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

Department of Education and Early Learning

Celebrating the Emergency Child Care Program for Essential Workers

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As summer started in Seattle, the city made several transitions marking a new season. These included COVID-adapted high school and college graduation ceremonies, as well as King County’s transition to Phase 2 of Governor Inslee’s Safe Start recovery plan.

On June 30, another transition happened. The emergency order establishing the City of Seattle’s Emergency Child Care (ECC) program for essential workers expired and families transitioned from ECC to summer care options.

The ECC program, developed in only a few weeks’ time during COVID’s early days, was officially launched on March 27 with an emergency order from Mayor Durkan. The program was funded using repurposed Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) levy dollars with support from the Levy Oversight Committee and approved by City Council. Through ECC, Seattle Preschool Program providers served essential workers in need of child care after schools closed in late March.

Director Erica Linear of Seed of Life Center for Early Learning, serving one of the children at her ECC site

Successes of the ECC Program

ECC benefited families and early learning providers alike. For providers, many of whom are women- and minority-owned businesses (WMBEs), participation in ECC allowed them to stay open, albeit under far different operational circumstances. These child care providers showed tremendous flexibility and resilience, and in a short time, they successfully revamped established programs to serve smaller class sizes, allow for social distancing and enhanced sanitation, and in some cases adapt classrooms for school-age children.

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A King’s Journey: 2020 Black Male Graduates Rise to Excellence in the Kingmakers of Seattle Program

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Interagency Academy’s graduation ceremony, held the evening of Juneteenth—a holiday celebrating the ending of slavery in the United States—was a tribute to heritage, tradition, and hope over struggle, and it included an air of royalty.

DeMarcus Belle was one of the proud “Kings” who graduated Friday, June 19, as part of the 2020 Interagency graduating class. These young men were part of the Kingmakers of Seattle program, first launched in 2017 at four pilot schools within Seattle Public Schools—one high school (Interagency) and three middle schools (Aki Kurose, Asa Mercer, and Denny International). The program is implemented in partnership with the SPS Department of African American Male Achievement (founded 2019) to intentionally focus on improved outcomes for Black male students. It is currently funded under the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) levy.

Modeled after the Oakland Unified School District’s Office of African American Male Achievement (AAMA) program, Kingmakers is an elective class specifically designed for Black male students (called Kings) taught by Black male educators (called facilitators). Classes follow the Khepera curriculum—a culturally relevant African-centered curriculum that is both engaging and academically rigorous. The curriculum emphasizes Black history, cultural knowledge, positive self-identity, literacy, and academic mentoring.

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“A King’s Journey “- Video by Leslie Daniels
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Key Investments in Learning Continue Despite Challenges to City Revenue

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When the first COVID-19 cases were discovered in early March, the City of Seattle mobilized for quick and comprehensive response across all its departments, from opening up additional shelters for people experiencing homelessness, to protecting residents from evictions and utility shut-offs, to standing up emergency child care for Seattle’s essential workers and first responders. These efforts, along with countless others in partnership with state, public health, and community organizations—as well as the critical role played by residents in stopping the spread—helped Seattle became a model for the rest of the country in how to save lives and protect our health care system from becoming overwhelmed.

But the financial impact of COVID-19 is significant. Dramatically reduced City revenues due to business closures and reduced economic activity in Seattle, combined with increased spending on a variety of fronts to fight the disease and mitigate its effect, have resulted in a shortfall of over $200 million. As the City Budget Office (CBO) and City departments have evaluated the financial impact of the pandemic, departments have been asked to reevaluate discretionary spending and identify budget reductions for 2020.

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June 12 Deadline for Submitting O&A RFI Questions

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This is a reminder that the last day to submit questions related to the currently open O&A RFI will be Friday, June 12, 2020.

Questions may be submitted via email to DEELFunding@seattle.gov and include “Question_ Opportunity and Access Investment-RFI Application” in the subject line.

Please visit DEEL’s Opportunity & Access page to review questions that have already been submitted and answered, as well as access all materials, including the complete RFI document, submission templates (application and budget), technical assistance slide decks, and other resources.

All materials, announcements and questions submitted to DEEL are posted on our website. DEEL will not provide individual notice of changes, and prospective applicants are responsible for regularly checking the web page for technical assistance information as well as any updates, clarifications, or amendments.

To be considered for funding, eligible applicants must submit applications by 3:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22, 2020.

Successful applicants will be notified by Friday, August 21, 2020, for investments beginning as early as October 2020 with the possibility of annual renewal through the 2022-23 school year, conditional upon annual performance. Annual award size will be contingent upon services provided and students served. 

The revised timeline for this funding opportunity is as follows:

EventDate/Time*
Request for Investment (RFI) application issuedMonday, May 11, 2020
RFI Information Webinar (Prerecorded)Monday, May 11, 2020   posted by 4pm
Technical Assistance Session 1 (Online)Monday, May 18, 2020   2:30-4:00pm
Technical Assistance Session 2 (Online)Monday, June 1, 2020   2:30-4:00pm
Last day to submit questionsFriday, June 12, 2020
RFI Applications DueMonday, June 22, 2020 by 3:00pm
Applications Reviewed and RatedJune 23 – July 10, 2020
Interviews and Review Panel Deliberations July 15 – July 24, 2020
Notifications issued to applicantsFriday, August 21, 2020

*Dates and times are subject to change