October 2024 ECEAP Reminders and Links

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ECEAP is Washington’s pre-kindergarten program that prepares 3- and 4-year-old children furthest from opportunity for success in school and life.

October 2024 Issue

ECEAP Icon

ECEAP Updates

ELMS Update

SMI update: The SMI charts in ELMS have been updated to align with Child Care Subsidy Programs (CCSP). This means that DCYF ELMS will update SMI income tables for both ECEAP and Child Care Subsidy Programs in October annually.

The new SMI values are effective for ECEAP on October 1 and were updated in ELMS on that date.

Please see the ELMS News Page for details and the latest information.

WCCC and MERIT Updates

The 2024 Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 2124, expanding eligibility for Working Connections Child Care (WCCC), effective November 1, 2024.

Staff working in an B-5 ECEAP  or Head Start or Early Head Start program and have confirmed or verified employment recorded in MERIT may be eligible for child care at no cost if their income is 85% of the State Median Income (SMI) or lower.

Contractors can confirm staff employment records in MERIT through Facility/Site Profile pages. MERIT will add new roles for B-5 ECEAP staff. Lead and assistant teachers can add employment specific to B-3 or PreK employment. Visit this webpage for more information.

Staff may apply for WCCC online at https://www.washingtonconnection.org/ or by calling the DCYF Child Care Subsidy Contact Center at 844-626-8687. 

ECEAP Roles and Qualifications in MERIT

MERIT has updated ECEAP staff employment roles to better align with the B-5 ECEAP standards. When entering employment information in MERIT, new B-5 ECEAP roles, such as PreK and B-3 teaching roles, have been added as options. Staff should review their professional record employment information to make sure it is accurate. 

PreK ECEAP Lead Teacher

PreK ECEAP Assistant Teacher

B-3 ECEAP Lead Teacher

B-3 ECEAP Assistant Teacher  

B-5 ECEAP Family Support Staff

B-5 ECEAP Family Support Manager

B-5 ECEAP Child Development/Education Manager

B-5 ECEAP Coach

B-5 ECEAP Contractor Staff

B-5 ECEAP Director

B-5 ECEAP Eligibility/Enrollment Staff

B-5 ECEAP Health Advocate

B-5 ECEAP Health Manager/Consultant

B-5 ECEAP Other

B-5 ECEAP Site Contact/Manager

PreK lead and assistant teachers, B-3 lead and assistant teachers and B-5 family support staff and managers can now submit ECEAP staff qualifications. For any questions, please contact MERIT@dcyf.wa.gov

ELMS staff reports that receive information from MERIT will be updated next month to align with these changes. For any questions, please contact ELMS@dcyf.wa.gov.

SmartTeach™ Quorum-Adding your State STARS ID

You can now add your state registry ID to your Quorum profile. This will enable you to receive in-service credit for approved trainings completed through your Quorum account. 

  • This includes the required Creative Curriculum 6th edition trainings for both B-3 and PreK ECEAP

B-5 ECEAP Lead Teachers and Assistant Teachers: Please follow this link for instructions how to add your state registry ID to your Quorum profile by 10/31/24, so that you can start receiving credit for your course completions.

*We will stop using the survey link to request in-service hours on November 1.

In This Issue:

Important Dates:

October 15

  • Request to use ECEAP funds as federal match

October 31

  • Submit Agency Organizational Chart for ECLIPSE (new contractors and those with changes or additions)

November 15

  • Fall GOLD checkpoint
  • Service Area Agreements

November 30

  • ECEAP Services Operating Budget
  • Staff Compensation Report
  • Mobility Mentoring pre-assessment

Questions?

Email questions about newsletter topics to eceap@dcyf.wa.gov or your Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Specialist.

For additional information about ECEAP or the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), please visit our Contractor webpages.

