[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6486046,"mediaKeyId","5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb","parentId",5448628,"title","DCYF expands prelicensing unit to help new providers open with readiness support","audioSeconds",199,"startMs",7586000,"endMs",7785000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb&start=7586&end=7785","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb/thumbnail_7586000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6486046/Washington/DCYF-expands-prelicensing-unit-to-help-new-providers-open-with-readiness-support","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486046-610bddae78ccb5318b48e9bc0a288dab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143293&Signature=kaw8UwBcaitKv0ZY91rRRx0L7KY4nXDa-HNhlx80jm-QsPj9ZvcgSGOJfu3OAefBY7LGAaQRIxfLv80CN~p1WGHs5BeKdl0iEjlEARByXnC7UFfC1yojcwa~rru0fntHpw2rwt~kaoZBgbwBxFHauPuNFfgtjKvvA2bZ9ndQYFwuGoGGKmFejws4ncCZya-3HJR4zHtY2GLQD88FY38Nyz~T4oBscXX4jnqteLsO5imeDQWG0tujkryFT1DTW-lT-4l6eP7JrCfWxIz25M4X8IPeQboPOFGazjIPG3n1YxZQtoOXR7PDlvincTQIVjTk2zxE8jlc7g7fgEmlKDur2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families","date","2025-07-22T15:43:22.393Z","article","The Department of Children, Youth, and Families will expand its prelicensing unit this summer to provide technical assistance to anyone planning to open a licensed child‑care program in Washington, the agency said at the July provider supports meeting.

Why it matters: quicker, more consistent prelicensing assistance aims to reduce application delays and to increase the share of applicants who are ready at their initial licensing visit. That readiness can shorten the pathway to opening and reduce problems that arise when providers build facilities or begin operations without prelicensing support.

Judy Jaramillo, speaking for prelicensing staff, said the unit began in 2022 serving grant recipients and employer‑sponsored projects. DCYF will expand from the earlier team (four prelicensing specialists and two health/safety “house” specialists) to a larger unit that the department described as eight prelicensing specialists, two house specialists and two supervisors. The prelicensing team will operate statewide and may combine virtual and on‑site visits depending on need; current staff are located in Eastern Washington, Southwest and King County.

Services the unit will offer include feasibility visits, plan reviews, policy and handbook support, facility readiness assessments, coordination with the State Fire Marshal and local fire authorities, and referrals to partner organizations that provide business or Zoning assistance. Each applicant will be assigned a prelicensing specialist and a house specialist for health‑and‑safety planning. When applicants are ready, the prelicensing team will perform a soft hand‑off to the local licensing office and help schedule required fire‑marshal visits ahead of the initial licensing inspection.

Jaramillo said the team aims to reduce time between application and license issuance where possible, but cautioned timing depends on factors such as State Fire Marshal availability for center inspections and whether an applicant needs substantial technical assistance. DCYF encouraged prospective providers to contact its welcome mailbox (dcyf.welcome@dcyf.wa.gov) or to use orientation materials; orientation remains a required step for licensees and primary contacts.

Ending: DCYF said full expansion begins in August and invited providers and community partners to refer new applicants. The department said it will return with outcome data on application processing times and will share prelicensing resources and templates with provider networks.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 16, 2025 Provider Supports Subcommittee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","DCYF said it will broaden prelicensing technical assistance in August to support all prospective licensed providers, adding staff, coordinating fire‑marshal scheduling and offering plan reviews and policy help in advance of initial licensing visits.","taxTitle","Children, Youth, and Families, Department of, State Agencies, Executive, Washington","taxId",26749,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6486050,"ACF finds gaps in childcare‑check reporting; DCYF outlines steps to post inspection results and corrective action",257,5386000,5643000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb&start=5386&end=5643","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb/thumbnail_5386000.jpg","/articles/6486050/Washington/ACF-finds-gaps-in-childcarecheck-reporting-DCYF-outlines-steps-to-post-inspection-results-and-corrective-action","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486050-c1ba09b8819a81742b66abeea2bbd333/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143293&Signature=BzrUycveQzgduKJiAphYJuLbYnxKdleTJCRZ1YuGDdhyTFcCdtzANC8fMgjNRcsEyHGSTAuW1xMIPvyYCs~Qtge4hVw1xTeDK-7ecKtMuP9ClN4-h7~AHSBjmFa2mXixG~oZ906u7DdbheauDijGZBYq2htRb28QDJTOkidortHeSJDaQCNJ7YaJ4t7pK894koSAppiBnRD6vTfTfvD-UCpUagh0jRttBcbRJbybJ78lO7loDvxGpOedgxmo6S0~V4ONLz8NBQd5pzbMnZTXi8GO2QOLjg5n~hJpDdtzyFlhF6eDWa3DnHnFdIJYREIsnOfV1l18sAqRMeTCt65qqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) identified compliance issues during on‑site monitoring of Washington’s Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) consumer‑education requirements, and DCYF licensing staff outlined steps to bring the state into compliance.

