Meeting Summary
July 21, 1998
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.

Home | Meetings