Title 43 — Title 43 STATE GOVERNMENT—EXECUTIVE

(1) Before requiring any alterations to a child care facility due to inconsistencies with requirements in chapter 19.27 RCW, the department shall:(a) Consult with the city or county enforcement official; and(b) Receive written verification from the city or county enforcement offi…

(1) The office of administrative hearings shall not assign nor allow an administrative law judge to preside over an adjudicative hearing regarding denial, modification, suspension, or revocation of any license to provide child care under this chapter, unless such judge has receiv…

The secretary shall immediately suspend the license or certificate of a person who has been certified pursuant to RCW 74.20A.320 by the department of social and health services as a person who is not in compliance with a support order or a *residential or visitation order. If the…

Notwithstanding the existence or pursuit of any other remedy, the secretary may, in the manner provided by law, upon the advice of the attorney general, who shall represent the department in the proceeding, maintain an action in the name of the state for injunction or such other …

When the department suspects that an agency is providing child care services without a license, it shall send notice to that agency within ten days. The notice shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:(1) That a license is required and the reasons why;(2) T…

Any agency operating without a license shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. This section shall not be enforceable against an agency until sixty days after the effective date of new rules, applicable to such agency, have been adopted under this chapter.[ 2006 c 265 s 315. Formerly RC…

The secretary shall have the power and it shall be the secretary's duty to engage in negotiated rule making pursuant to RCW 34.05.310(2)(a) with the exclusive representative of the family child care licensees selected in accordance with RCW 43.216.375 and with other affected inte…

(1) Solely for the purposes of negotiated rule making pursuant to RCW 34.05.310(2)(a) and * 43.215.350, a statewide unit of all family child care licensees is appropriate. As of June 7, 2006, the exclusive representative of family child care licensees in the statewide unit shall …

(1) Minimum licensing requirements under this chapter shall include a prohibition on the use of window blinds or other window coverings with pull cords or inner cords capable of forming a loop and posing a risk of strangulation to young children. Window blinds and other coverings…

For the purposes of reporting actions taken against agency licensees, upon the development of an early learning information system, the following actions shall be posted to the department's website accessible by the public: Suspension, surrender, revocation, denial, stayed suspen…

Upon resignation or termination with or without cause of any individual working in a child care agency, the child care agency shall report to the department within twenty-four hours if it has knowledge of the following with respect to the individual:(1) Any charge or conviction f…

(1) The department shall develop an internal review process to determine whether department licensors have appropriately and consistently applied agency rules in inspection reports that do not involve a violation of health and safety standards. Adverse licensing decisions includi…

It is the intent of the legislature to establish an early childhood state education and assistance program. This special assistance program is a voluntary enrichment program to help prepare some children to enter the common school system and shall be offered only as funds are ava…

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 43.216.500 through 43.216.559, 43.216.900, and 43.216.901.(1) "Advisory committee" means the advisory committee under RCW 43.216.520.(2) "Approved programs" means those state-suppo…

(1) The department must consult, and obtain the advice and consent of, the governing bodies of the state's federally recognized tribes in developing an agreed-upon definition of the term "Indian" for the purposes of RCW 43.216.505 and, by July 1, 2024, must adopt the definition i…

The department shall administer a state-supported early childhood education and assistance program to assist eligible children with educational, social, health, nutritional, and cultural development to enhance their opportunity for success in the common school system. Eligible ch…

(1) The department shall adopt rules that allow the enrollment of children in the early childhood education and assistance program, as space is available, if the number of such children equals not more than 25 percent of total statewide enrollment, when the child is not eligible …

(1) The department shall adopt rules that allow a three-year-old child who is not eligible under RCW 43.216.505 to enroll in the early childhood education and assistance program, as space is available and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpo…

(1)(a) The department shall prioritize children for enrollment in the early childhood education and assistance program who are eligible pursuant to RCW 43.216.505.(b) A child who is eligible at the time of enrollment in the early childhood education and assistance program maintai…

(1) Approved early childhood education and assistance programs shall receive state-funded support through the department. Public or private organizations including, but not limited to, school districts, educational service districts, community and technical colleges, local govern…

The department shall establish an advisory committee composed of interested parents and representatives from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, early childhood education and development staff preparation programs, the head start programs, school districts, an…

(1) The department shall adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW for the administration of the early childhood education and assistance program. Approved early childhood education and assistance programs shall conduct needs assessments of their service area and identify any targeted …

The department shall adopt a rule that requires early childhood education and assistance program contractors and providers to accept birth certificates, passports, and alternative documents to show a child's age or date of birth for the purposes of enrollment. Alternative documen…

