The ESD 112 Early Care and Education department received a visit from two members of Senator Patty Murray’s office in August. Allie Kimmel, Senator Murray’s Education Policy Advisor, and David Hodges, Southwest Washington Director for Senator Murray, reached out to Jodi Wall, ESD 112 Executive Director of Early Care and Education in order to learn more about the ESD’s Child Care Consortium and the realities of early care and education programs in the state. Wall and ESD 112 Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, Mike Nerland, accompanied the two on site tours of the Central Park SWCCC child care center and the Hough Early Learning Center, both located near downtown Vancouver.
Kimmel was instrumental in the development of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as well as the reauthorization of the Child Care Development Block Grant in 2015. According to Wall, Kimmel was impressed with the quality of the ESD programs and staff. “She applauded us for our efforts to blend and integrate programs for the benefit of all children,” said Wall.
