The Children’s Alliance and other Early Learning Action Alliance members are celebrating a hard-earned victory today.

The Legislature has passed a bill that takes a step toward making early learning for infants and toddlers a top priority as our state builds and strengthens pre-kindergarten.

A great deal of research on how and why some children fall behind during their K-12 years has focused on preschoolers – kids age 3 to 5. But studies have shown that warning signs of looming achievement gaps can start to surface much earlier in life. In one study that’s been generating a lot of buzz lately, researchers at Child Trends found that as early as 9 months of age, low-income kids and children of color – who are less likely to have access to high-quality early learning programs than higher-income white children – generally scored lower on certain cognitive skills and social-emotional development tests.

This year, the Children’s Alliance is urging lawmakers to pass two bills that would make early learning programs for infants and toddlers a higher priority in Washington state. Both bills – 2SHB 2867 and 3SHB 2687 – are on the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee’s agenda for a hearing Monday (Feb. 22) afternoon.