RCW 43.216.655 Data collection and program evaluation—Reports.

(1) The education data center established in RCW 43.41.400 must collect longitudinal, student-level data on all children attending an early childhood education and assistance program. Upon completion of an electronic time and attendance record system, the education data center must collect longitudinal, student-level data on all children attending a working connections child care program. Data collected should capture at a minimum the following characteristics:

(a) Daily program attendance;

(b) Identification of classroom and teacher;

(c) Early achievers program quality level rating;

(d) Program hours;

(e) Program duration;

(f) Developmental results from the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills in RCW 28A.655.080; and

(g) To the extent data is available, the distinct ethnic categories within racial subgroups of children and providers that align with categories recognized by the education data center.

(2) The department shall provide early learning providers student-level data collected pursuant to this section that are specific to the early learning provider's program. Upon completion of an electronic time and attendance record system identified in subsection (1) of this section, the department shall provide child care providers student-level data that are specific to the child care provider's program.

(3) The department shall review available research and best practices literature on cultural competency in early learning settings. The department shall review the K-12 components for cultural competency developed by the professional educator standards board and identify components appropriate for early learning professional development.

(4)(a) The Washington state institute for public policy shall conduct a longitudinal analysis examining relationships between the early achievers program quality ratings levels and outcomes for children participating in subsidized early care and education programs.

(b) The institute shall submit the first report to the appropriate committees of the legislature and the early learning advisory council by December 31, 2019. The institute shall submit subsequent reports annually to the appropriate committees of the legislature and the early learning advisory council by December 31st, with the final report due December 31, 2022. The final report shall include a cost-benefit analysis.

(5) By December 31, 2021, and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the Washington state institute for public policy shall update the outcome evaluation of the early childhood education and assistance program required by chapter 16, Laws of 2013 and report to the governor and the legislature on the outcomes of program participants. The evaluation must include the demographics of program participants including race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The evaluation must examine short and long-term impacts on program participants, including high school graduation rates for up to two cohorts. When conducting the evaluation, the institute must consider, to the extent that data is available, the education levels and demographics, including race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, of early childhood education and assistance program staff and the effects of full-day programming and half-day programming on outcomes.

[ 2019 c 369 § 7; 2015 3rd sp.s. c 7 § 13. Formerly RCW 43.215.492.]

NOTES:

Findings—Intent—2019 c 369: See note following RCW 43.216.091.

Finding—Intent—2015 3rd sp.s. c 7: See note following RCW 43.216.085.