Create High Quality, Integrated B-8 System

  • Foster Care Kindergarten Readiness

    Children who experience foster care are consistently prepared for kindergarten at lower rates than children who do not experience foster care. Although the overall rate of kindergarten readiness has increased over the past few years, there has not been a substantial increase in kindergarten readiness for children who have experienced foster care. For both groups, annual readiness rates vary, but for non-foster students, improvements made prior to 2020 have been maintained since 2020. In the 2015-2016 school year, 46.8% of non-foster students were ready for kindergarten, and in 2025-2026, 58.7% of them were ready. For foster students there is annual variation but not evidence of sustained improvement in kindergarten readiness. In 2015-2016, 33.1% of foster students were ready for kindergarten, and in 2025-2026 37.9% were ready.

    READ THE ERDC REPORT ON EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE

    Kindergarten Readiness by Foster Care Status, 2015-2025 School Years

     

     
    Early Learning
    Strategic Priority Outcome

  • ECEAP Kindergarten Readiness

    Kindergarten readiness is an outcome indicator for the DCYF priority to create a high-quality, integrated B-8 system. During the 2023-2024 school year, 88% of children who participated in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) came from families that qualified for Free or Reduced Price Lunch (FRPL). Across the years, children who participate in ECEAP are prepared for kindergarten at higher rates than their FRPL-qualifying peers.

    READ THE ECEAP ANNUAL REPORT

    ECEAP Kindergarten Readiness by Domain, Relative to Income, School Years 2018-2023

     
    Early Learning
    Strategic Priority Outcome

  • ECEAP Funded Slot Growth

    The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) provides child-centered, individualized preschool education and health coordination services on a foundation of strengths-based family support. The Fair Start for Kids Act (FSKA) required that by July 2026, ECEAP services be available for all eligible children and in 2025 the Ballmer Group made a ten year philanthropic commitment to support ECEAP expansion. As a result, ECEAP is expanding throughout Washington State, and DCYF is monitoring its growth as part of our priority to create a high-quality, integrated B-8 system.

    The number of ECEAP Working Day slots steadily increased from 492 to 916 in the 2023-2024 school year, but in the 2025 school year decreased to 769. The number of School Day slots also steadily increased until 2023, from 1,450 to 9,070, but dropped slightly to 9,002 in the 2025 school year. The number of Part Day slots rose from 9,749 to a peak of 10,387 in 2018-2019 and 2020-2021 and has been steadily decreasing since the following year, to 4,619 slots in the 2025-2026 school year.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT ECEAP EXPANSION

    Funded ECEAP Slots, by Type, School Years 2015-2025

     

     
    Early Learning

  • Working Connections Child Care

    Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps eligible families pay for child care. When a family qualifies for child care subsidy benefits and chooses an eligible provider, the state pays a portion of the cost of child care. DCYF works to ensure that all WCCC applications are processed in a timely manner and is monitoring the rates at which they are approved.

    Each year prior to 2026, only 1-5 applications remained unprocessed. In 2026, 242 applications remained unprocessed at the end of the year. The percent of approved applications decreased from 59% in 2016 to a low of 48% in 2021, and then steadily increased each year to a high of 64% in 2025. In 2026, 63% of WCCC applications were approved.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT WORKING CONNECTIONS CHILD CARE

    Number and Percent of Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) Applications Processed and Approved, SFYs 2016-2026

     

     
    Early Learning

  • Early Achievers Rated Providers

    Early Achievers is an easy-to-understand quality rating system for participating early care providers. DCYF monitors Early Achievers ratings as a balancing indicator for our priority to create a high-quality, integrated B-8 system. After COVID, the total number of providers steadily increased to a high of 6,300 in 2025, but fell to 5,643 in 2026. From 2020-2024 the number and percent of unrated providers steadily increased to a high of 61%, but by 2026 it had dropped to 43%. Across the years, of rated providers, only the proportion of those rated 3 has substantially changed. Providers rated 3 are the largest rated group, making up 30% of providers in 2019 and 38% in 2026. Providers rated 2 decreased from 3% in 2019 to 2% in 2026. Providers rated 3+ decreased from 8% in 2019 to 6% in 2026. Providers rated 4 made up 7% in 2019 and in 2026. And providers rated 5 increased from less than 0.5% in 2019 to 3% in 2026. In 2024 only 9 providers were rated 5, but in 2026 183 providers were rated 5. 

    View the Early Achievers Dashboard

    View the Early Start Act Supplemental Measures

    Number and Percent of Early Achievers Enrolled Providers by Rating, SFY 2019-2026

     

     
    Early Learning
    Strategic Priority Balancing Indicator