ECEAP Staff Compensation Report

Statewide Report Results from 2023-24 School Year

2023-24 ECEAP Staff Compensation

Average hourly wage

Average wage: Public school employee

Average wage: Non-public school employee

Average hours worked

Ranges of hourly wages

ECEAP Lead Teacher

$31.44

$39.32

$24.92

1,652

$15.99 - $98.70

ECEAP Assistant Teacher

$22.06

$23.65

$20.49

1,545

$15.74 - $35.02

ECEAP Family Support Staff

$28.05

$32.18

$24.77

1,632

$16.00 - $48.14

ECEAP Director

$54.65

$65.21

$51.13

2,016

$17.31-$94.49

Analysis of Hourly Compensation for Teaching Staff

  • Lead Teachers
    • 5% of ECEAP Lead Teachers earned between $15.99 - $19.99/hr
    • 57% of ECEAP Lead Teachers earned between $20.00 - $29.99/hr
    • 27% of ECEAP Lead Teachers earned between $30.00 - $49.99/hr
    • 10% of ECEAP Lead Teachers earned $50.00/hr or more
      • 99% of staff counted in this wage category are public school employees.
      • Staff counted in this wage section were certificated employees with advanced degrees and/or multiple years of service.
  • Assistant Teachers
    • 32% of ECEAP Assistant Teachers earned between $15.74 - $19.99/hr
    • 45% of ECEAP Assistant Teachers earned between $20.00 - $24.99/hr
    • 20% of ECEAP Assistant Teachers earned between $25.00 - $29.99/hr
    • 3% of ECEAP Assistant Teachers earned $30.00/hr or more
      • 73% of staff counted in this wage category are public school employees.

Fall ECEAP Service Contract Upcoming deliverables

Strategic Engagement and Compliance unit

Deliverables due date

Action required

Means of communication

October 15, 2024 (Optional)

Request to use ECEAP funds as federal match, if applicable, by completing that section of the September ELMS Monthly Report

ELMS

October 31, 2024 (ECLIPSE)

Submit Agency Organizational Chart to include all staff that will support ECLIPSE service implementation (Only new contractors and current contractors who have had changes and/or additions to the Org Chart)

Email

November 15,2024

Teachers finalize the fall checkpoint in GOLD® by Teaching Strategies

GOLD®

November 15,2024

Submit Service Area Agreements

Email

November 30,2024

Submit ECEAP Services Operating Budget on the DCYF template

Email

November 30,2024

Submit Staff Compensation Report on DCYF template

Email

November 30,2024

Mobility Mentoring® first assessment due

ELMS

**Please note, there is a discrepancy between contractor’s contract Exhibit C and the contract reference document attachment titled ECEAP Service Deliverables and Required Activities Calendar for the due dates for contractor’s Operating Budget and Staff Compensation Reports, which are actually due by November 30th rather than October 30th

For support send questions and forms to the ECEAP inbox dcyf.eceap@dcyf.wa.gov.   

Note: When sending attachments please ensure the following information is included in the title of the attached file:

  • Contractor Name
  • Contract Number
  • Deliverable Title
  • Date – either month and year or fiscal year reference, depending on deliverable type

Operating Budget Example

Contractor Name Operating Budget FY25

A19 Example

Contractor Name 7.24 A19 25-1234


DCYF Training Opportunities and Support

DCYF Community Child Care Forums

Child care providers have asked for regular meetings with DCYF to discuss their challenges and receive timely answers to their questions concerning child care policy, rules, and other relevant topics. In response, DCYF has organized community child care forums across the state.

To ensure we can plan accurately for interpretation needs, please register only for the location you intend to attend. Please make sure you have the correct location before registering.

About the Forums

Community Child Care Forums aim to: 

  • Strengthen relationships between providers and the agency;
  • Make a space for providers and DCYF to share and celebrate what is going well; and 
  • Foster opportunities for ongoing collaboration.

These forums are open to licensed child care centers, licensed family homes, outdoor nature-based providers, and school-age providers, including certified providers, who may be located on tribal lands.

Visit the Community Child Care Forums webpage for information on additional forum dates and locations.

Questions?

For questions, email dcyf.communityengagement@dcyf.wa.gov.

Mobility Mentoring® Monthly Webinar

  • Second Thursday of each month from 9-10:00 a.m., September through May.
  • Next meeting is October 10, 2024
  • Register here

Family Support Staff Check-In

  • Third Thursday of each month from 9-10:00 a.m., September through June.
  • Next meeting is October 17, 2024
  • Register here

Las Platicas De El Puente

This monthly check-in is offered in Spanish only.

