Rep. Hunter bill to improve early learning quality clears House

Published 6:16 pm Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The state House of Representatives approved HB 2377 today in Olympia by a vote of 64-33, which will substantially improve the quality of early learning for kids in Washington state.

“If we want to improve school readiness outcomes for students, our best investment is in high-quality early learning,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Ross Hunter of the 48th Legislative District.

“We now know how to assess the quality of preschool programs and assess these outcomes. We just have to be serious about doing it. The evidence is really clear — quality early learning is the best investment we can make to close the achievement gap here in Washington.”

HB 2377, the Early Start Act of 2014, will use a balanced approach — a mix of incentives and requirements — to increase child care quality by getting more facilities to provide high-quality child care.

Washington state has nearly 7,500 child care facilities that serve about 174,000 children.

HB 2377 has now moved to the Senate for consideration.