Over 30 students came along Henderson Avenue in Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood, calling for funding for schools, for the end of the school-to-prison pipeline, and for taking steps to reduce climate change. When they reached their destination, the courtyard of the Rainier Beach Community Center, the students who were part of the Washington Building Leaders of Change (WA-BLOC) Freedom School program stopped marching and started setting up booths showing how they want to achieve the changes they were calling for.

The students—rising 9^th and 10^th graders—and their displays were part of WA-BLOC’s Day of Social Action, dedicated to pointing out the challenges and inequities in their communities and highlighting steps young people can start working on to reduce and end those inequities.

“We want them to understand how the actions they take can start small and grow until they impact the world,” said Jerrell Davis, Project Director of WA-BLOC’s Freedom School. “The goal of the school and the project is to allow our students to express and empower themselves.”

Students started the six-week project discussing with their Servant Leader Educator (SLE) the areas they wanted to be the focus of their Day of Social Action. Issues included:

• Seattle’s “Got Green” movement advocating for environmental, racial, and economic justice,
• Funding inequities in Seattle’s high schools and the lack of funding for school supplies
• Impact of climate change,
• Overpolicing and the impact of the school-to-prison pipeline in their community.

The SLE’s, college students who focus on developing a peer-to-peer partnership with the young people in their class, worked with the youth in developing the curriculum around the issue they chose. Students would then discuss and research these issues affecting their communities and those discussions would drive their research over the course of the summer learning program.

Davis said the research involved daily reading, which is a goal of the program.

“We want to improve their reading skills,” he said. “And every summer we see reading ability and comprehension improve, which is something that will help them in the future.”

The displays that took over the community center courtyard presented the issues and the steps students said needed to happen meet the challenges they spent the summer researching.

Rising Rainier Beach High School Sophomores Elias and Lawrence presented the funding inequities in Seattle High Schools, specifically the funds raised from PTSA groups. An example of that disparity was a comparison of the funds raised by Roosevelt High School’s PTSA. A story on KUOW Radio said that Roosevelt was able to raise over $3.5 million, funds that could go toward paying teachers to conduct college prep courses or afterschool activities. It’s a total that many Seattle high schools, including Rainier Beach, couldn’t hope to match.

“It was really an eye opener,” Lawrence said. “It was surprising because I truly believed we (Beach) had more money.”

For Elias it was a “reminder of the impact that money can have on a classroom and a school.”

WA-BLOC’s Freedom School works in collaboration with the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), the organization committed to improving the lives of communities of color and underserved communities throughout the U.S. The CDF advocates for people of color having a greater voice in their communities, and Davis said the Day of Social Action is WA-BLOC’s effort to encourage their students to get active in making changes as early as possible.

This year is the fifth annual Day of Social Action, and Davis said previous years the action of young people had a direct impact on their communities.

“Our students have been active in pointing out the transportation inequities in our communities, which lead toward the city providing free ORCA cards to Seattle High School students,” Davis said. “Their actions encouraged the development of a community garden within the Rainier Beach ‘food desert’ to focus on developing healthy food over fast food and a grocery store that doesn’t welcome us.”

As the students celebrated the end of their Day of Social Action, Davis said the celebration was an act of expression for youth who are too often told the way they express themselves is a negative.

“They are told they’re ‘too loud,’ or that how they act is ‘not the proper way to express yourself,’ words that if said enough, will make you lose confidence,” Davis said.  “We want them to be themselves and we want them to ask every day: How can I make a difference in:

–My Self,
–My Family,
–My Community,
–My Country,
–Any My World And with Hope and Action.”  

News Release

From the Department of Education and Early Learning                                                          

August 14, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Al Sanders, Department of Education and Early Learning, 

al.sanders@seattle.gov or 206-485-5926

All 3-and 4-year olds eligible

SEATTLE (August 14) – If you have a 3-or 4-year old who is ready for preschool, the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) has openings in select locations throughout the city.

“Seattle is committed to ensuring that children throughout our amazing city have the skills they need to thrive when they enter Kindergarten,” said Dwane Chappelle, Director of the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL). “We want to make sure parents, families and community members know that SPP is available, and that SPP provides a nurturing, supportive environment to help prepare their kids for the future.”

