A review of high-quality practices at nine sites for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Melati

A qualitative study reviews high-quality practices across nine Washington State Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) sites. It identifies unique or innovative approaches aligned with five ECEAP Performance Standards domains, including family engagement, evidence-based and culturally relevant curriculum, supportive adult-child interactions, measurement and support of child outcomes, and professional development. The report synthesizes interviews, focus groups, document reviews, and administrative data to generate recommendations for scaling practices statewide.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages77

Reading Time3 h 14 min

AccessFree to download

Executive summary

Overview

Methodology

Findings

Family engagement and partnerships

Evidence-based and culturally relevant curricula

Fostering supportive adult-child interactions

A review of high-quality practices at nine sites for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program Libbie Brey & Kathryn Rooney March 2023 About Education Northwest Education Northwest is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping all children and youth reach their full potential. We provide high-quality research, technical assistance, professional development, and evaluation services that address the most pressing education needs in our region and across the country. Through an equity-centered approach, we collaborate to support learners of every age on their path to and through education and training after high school. CONTACT Education Northwest 1417 NW Everett Street, Suite 310 Portland, OR 97209 [educationnorthwest.org](educationnorthwest.org)[ ](educationnorthwest.org)[503.275.9500](503.275.9500) SUGGESTED CITATION Brey, L., & Rooney, K. (2023). A review of high-quality practices at nine sites for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program. Education Northwest. Acknowledgements We extend our thanks to the many individuals who made this report possible. We would like to thank the research team at Education Northwest who visited the sites and supported data collection: Becca Merrill, Angela Roccograndi, Tim Speth, Shannon Davidson, and Amy Steve. We would also like to thank our partners Karin Ganz, Nicole Parker, Sara Schwartz Jewell, and Sarah Veele at the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families who shared their insights and experiences working with Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) contractors, staff members, and families; provided feedback on protocols and analysis strategies; connected us with ECEAP sites; helped us understand the complexities of the ECEAP program, and collaborated with us on this report. We are incredibly grateful to our contacts at each site who went above and beyond to coordinate our site visitsand share information to support the document review. Finally, we want to extend our deep gratitude to all the administrators, staff members, and families who participated in interviews and focus groups at each site. We are so grateful to you for sharing your time and experiences with us. Executive summary Overview The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) administers and operates a state-funded preschool program called the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP). To inform systemwide improvements in the program, the department contracted with Education Northwest to conduct a qualitative study of nine sites across the state. The goal of the study was to identify unique or innovative practices and provide recommendations for scaling these practices across the state in alignment with five domains in the ECEAP Performance Standards: family engagement and partnerships, use of an evidence-based and culturally relevant curriculum, fostering supportive adultchild interactions, measuring and supporting child outcomes, and professional development and training. Methodology Education Northwest conducted interviews and focus groups at each of the nine sites with administrators, teachers, family support specialists, and families. In addition, analysis included a review of documents collected from each site and administrative data provided by DCYF. The analysis focused on the qualitative data (i.e., interviews and focus groups). Other data sources provided background information to support interpretation and triangulation during analysis. Findings Family engagement and partnerships Most sites have well-established structures for building relationships and trust with families. This process begins when families first interact with staff members during enrollment and continues through regular family conferences; home visits; daily check-ins at pick-up and drop-off times; and communication through apps, texting, and newsletters. “I think one of the most important

FAQs

What is the purpose of this study of ECEAP sites?

The study aims to identify unique or innovative practices at nine sites and provide recommendations for scaling them statewide in alignment with ECEAP Performance Standards domains.

What methods does the report use to gather information?

Education Northwest conducts interviews and focus groups at each site and also reviews documents collected from sites and administrative data provided by DCYF, focusing on qualitative data.

How do the findings describe family engagement and partnerships?

Many sites use established structures to build relationships and trust, starting at enrollment and continuing through family conferences, home visits, daily check-ins, and ongoing communication such as apps, texting, and newsletters.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Melati