Overview

Research shows developing solid early math skills has a  profound effect on future academic achievement overall, and in STEM disciplines in particular. Washington STEM supports and works with community and system-level partners that provide high-quality early math education to every young Washingtonian.

As a part of The Early Math Coalition in Washington, our work directly involves bringing together the systems, institutions, and organizations that support kids, families, and educators of young children. That work involves mapping existing assets and strengths, and understanding gaps where additional work and investment is needed. Additionally, we have made a systems level investment in our work supporting AESD Early Learning Coordinators and Fellows program. That program involves supporting an early learning champion at each ESD and a cohort of educators (P-3 teachers, ECEAP and Head Start Teachers, Librarians, Family Childcare providers, etc.) that are at the working to advance the quality of care and support for early learning in every corner of the state.

Early Learning and Child Care in Crisis

Washington state’s child care and early education systems were already in crisis before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that these systems have been further strained, what can be done to bolster and reimagine early learning to provide the high-quality care and positive learning interactions children need for positive outcomes in school and beyond?

Our new article, Washington state Early Learning & Care: Where Historic Underinvestment Meets National Health Crisis, explores the primary issues and outlines a path forwards.

Impact

In 2017, we made grants to six innovative early math programs aimed at creating meaningful, equitable, transformative experiences for our youngest learners and their families.  In 2019, we’re looking forward to completing a summative evaluation of these equity grants.  Our evaluation will focus on implementation and impact. We’ll be tracking how many educators and parents benefited, directly and indirectly. Going further, we’ll look at how their skills, attitudes, beliefs, and practices have changed for the better.