DEEL Winter 2023 Newsletter
January 11, 2023
DEEL’s Winter 2023 newsletter is available now!
Join Our Upcoming Info Session for the SPP Expansion Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
December 14, 2022
Applications to join the Seattle Preschool Program for the 2023-24 school year are due January 18. Last week, DEEL announced the opening of a new Request for Qualifications (RFQ) opportunity to solicit applications from qualified early learning providers in Seattle for the opportunity to join the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP),… [ Keep reading ]
11 Organizations Awarded $1.6M in Community Grants to Support Equitable Birth Outcomes and Early Childhood Development
October 27, 2022
The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) has announced $1.6 million in grants for 11 community organizations as part of the Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT) 2022 Prenatal-to-Three Community Grant Program, which aims to improve kindergarten readiness and reduce outcome disparities for young children and families based on race, gender, or other socioeconomic factors.
DEEL Fall 2022 Newsletter
October 12, 2022
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.
Leilani Dela Cruz Announced as DEEL Early Learning Division Director
October 5, 2022
DEEL recently announced Leilani Dela Cruz as the new director of the department’s Early Learning Division, overseeing the City of Seattle’s investments in early learning and child care.
Kindergarten Readiness Gets a Boost from Summer-Extension Programming, a Pandemic-Era Adaptation to the Seattle Preschool Program with Lasting Benefits
September 22, 2022
Last week, hundreds of Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) participants started kindergarten better prepared and with more confidence around the big transition to school. That’s because preschool classes were extended through the summer for the second consecutive year, with some programs having as many as 10 weeks of extended programming.
DEEL Awards $782K for Seattle Preschool Program Facilities Improvements and Celebrates Start of SPP’s 8th School Year
September 13, 2022
The Department of Education and Early Learning has announced $782,000 in facilities funding for six Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) providers, including first-time awards to three home-based Family Child Care (FCC) programs. The announcement also celebrates the start of the eighth year of SPP, which has expanded from serving 283 students in 2015 to having capacity for more than 2,100 students for the 2022-2023 school year.
DEEL Announces $1.4M in Community Grants to Provide Prenatal-to-Three Supports for BIPOC, Immigrant and Refugee Communities
September 1, 2022
The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) has announced open applications for the 2022 Prenatal-to-Three Community Grant Program, with $1.4 million in funding available from revenue generated by the City’s Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT). The grant program will support community-based organizations serving children aged birth to three, pregnant individuals, and guardians of children aged birth to three within the city of Seattle to support equitable birth outcomes and increased early childhood development services.
DEEL Awards Six Organizations Nearly $900K to Increase Educator Diversity and Organizational Development
August 31, 2022
SEATTLE (August 31) – The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) announced today awards of $893K to six organizations to expand pathways into the education field and support worker retention for educators of color. Building on recommendations from the Equitable Communities Initiative, Educator Diversity funding will support up to 5,200 educators through recruitment, program completion and other professional development, and mentorship. Funds will also expand organizations’ capacity to help further their reach and impact.
Rainier Beach High School’s Record-Setting Participation in IB-for-All, a FEPP Levy-Funded Model for Inclusive High-Quality Student Learning
August 26, 2022
Rainier Beach High School’s (RBHS) uniquely accessible IB-for-All program served 75 percent of 2022’s graduating class, representing 156 seniors, on their paths to universities and careers in 2021-22. International Baccalaureate (IB) has historically been perceived as an exclusive program, but RBHS is breaking the mold—students are taking IB courses in record numbers, representing one of the highest percentages of dual-credit scholars matriculating to postsecondary programs in Washington State.