It has been almost a year since the state launched its quality rating system called Early Achievers. Early Achievers focuses on improving the quality of care for children aged 0 – 5 years old in licensed child care settings. In addition, child care providers are increasingly being seen as centrally important in getting children ready for school which is being measured by WaKids (Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills). These two significant changes (Early Achievers and WaKids) have put pressure on child care providers in new ways. Deeann Puffert will explore the impact of these pressures and talk about the challenges of needing to get every child ready for a successful school and life experience while working within an underfunded business model.