The department shall review applications from public or private organizations for state funding of early childhood education and assistance programs. The department shall consider local community needs, demonstrated capacity, and the need to support a mixed delivery system of ear…

The department shall annually report to the governor and the legislature on the findings of the longitudinal study undertaken to examine and monitor the effectiveness of early childhood educational and assistance services for eligible children to measure, among other elements, if…

For the purposes of RCW 43.216.500 through 43.216.550 and 43.216.900 and 43.216.901, the department may award state support under RCW 43.216.500 through 43.216.530 to increase the numbers of eligible children assisted by the federal or state-supported early childhood programs in …

The department from funds appropriated for the administration of the program under chapter 418, Laws of 1985 shall reimburse the expenses of the advisory committee.[ 1985 c 418 s 10. Formerly RCW 43.215.445, 28A.215.190, 28A.34A.100.]

The department may solicit gifts, grants, conveyances, bequests and devises for the use or benefit of the early childhood state education and assistance program established by RCW 43.216.500 through 43.216.550 and 43.216.900 and 43.216.901. The department shall actively solicit s…

(1) An early learning program to provide voluntary preschool opportunities for children ages three to five years old who are not age-eligible for kindergarten shall be implemented according to the funding and implementation plan in RCW 43.216.556. The program must offer a compreh…

(1) Funding for the program of early learning established under this chapter must be appropriated to the department. The department shall distribute funding to approved early childhood education and assistance program contractors on the basis of eligible children enrolled.(2) The…

Chapter 231, Laws of 2010 may be known as the ready for school act of 2010.[ 2010 c 231 s 9. Formerly RCW 43.215.457, 43.215.143.]

The legislature finds that the first five years of a child's life establish the foundation for educational success. The legislature also finds that children who have high quality early learning opportunities from birth through age five are more likely to succeed throughout their …

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall administer early therapeutic and preventative services and programs, such as the early childhood intervention and prevention services program, and other related services for ch…

The legislature finds that there is an urgent and substantial need to:(1) Enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities in the state of Washington in order to minimize developmental delay and maximize individual potential and enhance the capability of families…

For the purposes of implementing this chapter, the governor shall appoint a state interagency coordinating council for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families and ensure that state agencies involved in the provision of, or payment for, early intervention service…

The state interagency coordinating council for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families shall identify and work with county early childhood interagency coordinating councils to coordinate and enhance existing early intervention services and assist each community …

The department shall enter into formal interagency agreements, where appropriate, with school districts, counties, and other providers, to define their relationships and financial and service responsibilities. Local agencies or entities, including local school districts, counties…

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall administer a prenatal to three family engagement strategy to support expectant parents, babies and toddlers from birth to three years of age, and their caregivers.(2) Component…

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall develop a plan for phased implementation of a birth to three early childhood education and assistance program pilot project for eligible children under thirty-six months old. F…

(1) The legislature finds that our state suffers from an extreme shortage of infant child care, impacting the ability of parents to participate in the workforce. Further, parents returning to work after using paid family leave to care for a new child struggle to find readily avai…

(1) The department is the state lead agency for Part C of the federal individuals with disabilities education act. The department shall administer the early support for infants and toddlers program, to provide early intervention services to all eligible children with disabilities…

(1) For the 2021-22 school year, rates for the early childhood education and assistance program must be set at a level at least 10 percent higher than the rates established in section 225, chapter 415, Laws of 2019.(2) It is the intent of the legislature that rate increases shall…

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall administer two complex needs funds to promote inclusive, least restrictive environments and to support contractors and providers serving children who have developmental delays,…

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall provide supports to aid eligible providers in providing trauma-informed care. Trauma-informed care supports may be used by eligible providers for the following purposes:(a) Add…

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall establish a dual language designation and provide subsidy rate enhancements or site-specific grants for licensed or certified child care providers who are accepting state subsi…

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall distribute early childhood equity grants to eligible applicants. Eligible applicants include play and learn groups, licensed or certified child care centers and family home pro…

Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department, in consultation with community-based programs, shall provide or contract to provide, or both, resources and supports for inclusive and culturally and linguistically relevant play and le…

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall provide professional development supports to aid eligible providers in reaching the professional education and training standards adopted by the department. Professional develo…

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall establish a grant program to expand child care in child care deserts. Grants must be used for one-time costs associated with the opening of a child care site, including program…

(1) For the purposes of this section, "near fatality" means an act that, as certified by a physician, places the child in serious or critical condition.(2)(a) The department shall conduct a child fatality review if a child fatality occurs in an early learning program described in…