Celebrating Success of the Full Enrollment Initiative
Due to the success of our Full Enrollment Plan and thanks to the hard work of our contractors and partners, DCYF will forgo reduced reimbursement for the 2025-26 school year. We will continue to work with contractors on maintaining full enrollment, and we thank you for your continued commitment to maximizing access to high-quality ECEAP services.
Maintaining and Prioritizing Waiting Lists
Remember to remove children from waiting lists in ELMS when you learn the children no longer need services or have enrolled in Head Start. ELMS will remove children when they are no longer age-eligible. ECEAP waiting lists may include children who are also on Head Start waiting lists.
ELMS Data Entry
Remember to keep ELMS updated. The data is used regularly to monitor compliance with ECEAP requirements, answer questions from legislators and other policymakers, and inform decisions about ECEAP policy. See Data Entry - Minimum Requirements for details.
Please check the ELMS News page for additional information and updates.
For assistance, email elms@dcyf.wa.gov.
ECEAP Links
Contractors | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Recruitment Eligibility and Enrollment | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families
- Check out the new ECEAP Campaign section with downloadable resources for recruitment and informational videos.
Opportunities and Support
ECEAP On-Demand Training in the DCYF LMS
Sign up for training by logging into your MERIT account and select “Find Training.”
- ECEAP No Expulsion: Overview of ECEAP’s no expulsion policy and practice.
- ECEAP Recruitment, Eligibility and Enrollment: Overview of recruitment and enrollment in ECEAP
ECEAP Coach Check-In - Cancelled for February
- The February meeting is cancelled.
- Next meeting is March 6, 2026, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
- Join at
Recruitment, Eligibility, and Enrollment (REE) Staff Check-In
Check-ins are hosted by the DCYF REE team and involve informal conversations, questions, and celebrations related to recruitment, eligibility, and enrollment.
- First Thursday of each month, August through June
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Next meeting is March 5, 2026, from 9 to 10 a.m.
- Join at REE Staff Check-Ins
Mobility Mentoring® Monthly Webinar
Family Support Staff Check-In
Las Pláticas De El Puente
This monthly check-in is offered in Spanish only.
Mobility Mentoring® Online Foundations Course
This course is 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. After successful completion of the Mobility Mentoring® Foundations Course, you will need to attend one reflection session to receive STARS credit.
Mobility Mentoring® Workgroup
Workgroup to review and enhance the language used in the Mobility Mentoring bridge form. We are seeking your perspectives, expertise, and recommendations to ensure the updated wording reflects the collective knowledge of our team.
- Second Monday of each month, January through April
- Next meeting is March 9, 2026, from 9 to 10 a.m.
- Join at MM The Bridge Workgroup
Health Coordinator Check-In
Join us for the Health Coordinator check-ins as we discuss trends, share resources, and plan for the coming year.
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.
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.
DCYF Early Care and Education Newsletter
This monthly newsletter informs, educates, and inspires child care providers, professionals, and advocates. In case you missed it, check out the December/January issue. Read previous issues on the Engagement Efforts Newsletters webpage and subscribe at Early Care and Education Newsletter.
Trainings, Seminars, and Resources Offered by External Partners
Haring Center Trainings
DCYF is partnering with the University of Washington Haring Center to facilitate trainings focused on concrete strategies for teaching and including ALL children in early care settings, focusing on social-emotional support and individualization.
Trainings are completely FREE and held remotely via Zoom. In-Service (STARS) Hours are offered for all trainings. This is not eligible for clock hours.
Target Audience: Early Childhood Providers (Birth-5yrs) – The training content will be applicable for children ages Birth to 5 years.
Training Languages: English, Spanish, and Somali
English and Spanish Training Register Here Somali Training Register Here
See flyers for more information and additional training dates (English | Spanish | Somali).
Equity, Child Development, Education, and Health
Washington State Arts Commission Arts in Education (AEI) Creative Start Project Grant
The Creative Start Grant supports one-year arts-integrated projects that engage preschool through 3rd grade students in learning. It prioritizes students’ creative, academic, and social-emotional development and supports collaboration among early learning educators, schools, families, arts specialists, teaching artists, and organizations.
- Application opens: Jan. 5, 2026
- Application deadline: Feb. 12, 2026, at 5 p.m.
- Funding Available: $6,000 or $10,000
- More information, grant details, and guidelines: Creative Start Grant - ArtsWA
Beyond Behavior: Understanding Attention-Seeking in Young Children
Uncover the hidden stories behind four distinct types of attention-seeking behaviors. You’ll learn to look beyond the surface and understand the why behind each child’s actions, helping you unlock new pathways to connection and care.
- When? Feb. 11, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Register here
Books, Beats & Bonding: Fostering Connection Through Stories, Songs and Play
Join this interactive workshop to explore practical and joyful ways to nurture early literacy, emotional regulation and social connection in young children.
- When? Feb. 12, 2026, at 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Register here
Two in three families with a young child with a disability struggle to meet basic needs
The RAPID Survey Project, based in the Stanford Center on Early Childhood, present their fact sheet about the experience of families with a young child with a disability. In August 2025, 68% of families surveyed with a child with a disability reported difficulty meeting one or more basic needs, including food, housing, utilities, child care, and healthcare. Explore the data.
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.
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