The Seattle Preschool Program helps prepare children, regardless of income, to enter Kindergarten with the skills they need to succeed. Research shows that children who attend high-quality preschool programs have better academic and life outcomes; they’re more likely to have better grades, graduate, attend college, get a job, have higher lifetime wages, and better mental and physical health.

Voters approved the creation of SPP as a pilot program in 2014 and approved continued funding for the program with the adoption of the Family, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) Levy last fall. The FEPP funding allowed for the expansion of SPP, increasing the geographic diversity of the program, with a focus on providing more capacity in regions of the city with the highest demand.

While there are some openings throughout the city, Monica Liang-Aguirre, DEEL’s Director of Early Learning, said there are several locations in Central and South Seattle that still have spots available and might be convenient for parents who work near those neighborhoods.

“We know the impact preschool can have on lives of young people,” Liang-Aguirre said. “SPP is an investment in the future, and we want to make sure as many parents and preschools programs as possible are taking advantage of this valuable opportunity.” 

For the 2019-2020 school year, SPP programming will be available at 68 sites throughout the city, offered by community-based organizations, Seattle Public Schools, and family childcare.

Tuition is calculated on a sliding scale based on household income and family size; historically the majority of children qualify for free tuition.

All Seattle children who will be 3-or 4-years old on or before August 31, 2019 can apply. Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2020 for any openings available throughout the school year. Families interested in locations that have openings will be contacted immediately; families can remain on the waitlist indefinitely.

You can go to seattle.gov/applyspp for more information on the Seattle Preschool Program, or you can call 206-386-1050.

DEEL’s mission is to transform the lives of Seattle’s children, youth, and families through strategic investments in education.

For a group of rising 8^th Graders, this summer has been a period of learning and discussion at the ACE (Academy for Creating Excellence) Academy Summer Program at Seattle’s South Shore K-8 School. Students have spent the last few weeks working through the challenges facing Atlanta teen Justyce McAllister. Justyce is the focus of the book “Dear Martin” written by Nic Stone. ACE is using the book this summer as a discussion starting point for a class at academy.

Justyce is being pulled in several directions. He’s a bright student in a prep school where he is reminded daily that he doesn’t quite fit in. A teen being teased by his friends about how he’s no longer a part of the “neighborhood.” A young man who wants to change the environment that he lives in but is starting to feel alienated from the tools he needs to use to make that change.

So, he starts writing letters to someone he knows understands the challenges he’s facing: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

ACE’s focus is on keeping academic skills sharp during the summer months while developing academic skills in math, science reading and writing in a culturally responsive environment. The educators are also working on instilling in young African-American men how they can start being change agents in their communities.

“Too many of our young men have a sense of powerlessness,” said Anthony Washington, ACE’s Humanities Educator. “We’re using the book as an opportunity to consider a number of issues, from autonomy, to choices made, to misconceptions and changing outlooks.”

As Justyce confronts the issue of racial profiling, Washington leads his students in looking at misconceptions by showing a J. Cole video showing police officers raiding the rapper’s home in a predominantly white neighborhood because neighbors assumed that drugs were being sold out of the home.

The students are examining how perception can impact their communities, which has led to a discussion on changing their environments, not just in their neighborhoods, but in society at large. Starting with pointing out the “Negativity in our neighborhoods,” Washington challenged the young men to start looking at what steps needed to occur to create a more positive environment. Drugs were a negative, but what could be done to encourage people to stop selling them, what if the jobs available in the community paid less than the money they made on the streets?

The goal of the reading and the discussion is part of ACE’s overall effort to start changing mindsets. Washington reminds his students that “you are leaders and you can help change the community.”

Anthony Bynam is one of those leaders, a rising 8^th Grader at Southshore who enjoys drawing and talked about “Dear Martin” while trying hard not to give away any “spoilers.”  “I related to Justyce because of how he acts and because he has a peaceful approach.”

Before going to Southshore, Anthony was a student in Everett in a majority white school, where he had to experience the racism that Justyce felt at Braselton Prep. “The first time it hurt,” he said, “But I learned to ignore it.”

