1crayon.jpg (10866 bytes)  July 21, 1998 -- Meeting Summary

8:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon

The Seattle Room

WestCoast SeaTac Hotel

Seattle, Washington

 

Commission Attendance
Mona Lee Locke and Melinda French Gates, Co-Chairs; Kathryn Barnard, Lisa J. Brown, Craig Cole, Kim Cook, Alex A. Deccio, Robbin Dunn, Sheri Flies, Marty Jacobs, Lynn Kessler, Mary Ellen O’Keeffe, Scott Oki, Dee Ann Perea, Gigi Talcott, Dee West, Lawrence White, Gayle Womack, and Kyle Yasuda.
Others in Attendance
Terry Bergeson, Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI); Janet Anderson, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC); Maxine Hayes, Department of Health (DOH); Kathy Kreiter, Department of Community,Trade & Economic Development (CTED); Terry Liddell, Head Start Collaboration Project; Karen Tvedt, Department of Social & Health Services (DSHS); Peg Mazen, Children’s Home Society of Washington (CHSW); Carol Steckler, Catholic Community Services (CCS); Elizabeth Bonbright Thompson, Child Care Resource and Referral Network (CCR&R); Tammy Flock; Erin Galeno; and Robin Zukoski, Executive Director for the Commission.
Meeting Summary
Mrs. Gates indicated that the Commission would identify, very early in its meeting schedule, the strengths and gaps in state programs directed toward children from birth to age five. The July 21st agenda was planned to present an overview of the early learning and child care programs available in the public and private sectors of Washington State. In addition, the Commission would hear from two parents with young children in child care and visit two child care facilities in the SeaTac area.
Mrs. Locke thanked the Commission members and audience for attending the meeting and introduced Ms. Robin Zukoski, Executive Director to the Commission. Commission members also attending their first meeting included:
Craig W. Cole of Bellingham is president and chief executive officer of Brown and Cole Stores, Washington’s oldest retail grocery firm founded in 1909. His company focuses on and supports family-friendly practices. He has been active in legislative issues and worked in human resources management. Craig has served on several state and local boards and commissions, covering topics from health, conservation, affirmative action and transportation to social services and education.
Scott D. Oki of Bellevue is the chief volunteer for the Oki Foundation. Scott and his wife, Laurie, established the Foundation in 1986 to support children’s welfare and educational issues. He also established Oki Developments, an investment company. He is recently retired from the Microsoft Company, in which he held a variety of executive positions. He is a past-president and continues to serve as a member of the Board of Regents for the University of Washington. Scott also serves on numerous advisory boards for private and not-for-profit organizations, and is the father of three children, including a one-year-old.
Rep. Gigi Talcott of University Place represents the 28th District, consisting of parts of Pierce County and the communities of Fircrest, Lakewood, Steilacoom, Tillicum and University Place. She is a former first-grade teacher and instructor at Clover Park Technical College. She is active in Habitat for Humanity, Safe Street, United Methodist Church and the Red Cross. She and her husband, Ron, have two sons and one grandchild.
Lawrence White of Tacoma is a sales manager at US West Communications, working with sales consultants in residential settings. He has worked with the Tacoma Black Collective, the Pierce County Boys and Girls Club, the National Urban League, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He has two children and 52 nieces and nephews.
Gayle Womack of Kennewick is the Director of the Benton-Franklin Developmental Center, which provides special education, therapy and family services to children between the ages of birth and three who are developmentally delayed. Gayle also serves on the State Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities and their Families.
The Co-Chairs introduced Terry Bergeson, Superintendent of Public Instruction, who spoke on the agency’s interests in a comprehensive, coordinated system of early care and education. Her research shows that early influences of home and neighborhood, school, work, and government have significant impact on learning and development. With four Essential Student Learning Goals already established for grades K-12, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction is now looking at essential learnings for pre-kindergarten through kindergarten which will establish a common vision and goals for the education of younger children. This early learning framework, fully qualified early care and education providers, contributions from research and technology, integrated governance, and community partnerships are elements of a successful early learning program.
Dr. Bergeson answered questions from the Commission members and wished them luck in their responsibilities. The Co-Chairs introduced representatives from state agencies, which have programs or services for children.
Presentations began with Maxine Hayes, Department of Health, who stated the agency’s mission for young children is to "protect and improve the health of children in Washington so that they are ready to learn by (1) identifying significant factors which enhance or threaten health; (2) developing policies and activities to address them; and (3) assuring that actions are taken and evaluated." The focus areas for the Department’s policies, programs, and activities include promoting responsible parenthood with the First Step program and mobilizing the community to support young children and families with parenting education, home visiting, and provision of dental sealants. Making child care safe and healthy is a DOH priority, and the agency conducts health inspections, provides training, and distributes information to improve the quality of care. Three programs – the WIC program, Universal Vaccine Distribution Program, and CHILD Profile – ensure the good health and protection of children.