Why it matters: ACF requires states to post inspection/monitoring reports, complaints, injuries and corrective actions for licensed providers in plain language and to make at least three years of records available on a consumer website. ACF’s finding cited absent reports from the pandemic period, incomplete complaint documentation in some reports, and situations where injuries appeared on no public record because no licensing standard was violated.

Matt Judge, DCYF’s federal initiatives administrator, said ACF noted four core issues: missing reports from the pandemic, inspection reports that omit the reason for complaints, the absence of publicly posted incident details (injuries/fatalities) even when no WAC violation occurred, and missing documentation of corrective actions after noncompliance findings.

Licensing product staff said DCYF will prioritize achieving 100% inspection coverage (annual unannounced inspections) to ensure the historical record is complete. The department also convened an internal work group to propose compliance solutions and expects to present a compliance plan to ACF for review this fall.

Michelle Stimpilo, product owner for WA Compass (the licensing and provider portal system), demonstrated planned changes to the inspection‑report layout that will make licensor observations easier to read and reduce duplicated or confusing entries. Under the update (scheduled to roll out by the end of the year), each regulatory citation will show a single associated observation rather than grouping multiple unrelated observations under a single WAC entry; items corrected on‑site will be clearly marked. The online Child Care Check version omits “first‑time forgiveness” items and removes signatures before posting to the public website.

Providers raised concerns that some reports list technical assistance and observations in ways that insurers have read as punitive and that similar issues (for example, one staff training lapse cited across multiple WACs) create long, confusing reports. DCYF licensing staff acknowledged inconsistent documentation and said they are building refresher training for licensors and streamlining checklists to emphasize core health‑and‑safety items.

Ending: DCYF said it will return with progress updates and that initial checklist and report changes will be shared with provider groups before public rollout. Licensing staff emphasized the priority is completing all required inspections and making corrective‑action communication more consistent.","DCYF staff described federal findings about incomplete posting of inspection, complaint and injury information on Child Care Check, said the agency must reach full inspection coverage and explained planned fixes to printed inspection reports and website displays.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6486055,"DCYF to form staff‑qualifications work group under HB 1648; providers sought for representation",395,5993000,6388000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb&start=5993&end=6388","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb/thumbnail_5993000.jpg","/articles/6486055/Washington/DCYF-to-form-staffqualifications-work-group-under-HB-1648-providers-sought-for-representation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486055-040f7ca1048c02d6fab5e3653a1d1950/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143293&Signature=RnDxM3roatcqoUvkqo8xj6BLTQvtZc28N4ed~imW5j46aIiZ1eg6PPm6uBQzkuby2vWAcBqVz0NshPMQM5qHrjGl78SMPFeH8EPZu4bxHH8aH122TYxCZJ1-dQjpjlZdPEoGcs-aI218GUPG7VTAWfK2g1Q10pFvOa8MFe6gQdxU41AxyjtzwFX3-BpqYZiTaP3sl0ZxsKMp6ih0c0qFmxLQosK4OjM5rO~O3Tt2rAhUY9A4CunqoZnNOhz0xA7TwbXBTscaSfp1sqdAoc7m5EQ1a9AiNcFP5fEnmDNkSPxwjJmDaa8jqLuzvkI2gdbNEgCb7ssGS662TDE-gpwFyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Children, Youth, and Families is assembling a staff‑qualifications work group under House Bill 1648 to recommend how the state will expand, verify and document pathways to meet staff qualifications for early learning roles.

Why it matters: HB 1648 extends the timeline for existing staff to demonstrate required qualifications and creates a representative work group charged with proposing streamlined pathways, equivalency options for out‑of‑state credentials and recommendations for asynchronous online training and language access.

Gretchen Starbronig, workforce supports manager, and Brett Skinner, childcare policy manager and rules lead, explained that the work group will include statutorily named organizations plus 10 provider seats. DCYF opened an interest form and said 55 individuals responded; applicants included family‑home providers (English, Spanish and Somali speakers), center leaders and school‑age providers. DCYF said it will prioritize geographic spread, language and cultural representation, facility capacity and avoid selecting more than one representative from the same organization.

The department posted a timeline that requires interested organizations to designate representatives by early July and aims to hold the first work‑group meeting in August. The law requires DCYF to deliver a report to the legislature by Dec. 1, 2026; DCYF told providers it will start membership selection in July and convene the full group and begin deliberations in August.

Gretchen described the work group’s charge: clarify and streamline qualification pathways (including community‑based training, education and experience‑based competency), define merit verification procedures for out‑of‑state education and employment, recommend approaches for online asynchronous modules and language supports, and propose verification workflows that are accessible to tribal and rural providers.