Anthony also enjoyed the discussion in Mr. Washington’s class about the book because it presents an opportunity for “people to talk about making changes for the better.”

Tony Eastland is halfway through the book, and the Southshore Rising 8^th Grader is enjoying how Justyce “wants to help people and himself.” “He (Justyce) wants to become a lawyer to help battle against police brutality and to help Black people.”

“At first it was weird,” Tony said about the letter’s Justyce is writing to King because “Dr. King has passed away. But you understand that in a way he’s talking to himself.”

Tony and Anthony said they will carry some of what Justyce McAllister faced in the book with them into the school year, something that both Mr. Washington and Marcus Harden, Program Director of the ACE Summer Academy are happy to hear.

“We wanted something that everyone could understand and relate to,” said Harden, who admits that some of the students didn’t know who Dr. King was.

The reading and discussion are a chance to plan daily lessons on the issues brought up in the book, how the students connect to those issues, and learning in Harden’s words “what they will do with those lessons.”

“We want our students to have pride in themselves,” Harden said. “We want them to become their own advocates. We also what them to find their own Martin—or Malcolm—that they can connect to.”

Invitation to Participate

Please join us on Thursday August 8^th, 2019 from 11:00AM-1:00PM at the 2100 building for a feedback/input session regarding the levy investments for the new Families, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) levy.

The Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) is convening a community feedback/input session to inform the development and evaluation of applications submitted by schools for the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) Levy and we seek your participation. An important part of this work is partnering with families and communities, and we are looking for your perspective in the following three areas:

1. input and experience with school-based programming, communication, and engagement with Cultural Responsiveness (for example the ability to learn from and relate with people of your own culture and other cultures);
2. the needs and experiences of students you may work within your organizations, as it pertains to their academic support, and college and career readiness, and;
3. your experience or feedback related to school-based partnerships and collaborations. 

If you are able to attend, please RSVP HERE by Wednesday August 7^th at 10:00AM. Lite fare and refreshments will be provided. Please let us know of any dietary restrictions or accommodations you may need.

On-street parking is available in the surrounding area, and in a street-level garage accessed through the alley. Parking is also provided in the fenced area across the street from the building next to the pharmacy.

For questions please contact Colin Pierce – Colin.Pierce@seattle.gov or 206.684.4966

News Release

From the Department of Education and Early Learning                                         

June 28, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Al Sanders, Department of Education and Early Learning,

 al.sanders@seattle.gov, 206-485-5926

Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy Funds Awarded
for School Based Health Centers

SEATTLE (June 28, 2019) The Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) today announced that two health care providers, Neighborcare Health and Country Doctor Community Health Centers, will receive funding to open three new School Based Health Centers (SBHC) in Seattle Public Schools. School Based Health Centers connect the dots between health and education, providing on-site comprehensive primary care and behavioral health for students.

The awards, which will provide more than $700,000 in funding, are the first provided through the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) Levy approved by voters in 2018. The seven-year FEPP Levy will invest over $51 million in School Based Health Centers serving elementary, middle, and high school students across the city.

The funds will go toward establishing SBHCs for the 2019-20 school year at Edmond S. Meany Middle School on Capitol Hill, Robert Eagle Staff Middle School in north Seattle, and Lincoln High School in the Wallingford neighborhood.

“These funds are vital to the holistic approach the department has developed toward educating our young people,” said DEEL Director Dwane Chappelle. “We’re building and expanding a successful program that provides health care that some of the students may not have access to. The simple fact is, healthy students are better prepared to learn.”

DEEL partners with Public Health-Seattle & King County (PHSKC) School-Based Partnerships Program to manage the K-12 School Health investment by providing support to community providers and Seattle School District. PHSKC School-Based Partnerships Program advances evidence-based and informed, high-quality, equitable, culturally relevant health care to support all students to be healthy and academically successful.

“School-based health centers are a proven strategy to improve both student health and academic achievement – by having access to care right on campus,” said Patty Hayes, Director of Public Health-Seattle and King County. “Removing even one health risk for a student can boost their achievement. Our centers are key to our efforts to close the opportunity gap for our youth who may not have easy access to care.”