Kathy Kreiter from the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development explained that her agency includes in its mission statement providing "leadership and support to Washington and its diverse communities to excel as places to live, work, play and do business." She described several CTED programs that affect the development of children in Washington State. The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) was designed to help low-income four-year-old children and their families prepare for, and succeed in, the common school system. The agency also administers emergency shelter programs for homelesss children, families, individuals, and victims of domestic violence. Other programs, designed to ensure that low-income pre-school children are ready to learn in Kindergarten, are administered by CTED.
Terry Liddell, Headstart Collaboration Project, gave a brief history of Head Start which is administered directly from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service to local communities through the Region X Head Start Office in Seattle and the Migrant Branch or the American Indian Program Branch in Washington, D.C. Services to over 13,000 income eligible children and families throughout the state include (1) enhanced educational experiences, health services, and access/referral to special programs; (2) family support and family services; and (3) community partnerships.
Janet Anderson represented the Washington State Community and Technical Colleges. SBCTC has developed several parent and early childhood education programs. These include the parent education programs, designed to strengthen parenting skills, and family literacy programs to enhance the educational level of parents. SBCTC offers early childhood education degrees, certificates, endorsements through the state’s community and technical college system and, at 29 Washington State college campuses, provides child care programs to students with young children.
Karen Tvedt, discussed three responsibilities which the Department of Social and Health Services has in the area of child day care. To enforce minimum standards for the health, safety and well-being of children in family child care homes and centers in Washington State, a DSHS licensing division provides orientation, applications, inspections and monitoring of child care settings. Child care subsidies are available through several DSHS programs to support access to child care for low-income and at-risk families and their children. The department also coordinates and funds activities to improve the quality of child care services and systems
Following questions from Commission members to the panel of state agency representatives, a panel of community child care providers was introduced.
Peg Mazen from the Children’s Home Society of Washington explained that it is a statewide, private, not-for-profit organization serving children and families in 38 service sites across the state and in schools, workplaces and homes. The Society offers assistance in many ways, including parent education and counseling, home visitor and volunteer mentorship programs, foster-adoption programs, adoption support services, and special community-based family centers. CHSW has a diverse funding base which includes individual contributions, corporate and foundation grants, United Way donations, service fees, product sales, and government contracts.
Carol Steckler outlined a network of services provided by Catholic Community Services which includes child care, out-of home care, mental health counseling, emergency services, family preservation services, home care services and housing. Planning for service delivery occurs at the local level, based on historic patterns, current needs, and available revenue. Revenue sources from government contracts and grants, private pay and investments, and public support donations support the services. Ms. Steckler explained how the state’s economic climate, public policies, and budget decisions affect services provided by CCS.
Elizabeth Bonbright Thompson described the Child Care Resource and Referral Network which is a statewide, private, nonprofit association of all community-based child care resource and referral agencies in Washington State. It serves four fundamental roles in Washington State: (1) parent education on and referrals to licensed child care providers; (2) training and technical assistance to child care providers; (3) consultation with businesses on developing family-friendly benefits for their employees; and (4) integration of early childhood/youth care and education system for families. She also gave an overview of the Child Care 2000 Campaign and its goals.
The last panel of the day included Tammy Flock and Erin Galeno, who spoke about personal experiences in locating quality child care providers for their young children.
Following this presentation, Commission members and panelists had an open discussion with questions and comments on the following topics:
  • The success of TANF recipients’ training to become child care workers.
  • The possibility of a First Steps program to cover children ages 0-3.
  • Coordination and communication between the various state programs.
  • Conflicting rules and values in state and federal approach to child care.
  • Efforts to decrease the need for child care.
  • How to improve quality of child care.
  • Education of caregivers in programs to improve child care.
  • Need for stable care givers.
  • Family Policy Council proposals to fund a system of child care.
  • Child care for physically and behaviorally challenged children.
  • Easier ways to provide services.
  • Access to an updated data base of child care givers in public libraries.
  • Parents’ lack of information.
  • Children’s access to health care as part of early learning.
  • Education for employers.
  • Parent education for different styles of adult learners.
  • Inspection of facilities (licensed vs. unlicensed).
  • Incentive to providers to upgrade services.
  • Quality family time and personal time for single parents.
The Governor’s Commission on Early Learning will meet from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon on the third Tuesday of each month. The meeting scheduled for August 18th, however, will be from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The Co-Chairs reminded the Commission members of the optional site visits to St. Columbia’s Children’s Center and Smart Start Day Care after the lunch break. Mrs. Locke and Mrs. Gates again thanked the Commission members and guests for their participation. The meeting was adjourned.

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