Statutes > Washington Statutes > Title 43 - State government — executive > 43.215 - Department of early learning. > 43.215.090 - Early learning advisory council -- Statewide early learning plan.

43.215.090 - Early learning advisory council -- Statewide early learning plan.

Early learning advisory council — Statewide early learning plan.

(1) The early learning advisory council is established to advise the department on statewide early learning issues that would build a comprehensive system of quality early learning programs and services for Washington's children and families by assessing needs and the availability of services, aligning resources, developing plans for data collection and professional development of early childhood educators, and establishing key performance measures.

     (2) The council shall work in conjunction with the department to develop a statewide early learning plan that guides the department in promoting alignment of private and public sector actions, objectives, and resources, and ensuring school readiness.

     (3) The council shall include diverse, statewide representation from public, nonprofit, and for-profit entities. Its membership shall reflect regional, racial, and cultural diversity to adequately represent the needs of all children and families in the state.

     (4) Council members shall serve two-year terms. However, to stagger the terms of the council, the initial appointments for twelve of the members shall be for one year. Once the initial one-year to two-year terms expire, all subsequent terms shall be for two years, with the terms expiring on June 30th of the applicable year. The terms shall be staggered in such a way that, where possible, the terms of members representing a specific group do not expire simultaneously.

     (5) The council shall consist of not more than twenty-three members, as follows:

     (a) The governor shall appoint at least one representative from each of the following: The department, the office of financial management, the department of social and health services, the department of health, the higher education coordinating board, and the state board for community and technical colleges;

     (b) One representative from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, to be appointed by the superintendent of public instruction;

     (c) The governor shall appoint seven leaders in early childhood education, with at least one representative with experience or expertise in each of the areas such as the following: Children with disabilities, the K-12 system, family day care providers, and child care centers;

     (d) Two members of the house of representatives, one from each caucus, and two members of the senate, one from each caucus, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate, respectively;

     (e) Two parents, one of whom serves on the department's parent advisory council, to be appointed by the governor;

     (f) One representative of the private-public partnership created in RCW 43.215.070, to be appointed by the partnership board;

     (g) One representative designated by sovereign tribal governments; and

     (h) One representative from the Washington federation of independent schools.

     (6) The council shall be cochaired by one representative of a state agency and one nongovernmental member, to be elected by the council for two-year terms.

     (7) The council shall appoint two members and stakeholders with expertise in early learning to sit on the technical working group created in section 2, chapter 234, Laws of 2010.

     (8) Each member of the board shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.240 and reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the board in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

     (9) The department shall provide staff support to the council.

[2010 c 234 § 3; 2010 c 12 § 1; 2007 c 394 § 3.]

Notes: Intent -- 2010 c 234: "The department of early learning, the superintendent of public instruction, and thrive by five's joint early learning recommendations to the governor, and the quality education council's January 2010 recommendations to the legislature both suggested that a voluntary program of early learning should be included within the overall program of basic education. The legislature intends to examine these recommendations and Attorney General Opinion Number 8 (2009) through the development of a working group to identify and recommend a comprehensive plan." [2010 c 234 § 1.]

Finding -- Declaration -- Captions not law -- 2007 c 394: See notes following RCW 43.215.010.