Neighborcare Health, which has a 50-year record of providing primary medical, dental and behavioral health care services to low-income and uninsured families, senior and the homeless individuals in the Seattle area, has been providing school-based health services for over 25 years.

“Neighborcare Health has a long, rich history in school-based health, and we are honored to be able to expand our school-based network to include the students, families and staff at Lincoln High School and Robert Eagle Staff Middle School,” said School-Based Health Program Manager Alison Delateur. “Our ultimate goal at Neighborcare Health is for all members of our community to have equal access to quality health care. Funding school-based health centers is a long-term investment in the health of the community because it provides every child with a health care home in the place where they spend most of their time.”

The non-profit Country Doctor Community Health Centers, which has been serving the region’s underserved communities through the Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center and Country Doctor Community Clinic, will use this award to open its first school-based clinic. 

“Country Doctor Community Health Centers is delighted to be selected as the health care provider at Meany Middle School. This new school program comes right after we opened the Country Doctor Dental Clinic to expand dental services to our community,” said Raleigh Watts, Executive Director of Country Doctor Community Health Centers. “CDCHC’s multi-decade relationship with the Meany community includes an extensive list of CDCHC employees who either attended Meany or have children who go there. We are committed to providing SBHC service not just as a medical provider, but as a neighbor and a member of the school community. We have personal interest in the health of the school and its students.”

Both providers will be contributing a third of the operating cost of the centers.

Neighborcare Health and Country Doctor received the award through a Request for Application process from organizations interested in providing health services at the three schools. The application process was managed by Public Health with the applications being reviewed by a panel that included representatives from the community, Public Health, Seattle Schools and the principals from each school receiving the SBHCs.  

DEEL’s mission is to transform the lives of Seattle’s children, youth, and families through strategic investments in education.

###

The Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) is pleased to offer two types of facility development funds to expand access to the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP):

1. Pre-Development Services Program
2. Provider Facilities Fund

SPP Pre-Development Services Program

Pre-Development Services are available on a rolling basis to provide consultative services prior to expanding or improving your preschool facilities.

How can this support my work?

If you are considering an expansion or development project, this program will match you with a local architecture firm with experience in child care facility design. The firm assigned to you will provide DEEL- approved services related to planning for SPP facilities development projects. Projects that have been approved in the past include:

• Assessing the feasibility of facility expansion ideas
• Developing design options that fit your needs
• Developing initial drawings and cost estimates to get your project ready for construction
• Providing expert advice and partnership in the planning stages of SPP-related construction work you are considering

Who is eligible to apply?

Family child care, center, and school-based providers who contract with DEEL as providers of SPP or SPP Pathway.

How do I apply and receive services?

To apply, contact Jenny Choi Jenny.Choi@seattle.gov to discuss your pre-development needs. You will then be asked to fill out a short online application at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PreDevServices

Within two weeks, DEEL will make a decision on your application. If approved, DEEL will work with you and the architectural firm to develop a scope of work. DEEL will then execute a contract with the firm to do the work. You will receive a copy of any plans or assessments completed by the firm.

Who is providing the services?

Three highly qualified firms, listed below, have been pre-screened by DEEL and will provide services for this program. All firms have experience in childcare facility design and working with non-profit organizations.

• CAST Architecture – http://www.castarchitecture.com/
• Environmental Works – http://eworks.org/
• ARC Architects – http://arcarchitects.com/

SPP Provider Facilities Fund – 2019

The Provider Facilities Fund supports preschool facility expansion and renovation projects for SPP or Pathway providers.

How can this support my work?

This fund is meant to support renovation and construction projects that will be used in SPP. Eligible activities include:

• Construction, renovation, or rehabilitation of child care facilities; including instructional space, kitchens, bathrooms, or storage needed to support the instructional space.
• Design, construction, renovation, or rehabilitation of outdoor play space in accordance with state licensing regulations.
• “Soft costs” or any project costs that is not construction (which may include design, project management, and permitting costs) directly related to the development of space eligible for use as a SPP classroom.
• Improvements that provide accessibility to persons with disabilities.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any agency under contract to provide preschool services for the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) or the Pathway Program. Funds are awarded through a competitive application process. There are different funding limits for family child care, center, and school-based sites.

