About Us

PSESD Early Learning

We are an umbrella agency of the Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD), working in partnership with subcontractors in King and Pierce counties, such as school districts, child care centers, community agencies, and colleges. We offer comprehensive, child- and family-centered programs that combine education and school readiness, family support and social services, family engagement opportunities, and health and nutrition services. We maintain high quality services by implementing systems that are supported by ECEAP Performance Standards, the Head Start Act and Head Start Performance Standards. We also provide contract management and administration, monitoring, and overall program coordination assistance to our subcontractors.

Program Models and Service Duration

ECEAP

ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program) is a Washington State preschool program funded by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Funding is appropriated by the state legislature and funding levels are determined each biennium in the legislative budget session.

Children must be 3 or 4 years old by August 31.

Part Day

Minimum 3 hours per class session
Minimum 360 hours of direct service in no less than 30 calendar weeks

School Day

Minimum 5.5 hours per class session
4-5 days per week
Minimum 1,000 hours of direct service in no less than 30 calendar weeks

Working Day

Open at least 10 hours per day, 5 days per week
Minimum 2,370 hours of direct service per year
Parents/guardians must meet child care, employment, and/or training requirements

Head Start (HS)

Head Start is a federal program for preschool-age children authorized and appropriated by Congress through the Department of Health and Human Services. PSESD is one of many grantees in the four state region (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) that makes up Region 10. We get our funds from the Region 10 Office of Head Start.

Children must be 3 or 4 years old by August 31.

Part Day

3-5 hours per day, 4 or 5 days per week
128 (4-day) to 160 (5-day) days per year of planned class operations

School Day

6 hours per day, 4 or 5 days per week
128 (4-day) to 160 (5-day) days per year of planned class operations

working day

Maximum 10 hours per day, 4-5 days per week
128 (4-day) to 160 (5-day) days per year of planned class operations

Early Head Start (EHS)

Early Head Start is a federal program for Birth to 3-years-old, authorized and appropriated by Congress through the Department of Health and Human Services. PSESD is one of many grantees in the four state region (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) that makes up Region 10. We get our funds from the Region 10 Office of Head Start.

CENTER-BASED

1,380 annual hours of planned class operations for all enrolled children

CHILD CARE PARTNERSHIP (CCP)

1,380 annual hours of planned class operations for all enrolled children
Includes child care services

PSESD Direct Service

Educare

Educare Seattle

Educare Seattle is a comprehensive early learning program based in White Center, serving children from birth to age five who face barriers to accessing high quality early learning. We serve as a resource center for families with early learners, and a training and learning hub for early learning providers.

Learn more on the Educare Website

EHS Home-Based

HOME-BASED

One home visit per week per family, at least 1.5 hours
Minimum 46 visits per year
Minimum 22 group socialization activities (playgroup) per year

The Early Head Start Home-Based option serves pregnant women and families with children from birth to three years old in Pierce County. Comprehensive services are offered through weekly home visits, twice monthly parent-child playgroups, and parent leadership opportunities. We partner with families to support healthy child growth, development, and learning. Our curriculum, Parents as Teachers (PAT), has three areas of focus: Parent-Child Interactions, Development Centered Parenting, and Family Well-Being. During home visits, parents engage in fun learning activities with their children and discuss parenting topics with their home visitor. In playgroups, families enjoy a variety of activities in a group setting and connect with other families.

Learn more on the Early Head Start Home-Based Website

FCC

family child Care (FCC)

Provides services in a family child care provider's home or similar setting
Follows any Head Start, Early Head Start or ECEAP model

Early Learning began piloting Head Start in State licensed Family Child Care homes over thirty years ago. Currently, the Family Child Care model is contracting with ECEAP and Head Start, serving children birth to 5. Our Family Child Care partners are located in South King and Pierce County. The FCC Providers lead the child development and school readiness portion of comprehensive services, while the Family Educator supports the families well-being, home to school connection, referrals for services, and connection to community resources. The FCC Program Coordinator supports providers in implementing performance standards, on site monitoring and supporting professional learning.

For more information about Family Child Care, please call, text or email:

Kathy Schirman:

(425) 917-7762

(253)778-7762

kschirman@psesd.org

Kristy Towers-Richmond:

(425)917-7974

(253)778-7984

Ktowers-richmond@psesd.org

Heritage

Heritage Head Start

Heritage Head Start provides safe, relevant and quality Early Learning programs to children and families in the West Seattle area of White Center. Our values:

Committed to multicultural/multilingual approach - an inclusive environment/school culture is a core value in our program.
Dedicated to enrich children and families through a learning partnership embedded in cultural heritage.
Heritage Head Start staff, families, and community partners work in collaboration which allows us to be a leader in the field of early childhood education.

Learn more on the Heritage Website

WCCW

Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW)

In partnership with Department of Corrections, WCCW Early Head Start, offers Home-Based and Center-Based services for incarcerated individuals participating in the Residential Parenting Program. We utilize Parents as Teachers curriculum for both models and Creative Curriculum for our Center-Based model. Our focus for our program is on the whole family including engaging family in the community. We have strong relationships with many community partners including Eastside Baby Corner, Save the Children, University of Washington Speech Language Department, Women Infant Children Nutrition Program, and Hope Sparks.