More than 3,700 Seattle child care professionals are receiving a one-time payment of up to $1,380 from the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) to support child care worker retention.
For the third consecutive year, the City of Seattle will provide millions in relief to support and retain child care workers. Funded by the Payroll Expense Tax, up to $5.3 million–the largest direct payment investment to date–is projected to reach approximately 4,500 child care workers across the city. Applications open Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
DEEL’s fall 2022 newsletter is available now! This issue features investments in Seattle Preschool Program Summer Extension, International Baccalaureate programming at Rainier Beach High School, and educator diversity. Also highlighted is DEEL’s proposed 2023 budget, a spotlight on our new Early Learning Division Director, Leilani Dela Cruz, and supportive student and family resources from preschool to postsecondary.
This week, payments will begin going out to 631 Seattle providers who are receiving a flexible-spending stabilization grant from the City’s Department of Education and Early Learning to support ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, 4,589 Seattle child care workers will receive a one-time staff retention payment between $400-500, as part of $7.4 million in joint funding from the City of Seattle and King County to support the region’s child care workers.
This article spotlights DEEL’s staff unit of CCAP Education Specialists, who support child care providers partnering with the City of Seattle as part of the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).
Today, King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell joined child care partners to announce the opening of applications for the 2022 Child Care Retention Payments and a new round of stabilization grants for Seattle providers provided by the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL). A total of $7.4 million in joint funding will be available for eligible providers through both opportunities, including $5 million from the King County Best Starts for Kids levy and $2.4 million from the Seattle JumpStart Payroll Expense Tax.
The Handbook for Health Heroes, a comic book produced in collaboration with Public Health Seattle King County and Seattle Public Schools, helps answer families’ questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids.
At the historic Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, Seattle youth took to the stage to deliver a stellar performance celebrating Black History Month titled, Fabrics of Our Lives. The play highlighted art, culture, and important moments in American history through tributes to Black civil rights activists, the Harlem Renaissance, Harriet Tubman, the Black Panthers and boy bands of the 1980’s to name only a few. Performers included youth representing Atlantic Street Center (ASC), D&G Dance Company and individual youth performers Tazz Enrico, Skye Dior, and Ashley McCarver.
Building on a series of investments to support child care providers throughout the pandemic, Dr. Dwane Chappelle, Director of the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL), joined members of the Seattle City Council, child care workers and education partners to announce $2.9 million in Child Care Recognition Payments as part of the Seattle Rescue Plan. Over 3,500 workers will receive a one-time payment in appreciation of their important service provided to Seattle children and families throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
