What’s the DEEL? Department of Education and Early Learning

Department of Education and Early Learning

Seattle Preschool Program Sites Receive Funding for Facilities Improvements

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SEATTLE (February 17, 2021) – The Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) has announced that more than $727,000 has been awarded to improve and expand preschool facilities at four locations participating in the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP). All four programs receiving capital funding are owned by women and persons of color who serve linguistically and culturally diverse children in south and central Seattle.

The Seattle Preschool Program facilities funding is part of the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) Levy, and is designed to help providers build, upgrade, and renovate their spaces for SPP, providing increased access to high-quality preschool for Seattle families and contributing to greater kindergarten readiness for the City’s youngest learners. This year’s investment will improve existing classrooms, develop a new community-inspired playground, and add 20 new SPP slots for children to attend the City’s award-winning program.

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Seattle Preschool Program Wins National Honors Again for High-Quality, Accessible Programming

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Seattle Preschool Program logo

City’s Pre-K program wins its fourth silver medal from national study of the 40 largest U.S. cities.

SEATTLE (December 18, 2020) – Last week, the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) was awarded its fourth silver medal for preschool programming from CityHealth and the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University. The honors stem from an annual, national report released by NIEER that rates how 40 of the largest U.S. cities are leading on policies that address health and well-being, including high-quality, accessible pre-K. This is the fourth year in a row that SPP has won a silver medal. Enrollment in both in-person and remote SPP classes is still available for this school year through March 14, 2021. Applications for the 2021-2022 school year will open in March.

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DEEL and Partners Celebrate Seattle Promise Fall 2020 Enrollment

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Last week, the City of Seattle, Seattle Colleges, and Seattle Public Schools celebrated the largest enrollment in Seattle Promise in the program’s history. This fall, 846 Seattle youth are on their way to earning a college degree with two years (or up to 90 credits) of tuition-free postsecondary education and student support services offered by the Seattle Promise program. Read the full press release from the Office of Mayor Durkan here.

“Seattle Promise reflects the collective commitment of our city to eliminate opportunity gaps and help make the dream of higher education a reality for all Seattle students,” said DEEL Director Dwane Chappelle. “We are thrilled at our enrollment numbers for this fall, especially the representation of students of color and first-generation college students.”

This fall, 699 first-year students and 147 second-year students enrolled in Seattle Promise. Sixty-two percent of participants identify as students of color (21% Asian, 18% African American, 18% Hispanic, and 5% multiracial or other race), 26 percent as white, and 12 percent are unknown or unreported. More than one-third of Promise students are the first in their families to attend college.

The Seattle Promise application for Fall 2021 is open until February 1. Graduating seniors in Seattle Public Schools are invited to apply. Visit seattlecolleges.edu/promise for more information and application assistance, including one-on-one support from Seattle Promise outreach specialists.

Interested in Becoming a Seattle Preschool Program Provider?

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The Seattle Preschool Program Request for Qualifications is now OPEN!

The Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) is excited to announce the opening of the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) Request for Qualifications (RFQ) as part of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy, passed by voters in 2018. 

The FEPP Levy aims to achieve educational equity, close opportunity gaps, and build a better economic future for Seattle students. FEPP preschool and early learning investments provide access to high-quality early learning services that promote success in kindergarten.

The purpose of this RFQ is to identify qualified early learning providers in Seattle to join the Seattle Preschool Program. DEEL will host two informational webinars to answer questions about this opportunity. Information sessions will be held on Friday, December 11, 2020 and Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Session times and access information will be updated here when available.

Click HERE to learn more about this funding opportunity and access RFQ documents. Submissions will be accepted through January 7, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.

SPP launched in the 2015-16 school year with the goal of providing accessible, high-quality preschool services for Seattle children designed to improve their readiness for school and to support their subsequent academic achievement. DEEL will expand SPP annually with a goal to serve 2,500 children by the 2025-26 school year.

Learn more about SPP and its results here.

Families can apply for SPP participation here.

Partner Chat: Rory Gill, Seattle Preschool Program Teacher

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SPP Teacher Rory Gill in a fist-up pose
Photo: Rory Gill, Seattle Preschool Program Teacher (Photo provided by Rory Gill)

In celebration of DiscoverU 2020, a week of college and career exploration, we’re featuring an interview with Rory Gill, Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) Teacher at Daybreak Star Preschool and recipient of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy funded SPP teacher scholarship.

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Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) Provider Facilities Fund Request for Investment (RFI) is now OPEN!

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SPP Facilities Funding Announcement

The Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) Provider Facilities Fund Request for Investment (RFI) is now OPEN!

The Department of Education and Early Learning is excited to announce the opening of the SPP Providers Facilities Fund Request for Investment (RFI) funding opportunity as part of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy, passed by voters in 2018. 