Brett described DCYF’s proposed selection approach: the work group will include the organizations listed in the statute and 10 provider representatives — recommended composition included three family‑home providers, one school‑age provider, one tribal certified program, one payment‑only tribal program and four child‑care centers. DCYF said it will notify selected members by phone and email and will name alternates for the mandated organizational seats.

DCYF described a feedback loop: the work group will make recommendations, DCYF will summarize them and circulate to advisory groups and trusted‑messenger networks (including ELAC and provider supports) for comment, then DCYF leadership will review and finalize decisions for its executive steering committee to approve.

Ending: DCYF asked for input on representation, decision‑making processes and the format of monthly updates. The department said applications and communications will be posted to its feedback loop and invited providers to volunteer to pilot test online content.","The department described an outreach and selection process for the work group created by House Bill 1648, which extends staff‑qualification timelines and directs DCYF to recommend verification and online training options.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6486060,"DCYF outlines ECAP slot reductions, timing for rate changes and implementation of collective bargaining measures",350,3920000,4270000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb&start=3920&end=4270","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb/thumbnail_3920000.jpg","/articles/6486060/Washington/DCYF-outlines-ECAP-slot-reductions-timing-for-rate-changes-and-implementation-of-collective-bargaining-measures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486060-67c3b8a5d0d0907cf753a95bc3046432/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143293&Signature=QyuSxOWPpk2HGHHktFAQF5LHI-NQkjQ2-0HxCVJ-bw-hMR8zGyPmMQUtZ4PXGC~EeobHBYAqn7zWxBy7p0HFppKS5R1HX9c~NtRNAP3AZ0D1E5QRJRQNofexr9d4aQbH6YABlzI4bMRquCFf1Kt15b~2D-Ev4PFrdbdL5B6jTp1yRhJZY1YRbywX3PR3rCyz5dB0PuwnBaWU8u-E6OH0zv1H79m~H8iQwszr68YYYrF97JHdR5JbGfrb2L9UOfTERNWvGSAh6s94PsOyWvG8J1Vt9BmDACK3F7BQe0NeVTqM1RLNmYV9c19VF9qVfwMelqJ~WSH~l5BooctUQH-aAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of Children, Youth, and Families staff detailed fiscal changes and implementation timing for several 2025 legislative items affecting early care and education at the provider supports subcommittee meeting.

Why it matters: the changes include reductions to the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECAP), timing adjustments for Working Connections Child Care rate changes, implementation steps for family‑home collective bargaining outcomes, and other budget and policy shifts that affect providers and families.

DCYF Assistant Secretary of Early Learning Nicole Rose and policy adviser Melissa Cheeseman presented highlights and timelines. Rose said the legislature reduced ECAP funding by about 3,000 contracted slots; DCYF informed 46 of 62 ECAP contractors that they were affected. The department said final contracted ECAP slots for fiscal year 2026 were 14,395, down from more than 16,000 in the previous fiscal year.

Rose said some reductions involved exchanges from part‑day to school‑day slots and attention to contractor viability where a small absolute cut produced a large percentage impact. She said DCYF considered 10 designated catchment areas for prioritization because those communities showed disproportionate kindergarten‑readiness gaps and higher eligibility for free and reduced‑price meals.

On Working Connections Child Care rates, Rose said a center base‑rate increase called in law will not take effect until July 1, 2026. She also noted a “rate alignment” step that removes a temporary hold‑harmless provision for a subset of providers; Rose gave an example where some school‑age rates in Regions 1 and 4 fell below the 80th percentile used in prior rate comparisons, and those providers could see a rate decrease.

Rose said the department is making a manual workaround to implement an expired short‑term expansion that had reduced copayments for certain families; the department estimated that of about 2,300 families who had reduced copayments under the temporary expansion, roughly 375 would be over income at reapplication and lose eligibility. She also confirmed expansion for registered apprenticeships ended; the department recorded about 12 families on that pathway when it concluded.

The department also described implementation timing for collective bargaining outcomes for licensed family‑home providers (effective July 1) — measures that include base‑rate increases, grants and health‑care enrollment options — and said it is working on operational details for prospective and enrollment‑based payment changes to be implemented in late summer 2026.

Rose said the department is preparing two decision packages for the next legislative cycle related to the difference between 12‑month eligibility and 12‑month authorization timing and to update the assumptions about expected savings; she said those packages will request technical corrections and updated expected savings amounts so fiscal projections properly reflect implementation timing.

