The Department of Early Learning (DEL) focuses on investments and opportunities to ensure children in Washington enter kindergarten ready to succeed. DEL works to ensure safe, healthy, high-quality programs and services for young children. It oversees Early Achievers—our state’s quality rating and improvement system for early learning programs—as well as Washington’s state-funded preschool program for children from low-income families; child care licensing; Early Support for Infants and Toddlers; home visiting services; licensing subsidy policy; parent support initiatives; and other efforts to coordinate and integrate child care and early learning programs. DEL works closely with public and private partners to support healthy development of children, starting at birth; and partners with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction on the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills for incoming kindergarteners and with many entities to share information and resources for families about positive parenting and child development. The Governor proposes combining the Department of Early Learning and the Department of Social and Health Services Children’s Administration program into the Department of Child, Youth, and Family Services effective July 1, 2018.

The Department of Early Learning offers voluntary, comprehensive, high-quality early learning programs and services to families and early learning professionals.