To be considered for funding, applicants are invited to apply by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. 

  • The 2020-21 SPP Provider Facilities Fund RFI has approximately $800,000 available to support child care facility expansion and renovation projects for use in Seattle Preschool Program.
  • Home-, center-, and school-based providers who contract with DEEL as providers of SPP or SPP Pathway are eligible to apply.
  • Funds are awarded through a competitive application process.

DEEL will host two informational webinars on Thursday, October 22, 2020, on the Webex platform. Webex meeting links are provided below.

Session 1: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Session 2: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Click HERE to learn more about this funding opportunity and access RFI documents. 

Fall 2020 DEEL Newsletter

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DEEL logo

A brand-new DEEL newsletter has launched! This department resource will provide a closer look at the investments the City of Seattle is making in education—from early learning to postsecondary.

In this first issue, we’re covering how our investments and our partners are pivoting for a school year unlike any other we’ve known. As our city continues to navigate COVID-19 and build toward recovery, DEEL is working with our partners to adapt to the challenges before us with innovation, collaboration, and a sharp focus on racial equity. 

Here’s a closer look at what’s in the Fall 2020 issue:

  • Director’s Welcome Letter
  • Investment Features
    • Seattle Preschool Program
    • K-12 Investments
    • School Based Health Centers
    • Kingmakers of Seattle
  • Community Partner Features
    • ACE Academy
    • Seed of Life: Emergency Child Care Provider
  • Department Features
    • DEEL Director Dwane Chappelle Reconfirmed
    • Staff Spotlight: Communications & External Affairs
  • Student and Family Resources
    • Home Learning Resources for Early Learners
    • School-Age Child Care
    • Teen Resource Hubs
    • Seattle Public Schools Resources: Student Meals, Technology Support, and Drive-Thru Flu Clinics
    • Remote Learning Resources from Seattle Public Library
  • Calendar and Events of Interest
    • Upcoming Trainings for Preschool Teachers and Providers
    • Upcoming Funding Opportunities for Seattle Preschool Program

To receive future issues of the DEEL newsletter, sign up on DEEL’s mailing list.

School Based Health Centers Will Be Open for In-Person and Telehealth Services this Fall

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School Health investments provide critical medical, dental, and mental health services to help support student health and academic success.

Early this month, Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) announced that 29 School-Based Health Center (SBHC) services will be available to Seattle Public Schools students this fall, including 8 elementary schools and 21 middle and high schools campuses. This announcement included the opening of two new centers at Lowell Elementary and Nova High School.

SBHCs are part of the K-12 Health investments under the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) levy passed by voters in 2018. These investments offer comprehensive medical and mental healthcare, including routine primary care, vaccinations, counseling, and some dental services. SBHCs are designed to promote early intervention, prevention, and treatment of health-related barriers to learning and life success and increase the number of students graduating prepared for the post-secondary pathway of their choice.

The school district’s decision to implement 100% remote learning this fall hasn’t changed the health care needs of students and, if anything, many students may be missing out on the sports physicals or routine immunizations they would typically get in the fall. As such, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) made the decision to open their buildings for SBHC access, and families should know that students enrolled in SPS can receive services at any of the open SBHCs, not just at the school where a student is enrolled.

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$4.9M in Opportunity and Access Investments Announced

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Community-Based Programs Will Help Close Opportunity Gaps Through Expanded Learning and College and Career Readiness

This week, Mayor Jenny Durkan and DEEL announced $4.9 million in Opportunity and Access awards that will be distributed over the next three years to community-based organizations (CBOs) focused on closing opportunity gaps through expanded learning and college and career readiness. The announcement came as part of a larger press release announcing both School-Based Investments and Opportunity and Access investments that will begin this school year.

Part of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise levy passed by voters in 2018, Opportunity and Access funding is a new investment area that allows for multiple service delivery methods to help students develop academic and nonacademic skills that will help them graduate on time and enter postsecondary programs.

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6 Tips to Improve K-12 Student Engagement in a Remote Learning Environment

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When school buildings closed in March, educators were forced into hyperdrive to launch remote learning strategies for students and parents with varying degrees of access to technology tools. Suddenly educators were just as concerned with platforms and bandwidth as they were with curricula and classrooms.

It has been a steep learning curve, says Mimi Somsanit, Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning’s K-12 Summer Learning Project Coordinator. “Most of our summer programming has switched to a virtual environment to comply with the Department of Health’s social distancing guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Program providers have had to adapt and modify their summer work plans in different ways to ensure staff and students are kept safe while still providing meaningful experiences.”

Somsanit, who is responsible for supporting providers and tracking program progress for kindergarten through high school, says while programming looks a lot different, providers ultimately found successful strategies to help students.

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