Many critical support systems for kids in our state faced potentially devastating cuts when the 2010 legislative session started. We knew that protecting vital services for children and families was not going to be easy.

But we’ve never been ones to shy away from a challenge.

Day in and day out, we worked to make sure that lawmakers did right by kids. In the end, the Children’s Alliance played a pivotal role in the successful push for:

• Nearly $800 million in new state revenue.
• Full protection of Apple Health for Kids.
• A stronger commitment to early learning for infants and toddlers and a path toward preschool for all.
• Meals for kids in child care, schools and during summertime.
• Continued support for the work of a committee studying how to remedy racial disproportionality in the state’s child welfare system.

Read our 2010 Legislative Session Review for an in-depth look at all we accomplished for kids, setbacks we fought hard to prevent, and the next steps we’re taking to keep children and families at the top of our lawmakers’ priority lists.

– Liz Gillespie

In this edition, you'll read about the Quality Education Council's efforts to change the way Washington pays for education, and the work this panel is doing to help the state create a plan for all-day kindergarten and high-quality preschool. You'll also find an opinion piece about a school district's proposed policy to limit all-day kindergarten to children in families who can pay for it, and about a decrease in the number of families making use of child care subsidies.

 

Read Full Post »

In this edition, you’ll read an opinion piece by Washington state businessmen touting early learning as a crucial investment for our state’s economy. You’ll also find a podcast on federal health care reform’s boost to home visiting programs that pair nurses and other social work professionals with new and expectant families, giving parents support to help them thrive in their role as their children’s first and best teachers.

Read Full Post »

In this edition, you’ll find an opinion piece stressing the important role that early learning plays in laying the groundwork for a strong K-12 system. You’ll also find nationwide polling on school lunch quality and an opinion piece supporting a tax on high earners as a long-term revenue solution for the state.

Read Full Post »

In this edition, you'll find an article touting the importance of early learning in school reform on the federal level. You'll also read about revenue bills the governor signed, with Children’s Alliance staff and Children’s Action Network member Sebrena Burr looking on, and more about the federal Child Nutrition Act, which is up for reauthorization and could help significantly reduce childhood hunger, ensuring that all children have access to well-balanced, nutritious meals. 

Read Full Post »