Early Learning

  • Child Care Quality

    Child Care Quality

    DCYF monitors quality ratings of Early Achievers providers as a balancing indicator for our priority to create a high-quality, integrated B-8 system. Early Achievers uses an easy-to-understand rating system to track quality improvement of participating early care providers. At the end of the 2023 state fiscal year, we estimate that over 29,000 non-school-age children were served in settings rated 3+ or higher.

    Estimated Number and Percent of Non-School-Age Children Served, by Early Achievers Enrolled Provider Type and Quality, SFY 2023
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    Estimated Number and Percent of Non-School Aged Children Served by Early Achievers Enrolled Providers Rated 3+ and Above, by Type, SFY 2019-2023
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    Early Learning
    Strategic Priority Balancing Indicator

  • Kindergarten Readiness

    Kindergarten Readiness

    One of DCYF’s child outcome goals is that children should be ready for kindergarten. Each year about 80,000 children enter kindergarten in Washington’s public school system. Across all income groups, 48% of children in Washington are ready for kindergarten (as measured by the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills assessment). Children from higher income families are most likely to be ready for kindergarten, while children from middle income and lower income families are ready for kindergarten at lower rates.

    VIEW THE EDUCATION RESEARCH & DATA CENTER’S EARLY LEARNING FEEDBACK REPORT

    READ THE REPORT ON ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION IN SUBSIDIZED CHILDCARE AND KINDERGARTEN READINESS

    Kindergarten Readiness, by Household Income Group (Relative to Federal Poverty Level), 2022-2023
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    Child Outcome Goal
    Early Learning