Why is United Way of King County focused on early learning and school readiness?
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction reports that one-quarter of the students in Washington do not graduate from high school on time or at all; the numbers are higher in King County. Additionally, the state's kindergarten teachers find less than half of their entering students are adequately prepared to succeed in kindergarten. There's a relationship between these two issues—kids who start behind tend to stay behind.
We also know that what happens in children's earliest years has enormous influence on the rest of their lives—not only on their academic success, but also on their personal relationships, their ability to work well with others, their emotional resilience, and more. By supporting children early on, we know we can positively impact the rest of their lives.
Longitudinal studies, such as the 40-year High/Scope Perry Preschool Project, show that investments in early learning show tangible results measured in lower crime, fewer single parents, and higher individual earnings. According to Art Rolnick with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, "Investment in human capital breeds not only economic success for those being educated, but also for the overall economy."
What is United Way of King County's role in early learning and school readiness?
United Way of King County mobilizes an unparalleled network of business leaders, child development experts, community partners, and resources to effectively and efficiently benefit our youngest children. We're committed to the success of all children in King County, and are focusing our efforts on children from the time they are born until they enter kindergarten, with particular concern for those who face additional barriers, whether because of poverty, racism, trauma, developmental disabilities or delays, or other factors.
We focus holistically on children's needs and recognize that improving school readiness requires the concerted action of parents, early childhood caregivers and teachers, schools, and communities working together. We invest in strategies that support each of these components and their interconnectedness, with the highest priority placed on the following results:
- strong nurturing relationships,
- formal and informal child care and preschools of the highest quality, and
- family and community involvement in young children's learning.
More specifically, we are involved in public awareness campaigns that educate parents and caregivers about the impact they have on a child's ability to learn and that give them the tools they need to be successful first teachers. We are investing $1.3 million over five years to improve the quality of child care and make it accessible to all children. We connect volunteers with early learning opportunities. And, to create lasting, positive change, we advocate on behalf of children and families at the system level. For more information on United Way of King County's work around early learning, read our 
impact plan.
What is early learning?
Early learning is not just about learning shapes, colors, numbers and letters. It's about everything a child learns in the first several years of life that might impact future school success. That includes everything from motor skills, to developing social and emotional competence, to language and literacy, to cognitive skills. The key to fostering early learning is providing an atmosphere that's fun and nurturing. Brain research has shown that nurturing a child can stimulate the growth of that child's brain and form the building blocks for future learning.
What is school readiness?
United Way of King County views school readiness as an outcome of its work around early learning. According to the National Education Goals Panel, school readiness pertains to: (1) children's readiness to enter school; (2) schools' readiness for children, and (3) family and community supports that contribute to children's readiness for school. [Child Trends, 2001; Kagan, Moore and Bredekamp, 1995].
What is early literacy?
Early literacy has to do with preparing children to read and write, not necessarily the teaching of reading. Children learn how to read in school. Before they enter school, the focus should be on teaching them the concepts that prepare them to read, such as the idea that letters can be put together to create words, which have distinct meanings. As with any learning in the early years, the focus should be on inspiring kids to want to learn by nurturing them and teaching them through everyday moments.
What's the difference between child care centers and preschools?
From the point of view of a three-year-old, they need both care and education, so there is no distinction. Historically, care and education have been separated largely for funding reasons. Preschools, for example, must provide a certain type of curricula to receive some types of grants. The boundaries begin to blur as the importance of holistic service-with elements of play, nurturance, and education-becomes more widely known and accepted.
What is child care accreditation, and why is it important?
Child care accreditation can be compared to a hotel star rating system. Accreditation provides a way to assess how well child care centers meet a set of predetermined standards of quality. If a child care center is accredited, we know that it meets a certain measure of good practice. That does not mean that those without accreditation are necessarily inferior. However, for those parents who might not have the time, inclination, or expertise to independently visit child care centers and evaluate their quality, accreditation provides an invaluable service by giving them the assurance that a certain level of quality will be met, including safety, education, and nurturance. Read our impact plan to find out how UWKC is improving the quality of child care.
What is Born Learning?
United Way of America and United Way Success By 6 have partnered with the Ad Council, Civitas and Families and Work Institute to create Born Learning, a national public engagement campaign, designed to be adopted locally, to empower parents, caregivers, and communities so they can ensure quality early learning experiences for young children. United Way of King County uses the Born Learning materials to further its outreach efforts around early learning and provide everyone in our community with the framework and tools they need to work together so that all children can enter school with a strong foundation and the skills they need to succeed.
What is Success by 6?
United Way Success By 6® (SB6) is the name given to United Way's nationwide network of early childhood coalitions. At the national level, SB6 provides a strategic framework for improving school readiness through community change. United Way of King County is part of this network and is working at the local level to supports early learning through community impact initiatives. For more information, read our impact plan.
What is Thrive by Five?
Thrive by Five is a Washington State public-private partnership, formed in 2006, to create a place for the state government to work together with private funders to promote early learning throughout Washington State. Governor Christine Gregoire and Bill Gates, Sr. co-chair its board of directors. On Oct. 26, 2006, they announced that Thrive by Five has selected Dr. Graciela Italiano-Thomas as its first CEO. United Way of King County is a contributing partner of Thrive by Five.
What is Washington Learns?
Washington Learns is the name of an 18-month study, launched by Governor Gregoire in 2005, to examine Washington State's education system and better integrate early learning, K-12, and post-secondary education. United Way of King County sits on the Early Learning Advisory Committee of Washington Learns and has been instrumental in advocating for our state's youngest citizens and their parents and caregivers. We initiated an ad hoc parent support advisory group to ensure that the need for adequate parent and caregiver support was not overshadowed by the attention paid to child care centers. The final Washington Learns report is schedule to be released in November 2006.
What is the Department of Early Learning?
The cabinet-level Department of Early Learning was created July 1, 2006. It consolidates more than a half-dozen childcare and early learning programs, including: the division of Child Care and Early Learning, the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), and the Early Reading Initiative. United Way of King County played, and continues to play, a leadership role in bringing a high-level of visibility to the importance of early learning.
Where can I find more information on early learning and related issues?
In planning its work, United Way of King County has relied heavily on the frameworks presented by both An Early Childhood School Readiness Action Agenda (SOAR, 2004) and Kids Matter: Improving Outcomes for Children in Washington State (Washington State Department of Health, 2005). For more background information, see our resource list.
What do you want to know? Send us your questions.
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