FUND EARLY SUPPORT FOR INFANTS & TODDLERS!
Early Support for Infants and Toddlers, or ESIT, is a critical program that helps ensure that our youngest children have access to the resources they need for healthy development. When ESIT programming was moved from the agency that oversees K-12 education (OSPI) to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), the funding multiplier became unlinked from preschool special education. The unintended consequence resulted in unequal funding for support services for children birth-to-three. We are asking for legislators to re-link funding for our youngest learners to ensure that every child has the support they need to grow up healthy.
Please copy, paste and personalize these sample emails and send them to the email addresses of the legislators listed below:
SAMPLE EMAIL 1, SENATOR PEDERSEN THANK-YOU – FEEL FREE TO PERSONALIZE
CC: sam.hendrickson@leg.wa.gov
Subject Line: Thank you for including ESIT in SB 5263!
Sen. Pedersen,
My name is [______________], and I am a/an [ESIT provider, ESIT parent, ESIT graduate, disability advocate].
I am reaching out on behalf of [my family/name of the organization you work for] to say THANK YOU for including early support for infants and toddlers in SB 5263.
From a scientific and statistical perspective, this is a wise investment in services delivered at a time of enormous brain growth, with great benefits to a child’s lifelong developmental trajectory.
From a personal perspective, these services mean the world to me. [add personal connection] I have watched them change so many lives for the better.
I know there is much advocacy left to be done on this policy this legislative session, but thank you for pushing it past yesterday’s cutoff in such a strong form.
Sincerely,
[your name]
SAMPLE EMAIL 2, SENATOR WILSON THANK-YOU – FEEL FREE TO PERSONALIZE
Subject Line: Thank you for highlighting ESIT!
Sen. Wilson,
Thank you for your remarks last week on the Senate Floor about early support services for infants & toddlers with disabilities. You are absolutely right – these services lead to excellent developmental outcomes for children. And, as an important public policy benefit, they ultimately save the state special education dollars later down the line.
For me, this is issue is close to my heart. [include personal connection to ESIT].
That’s why your speech on the Senate floor, and your unwavering support for ESIT, means so much. Thank you for prioritizing the youngest kiddos with developmental delays and disabilities.
Sincerely,
[your name]
SAMPLE EMAIL 3, HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS LEADERSHIP – FEEL FREE TO PERSONALIZE
To: timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov; nicole.macri@leg.wa.gov; mia.gregerson@leg.wa.gov
Cc: Shannon.Waechter@leg.wa.gov; Brady.Hood@leg.wa.gov; Tyra.Zeigler@leg.wa.gov
Subject Line: Please retain key provisions of ESSB 5263 for infants & toddlers with disabilities
Chair Ormsby, Vice Chair Gregerson, Vice Chair Macri,
I hope you are doing well. I am reaching out to respectfully urge you to pass ESSB 5263 out of the Appropriations Committee in as strong a form as possible, retaining the provision providing parity for the 0-3-year-old Early Support for Infants & Toddlers (ESIT) system. This provision was included by the Senate, who supported ESSB 5263 unanimously.
I am [an ESIT provider, ESIT parent, ESIT graduate], so I know firsthand the impact of this program.
The Early Childhood Development Association of WA’s top priority is ensuring the 0-3-year-old ESIT special education multiplier is re-linked to the 3-5-year-old Pre-K special education multiplier (as they were before ESIT was moved from OSPI to DCYF and the multipliers became de-linked). This would correct an unintended consequence of past legislative action and ensure the youngest Washingtonians with disabilities are no longer left behind in our special education system.
According to the CDC, “Earlier is Better” when it comes to early support. 80% of brain growth takes place in the first 1,000 days of life, making the first three years an irreplaceable opportunity to support a child’s lifelong developmental trajectory.
In Washington, about 40% of children graduate ESIT services around age 3 no longer needing additional special education services. Given this, ESIT saves the rest of the special education system millions of dollars per year.
Thank you for your consideration of this critically important policy. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
[your name]