  • Third Tuesday of each month, from 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
  • Next meeting is October 15, 2024
  • Register here

Mobility Mentoring® Online Foundations Course

This course if available for all family support staff to access at no charge. It is designed for learners to see Mobility Mentoring® in action, learn about intentional practice, and prepare them to use the coaching approach. The course is broken into four modules that take between 8-10 hours to complete. If you are new to the platform, you must first click the button that says, “sign up”.

Mobility Mentoring® Foundations Monthly Reflection Session

Completion of this session is mandatory to receive STARS credit and to be eligible for Trauma-Informed Care incentives. After successful completion of the Mobility Mentoring® Foundations Course, you need to attend one reflection session to receive STARS credit.

  • Fourth Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m., September through June
  • Next session is October 28, 2024
  • Register here

B-5 ECEAP Coach Check-In

  • First Friday of each month from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., September through June.
  • Next meeting is October 4, 2024
  • Join here

Health Coordinator Check-In

These occur the third Wednesday of each month. Join us for the Health Coordinator check-ins as we discuss trends, share resources and plan for the coming year.

  • Third Wednesday of each month at 1:00 p.m.
  • Next meeting is October 16, 2024
  • Join here

Teaching Strategies ECEAP Office Hours

Register to attend Teaching Strategies ECEAP Office Hours. Register in advance and attend to get answers to your specific questions about any of your Teaching Strategies digital resources. 

  • Second and Fourth Wednesdays of the month
  • Register here

ReadyRosie for ECEAP - How to Get Started

Join us to learn how to get started with ReadyRosie! This session is for administrators and educators new to ReadyRosie or those needing a refresher. In these sessions, we'll cover: What is ReadyRosie? How to invite families to join, share customized content, communicate with families, and read data.

  • Second Thursday of each month from 10-10:45 a.m.
  • Register here

Early Care and Education Newsletter

This monthly newsletter informs, educates, and inspires child care providers, professionals, and advocates. Read previous issues here. Subscribe here


Equity, Child Development, Education and Health

Coalition for Safety and Health in Early Learning, Washington State

Calling All Health Coordinators-Save the Date

The next CSHEL meeting is coming up. Topics include: WAIIS Module for Early Learning, DOH Updates, Health and Safety Concerns.

  • Friday, October 18, from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Let’s Talk! Preschool Suspensions: This is What We Know

The “Let’s Talk” webinar series, hosted by Dr. Rosemarie Allen, provides panel discussions related to equity, inappropriate discipline practices, and effective strategies. This session will discuss preschool suspensions. Watch the webinar here.

You can find a list of more recorded webinars from the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations to view here.

Early Childhood Investigations Webinars: Rethinking Relationships and Bias in Early Childhood

In this webinar you will:

  • Find out examples of how adults might respond to conversations about race in the classroom.
  • Learn more about how teacher identity impacts the quality of interactions in the classroom.
  • Explore a coaching stance that respects teachers as capable and curious learners.

When: October 17, 2024, 11am-12:30pm

Register here

Calming Terrific Toddlers: Evidence-Based Strategies that reduce aggression and promote self-regulation

During this presentation, you will:

  • Identify the hidden triggers that can fuel hitting, biting, kicking, and other unwanted behavior in group settings.
  • Gain an understanding of the difference between an unhelpful and instinctual “power” approach and the contrasting “influential” response to transform these tense moments.
  • Explore a four-step process and real-life coaching techniques you can use the moment an aggressive act occurs to help toddlers build critical self-control skills, cope with strong feelings, and learn appropriate actions they can use when toddlers experience aggressive impulses in the future.
  • Analyze videos of adults responding to unwanted behaviors in group settings to pinpoint helpful adult strategies.

When: October 24, 2024, 11am-12:30pm

Register here

Beyond Shelves and Manipulatives: Learning Environments that Nurture Young Children

In this insightful webinar, you will:

  • Develop deeper insight into the concept and purpose of learning centers, unraveling their role in creating dynamic and interactive environments.
  • Explore strategies for creating and setting up learning centers to ensure alignment with educational goals and developmental milestones and encourage active participation and exploration.
  • Examine the connection between learning environment and play-based learning, recognizing the importance of play in early childhood education.
  • Gain ideas and strategies for adapting learning centers to accommodate diverse learning needs, ensuring inclusivity and individualized support.

When: October 30, 2024, 11am-12:30pm

Register here