call for location.
PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION ACTION TEAM
The Prevention and Early Intervention Action Team works to increase access for children and families most in need of services receive high-quality, affordable and culturally-competent services early. Our aim is to make sure families can find the services they need to help them assess their children's development and to address problems as early as possible. Examples of these services are: special instruction; mental health services; and physical, occupational and speech therapy.
Over the course of the summer and fall of 2006, focus groups were held representing diverse communities—including families of children with and without developmental disabilities, several ethnic groups and the medical community, including family practice doctors, pediatricians, and nurses.
Taking guidance from these groups, the Prevention and Early Intervention Action Team is focusing its efforts on three strategies:
- Public awareness and community education to encourage parents of young children to be aware of development and to know how to access developmental supports.
- Case management assistance to connect with service systems.
- The development of bilingual/bicultural community liaisons who work with families to connect them with appropriate services.
The Prevention and Early Intervention Action Team also works with the FACES groups and other key SOAR partners and community stakeholders to disseminate information about the developmental disabilities system.
Contact: Jan Wrathall,
(206) 296-2912, jan.wrathall@kingcounty.gov
Meetings: First Thursday of the month from 10:00am to Noon. Call for location.
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