Ending: DCYF asked provider feedback on communications and implementation details and said it will post materials and updates to advisory groups and the agency feedback loop for continued input.","Department staff described how recent legislative changes affect ECAP slots, Center base-rate timing, family‑home bargaining implementation and eligibility shifts for Working Connections Child Care.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6486065,"State readies fall market-rate survey and cost-of-quality analysis that could change subsidy rates",487,1266000,1753000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb&start=1266&end=1753","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448628-18eaeb8dbf9e3fa44a9b574d89067efb/thumbnail_1266000.jpg","/articles/6486065/Washington/State-readies-fall-market-rate-survey-and-cost-of-quality-analysis-that-could-change-subsidy-rates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486065-58c62b6035a9ef91d5070bbe33cf05bf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143293&Signature=L3unXXRQwXdZbeZrKRYUGij3x3Lx5IRxsl6LKsyQYOJEK7mwagZ0Csn9j1BR7oHtpahySH~pAfbFxfQb74bMpJnnsmrrAfj9UAHj9wFkFkYcccB1I82iXg4QRU-pWgUPmyG94KxzXHEUUJmi-MbuYTI4eLjNUAbO0wClhRWjch-4B1nazbErozZkPITabTze22Y5JFV0KEPyEAHDx9QsXUFjPq57U~JlFZAT~0ftGHi-212j6~zUeEk52ufMKoYq1H5Y1BXHF5YL4kngBb9ueQWt~cCSQHgZBc4RuaVYw~fB6NIR5WQHUqQBqgFem~pgycq-jLL2W~ssLfkkgZEQcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) told providers at a July provider-supports subcommittee meeting that it will deploy the 2025 market-rate survey on Oct. 1 and keep it open for three months, with a final report due to the legislature by June 1, 2026.

The survey will collect what child-care providers charge in private markets by region, age group and provider type, and will also update non‑personnel cost data such as rent, mortgage and utilities. The data are the basis for the Working Connections Child Care subsidy base rates that the state pays providers.

Why it matters: the legislature instructed DCYF to run the survey every two years and to use market-rate data in setting base rates, but federal rules allow an alternative method — a “cost of quality care” approach — and the state has federal approval to switch if the legislature authorizes it. DCYF said it will gather data this fall that could support either approach.

On why the survey matters to providers, Matt Judge, DCYF’s federal initiatives and collaboration administrator, said: “The legislature sets subsidy base rates for the Working Connections childcare subsidy program based on market rate data.” He warned that low response rates in regions with few providers can cause volatility in regional rates and urged broad participation, especially from school‑age and rural providers.

DCYF is repeating the cost-of-quality work it pursued in 2024 alongside the market-rate questions. That effort uses a provider-informed model developed with an “early educator design team” to estimate the costs necessary to meet higher quality standards, including a living‑wage assumption drawn from the MIT living‑wage scale, stronger benefits, paid planning time, curriculum and professional development.

Matt Judge said that federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) rules require states to show geographic, provider-type and age-group variation in their rates and to document provider participation barriers. He said DCYF already has ACF permission to adopt a cost-of-quality methodology if the legislature chooses to do so and that the 2025 study will provide updated options and comparisons for policymakers.

DCYF and Western Washington University, the vendor that assists with the study, plan to deploy the primary online survey in October; the department will use phone follow‑up and a spreadsheet upload option for organizations that operate multiple sites. DCYF said it will also pilot test the survey with a small group of providers in September to identify confusing questions and technical issues that reduced response rates in 2024.

The department listed a compressed timeline because Senate Bill 5752 requires the report by June 1. Key dates announced at the meeting: question development and narrowing in July–August, pre‑communications in September, survey deployment Oct. 1–Dec. 31, report drafting in January and a lengthy internal review March–May ahead of the June 1 deadline.

DCYF asked providers to volunteer for testing and to help spread the word about the survey through newsletters and provider networks. It also said it will work to shorten the survey to raise response rates and will streamline the cost-of-quality content to reflect only the items the early educator design team recommended.

The department expects to publish a report that compares market-rate-based rates with the cost-of-quality model so legislators and others can see the differences and the drivers behind them. DCYF staff asked providers and local organizations for suggestions on outreach, language access and how to make the survey easier to complete.

Provider supports co‑chair Dave Mayer and other participants emphasized outreach through consolidated newsletters and provider networks to increase participation. DCYF said it will take providers’ feedback on question clarity and outreach planning through the “feedback loop” materials it posted to attendees.

Ending: DCYF plans another presentation to provider forums as the survey questions are finalized and will follow up about pilot testing and outreach plans in September.","DCYF officials outlined an accelerated timeline and design choices for Washington’s 2025 market-rate survey and a parallel cost-of-quality study that could be used as an alternative method for setting Working Connections Child Care subsidy base rates.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DCYF expands prelicensing unit to help new providers open with readiness support

ACF finds gaps in childcare‑check reporting; DCYF outlines steps to post inspection results and corrective action

DCYF to form staff‑qualifications work group under HB 1648; providers sought for representation

DCYF outlines ECAP slot reductions, timing for rate changes and implementation of collective bargaining measures

State readies fall market-rate survey and cost-of-quality analysis that could change subsidy rates