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Childcare and early-learning groups back $50M Early Learning Facilities Fund and local projects
Summary
Early childhood education advocates and local providers told the Capital Budget Committee that the Early Learning Facilities Fund (ELF) and district projects are essential to expand capacity and address childcare shortages, and urged continued funding.
Early learning and childcare providers testified in support of the governor’s proposed capital investments in early learning facilities and local school-based projects.
Erica Hallock of Start Early Washington and the Early Learning Facilities Coalition said the governor’s proposal includes $50,000,000 for the Early Learning Facilities Fund (ELF) and cited past success in addressing childcare deserts and expanding early learning slots. Testifiers from Spokane and Pullman described local projects that received planning or pre-development grants and said ELF funds will be critical to move those projects into construction.
Julie German Murray, founder of the Rosalie Murray Memorial Foundation, described Birdie’s Nest, a proposed therapeutic childcare program for children ages 3–6 with disabilities that received a predevelopment ELF grant and asked for future construction support. Mary McDonald of Community Child Care Center in Pullman said the center hopes to double infant and toddler capacity with ELF support and stressed the need in rural Whitman County.
Ending: Early-learning witnesses asked the committee to preserve ELF funding and the governor’s proposed allocations to small-district school modernization and seismic safety programs to ensure rural and small districts can complete projects and expand access to care.
