WaKIDS is a process that helps to ensure a successful start in school.
Program Details
What is WaKIDS?
WaKIDS is a process that helps to ensure children entering Kindergarten have a successful start to the K-12 experience. WaKIDS provides a statewide view where children are in development as they enter Kindergarten. This information will help shape education policy and investments.
WaKIDS has three components:
- Family Connection welcomes families into the Washington K-12 system as partners in their child’s education.
- “Whole-Child” Assessment gives kindergarten teachers information about the social and emotional, physical, cognitive and linguistic development of the children in their classrooms, so they may tailor their instruction to the individual needs of each child.
- Early Learning Collaboration aligns practices of early learning professionals and kindergarten teachers to support smooth transitions for children.
Support
What role does Early Care & Education provide?
Early Care & Education provides professional development, technical assistance and support, including training in the use of the Teaching Strategies GOLD assessment process, to kindergarten teachers who are implementing WaKIDS (Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills) – our state’s model designed to strengthen the kindergarten transition process.
Helpful Links
WaKIDS is a partnership paid for with state, federal and private funding. It is mandated for state-funded full-day kindergarten programs by ESHB 2586 The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) work together to oversee WaKIDS.
Program Contacts
Who to Contact
ECE State Resources
Early Care and Education in the News
Why do parents spend so much on child care, yet childhood educators earn so little?
(Child Care Aware of America, July 11, 2018)
Building a solid foundation
(Camas-Washougal Post-Record, April 11, 2019)
Get Social with Us
Enroll for Fall School Age Child Care!
Reserve your child care spot for this fall! Space is limited!
Early Care & Education News
Circle of Security Parenting™ Series enhances relationships and resiliency
Earlier this year, 13 families completed an 8-week Circle of Security Parenting™ (COSP) Series, exploring new skills and strategies that help caregivers, families, and educators to build healthy relationships with their children, and improve [...]
Math Anywhere offers free Canvas courses for educators
The Math Anywhere program at ESD 112 aims to build positive math experiences for students outside of school with the idea that math can be fun anytime, anywhere. Now the program is moving into the [...]
New Early Care and Education Center opens at Burnt Bridge Creek Elementary School
The newly opened 49th Street Early Care and Education Center, located on the Burnt Bridge Creek Elementary School campus in Vancouver, provides full-day preschool for up to 72 ECEAP-eligible children ages 3-5 years old. Children [...]
Rep. Stonier discusses child care challenges during visit to early learning center
Washington State Representative Monica Stonier recently visited ESD 112’s Hough Early Learning Center (ELC) in downtown Vancouver to hear about the challenges local child care providers and stakeholders face in making child care both accessible [...]
ESD 112 equalizes educational opportunities for learning communities through innovative partnerships, responsive leadership, and exceptional programs.