(1) The department shall adopt rules that allow a child to enroll in the early childhood education and assistance program, as space is available and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, when the child is not eligible under RCW 43.216.505 and the child turns three years old at any time during the school year when the child:

(a) Has a family income at or below 50 percent of the state median income or meets at least one risk factor criterion adopted by the department in rule; and

(b) Has received services from or participated in:

(i) The early head start or a successor federal program providing comprehensive services for children from birth through two years of age;

(ii) The early support for infants and toddlers program or received class C developmental services;

(iii) The birth to three early childhood education and assistance program; or

(iv) The early childhood intervention and prevention services program.

(2) Children enrolled in the early childhood education and assistance program under this section are not eligible children as defined in RCW 43.216.505 and are not part of the state-funded entitlement required in RCW 43.216.556.

Findings—Intent—2021 c 199 ss 204-208: "(1) The legislature finds that eligibility guidelines for the national school lunch program require free meals for children with household incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level and that this income level is approximately equivalent to 36 percent of the state median income for a household of three. The legislature further finds that eligibility guidelines require reduced-price meals for children with household incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level and that this income level is approximately equivalent to 50 percent of the state median income for a household of three.

(2) Therefore, the legislature intends to raise the maximum family income for children entitled to enroll in the early childhood education and assistance program to 36 percent of the state median income beginning July 1, 2026. Beginning in the 2030-31 school year, the legislature intends to raise the maximum family income for children entitled to enroll in this program to 50 percent of the state median income. It is the intent of the legislature to standardize income eligibility levels for assistance programs in order to help families and social workers better understand the benefits for which families qualify and to simplify and align state systems wherever feasible.

(3) The legislature further intends to support educational service districts to help school districts partner with early childhood education and assistance program contractors and providers to expand access." [ 2021 c 199 s 203.]

Effective date—2021 c 199 ss 204-206 and 403: See note following RCW 43.216.505.

Short title—Findings—Intent—Conflict with federal requirements—2021 c 199: See notes following RCW 43.216.770.