What will I be asked to include in the application?

Applications for funds need to demonstrate that the project is feasible and can be completed within a reasonable timeframe. Also, for the next 7 years, DEEL is focused on creating additional space for SPP where it is needed. You will be asked to show how the location you propose is a good strategic fit for SPP expansion.

Agencies accessing funds may be required to commit improved space to SPP for up to 10 years. The length of commitment will range depending on the funding request. Requests above $250,000 require a funding match and additional commitments from the providers.

How do I learn more and apply for funds?

DEEL anticipates that the Request for Investment (RFI) for the SPP Provider Facilities Fund will be released in June 2019. All updated information will be posted here: http://www.seattle.gov/education/about-us/funding-opportunities

If your application is approved, DEEL will negotiate a contract with your agency that outlines the requirements stated in the RFI as well as a timeline and milestones for distributing funds.

Who do I contact with questions?

Please contact Jenny Choi at Jenny.Choi@seattle.gov

FALL PRE-SERVICE MONTH

AUGUST 2019

REGISTER NOW!

Convenient Locations Throughout Seattle

Weekdays & Saturday Offerings To Fit All Schedules

Training For Birth-5 Teachers, Administrators, & Directors

PLEASE NOTE:

• STARS Credit Available! (Attendees must provide their STARS number during registration to receive STARS credit)
• When registering, please fill out ALL fields of the registration form. Note: If you are filling it out on behalf of someone else, please use the attendee’s specific information (not your own). If their registration is confirmed, the e-mail notification/confirmation with pertinent information regarding the event will go to the attendee’s information provided.
• Disclaimer: Some trainings have priority seating for Seattle Preschool Program (SPP), SPP Pathway, Step Ahead, and ECEAP providers. DEEL reserves the right to prioritize seating.
• Stay Tuned: More links on the way as we secure training contracts with facilitators.

REGISTER NOW!  By Clicking On The Link

08/06/2019

Guiding Responsive Actions In Childcare (G.R.A.C.E.) Training – For Birth-5 Teachers
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdsgmua6f37c0ef

08/07/2019

Guiding Responsive Actions In Childcare (G.R.A.C.E.) Training – For Birth-5 Teachers
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdsng6858f9e755

08/08/2019

Guiding Responsive Actions In Childcare (G.R.A.C.E.) Training – For Birth-5 Administrators, Directors, & Coaches
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdsngpq8dcd7e7a

08/8-9/2019

2-Day CLASS Observation Training – For Preschool Administrators, Teachers, Directors, & Coaches
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdsocfced2d2761

08/09/2019

Understanding Institutional Racism Towards Reducing Disproportionate Disciplinary Actions in Classrooms – For Birth-5 Administrators, Teachers, Directors, & Coaches
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdsqsjd0b6ed5b6

08/09/2019

Public Health Seattle/King County Health Training (Promoting Mental Health, Encouraging Physical Activity, Preventing Illness, Allergy/Asthma Care & Medication Management) – For Birth-5 Administrators, Teachers, Directors, & Coaches (Please Note: Some sections are specific to an age group)
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdudpljd7fd407d

08/10/2019

Trauma Informed Care & Actionable Support Strategies – For Birth-5 Administrators, Teachers, Directors, & Coaches
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdsujcv22a32409

08/15-16/2019

2-Day Creative Curriculum Infant Toddler – For Birth-3 Administrators, Teachers, Directors, & Coaches
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdudpu7fa279ecb

08/16/2019

Health Wellness & Trauma Training – For Birth-5 Administrators, Teachers, & Directors
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdusxztfb3d9a69

08/17/2019

Health Wellness & Trauma Training – For Birth-5 Administrators, Teachers, & Directors
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdusy79fac82d74

08/23-24/2019

2-Day Creative Curriculum (Preschool) – For Preschool Administrators, Teachers, Directors, & Coaches
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdudq9sd17a69c4

08/24/2019

Anti-bias Education & Culturally Responsive Teaching – For Birth-5 Administrators, Teachers, Directors, & Coaches
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdumjj5726231e1

08/24/2019

CLASS Introduction Training (Preschool) – For Preschool Administrators, Teachers, Directors, & Coaches
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdumjfgebd4bc5d

08/26-27/2019

2-Day Teaching Strategies GOLD Lab Training – For Birth-5 Administrators, Teachers, Directors, & Coaches
http:// http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dd8zv65ab&oeidk=a07egdu6box521026ff

School Leaders,

It is with great excitement that I announce the beginning of the Department of Education and Early Learning’s (DEEL) funding process for our School Year 2020-2021 K-12 School-Based Investments!

The Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy provides $619 million dollars over seven years (School Year 2019-2020 through 2025-2026) to advance educational equity, close opportunity gaps, and build a better economic future for Seattle students in partnership with families and communities. As a result of the FEPP Levy, approximately $115 million dollars will be directly invested in Seattle schools through K-12 School-Based awards.

We know that in order for FEPP Levy investments to achieve the stated goal of educational equity—where access to educational opportunities and academic achievement are not predicated on a person’s race—City, school, and community partners will need to be innovative, flexible, accountable, and use data to inform their practice. DEEL believes that education is social justice. We believe that by leading with race and social justice, and providing Seattle residents access to equitable educational opportunities, high-quality learning environments, and student and family supports from preschool to post-secondary, we will transform the lives of Seattle’s children, youth, and families. We invite you to join us in this important work.

Key things to know about FEPP Levy K-12 School Based Investments

• DEEL will competitively award school-based investments in three categories: Elementary and K-8 Schools, Middle School, and High School.
• School-Based award recipients will be required to implement interventions in two areas: (1) Expanded Learning and Academic Support, and (2) College and Career Readiness.
• To be considered for funding, public schools seeking investment are invited to (1) submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by June 28, 2019, and (2) submit a complete Request for Investment (RFI) application in fall 2019.
• DEEL will notify successful applicants in February 2020 for investments beginning in School Year 2020-2021.

Please visit DEEL’s website to learn more about FEPP Levy Funding Opportunities, including K-12 School Based awards, and to view the FEPP Levy Implementation and Evaluation Plan. All questions regarding DEEL’s funding processes should be sent to education@seattle.gov.

In gratitude,

Dwane Chappelle

Director, Department of Education and Early Learning

Seattle (April 22, 2019) – Mayor Jenny A. Durkan issued the following statement following the 8-0 vote by the City Council to approve the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Implementation and Evaluation Plan:

“Last year, when almost 70 percent of Seattle supported the Families Education Preschool and Promise Plan, Seattleites said loud and clear they wanted to nearly double the number of children in the Seattle Preschool Program, invest in K-12 youth so every child has access to opportunity, and expand the Seattle Promise program so public high school graduates can access two free years of college.  

“Seattle can now do more to build pipelines to opportunity and create a more affordable future for Seattle’s young people. These investments in quality preschool, K-12 education, and college will build true economic opportunity.

“I’m incredibly thankful to voters and everyone who has committed to this investment in our young people and students. Councilmember González has been a tireless partner on the FEPP Implementation and Evaluation plan. I thank her for the work she and her team have put into reviewing the details of our investments.

“I look forward to signing this plan, as well as partnership agreements with Seattle Colleges and Seattle Public Schools, this week so we can keep delivering on the promises we’ve made to Seattle’s kids.”

Seattle Preschool Program Opens Applications

 

SEATTLE (March 15, 2019) – Today, the Seattle Preschool Program announced the release of its 2019-20 application cycle and celebrated the expansion of 250 additional spots for Seattle’s 3 and 4-year-olds for next school year.

In the first year of the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy, the Seattle Preschool Program is expected to serve 1,750 children by the end of this school year, providing free or affordable access to high-quality preschool in more areas of the city. New classrooms will continue to increase the geographic diversity of the program, with a focus on providing more capacity in regions of the city with the highest demand. With the start of the new levy, Seattle Preschool Program will be accessible to all 3 and 4 -year-olds, regardless of income.

Seattle Preschool Program enrollment is expected to grow by 65 percent over the next seven years and serve over 2,500 children by the end of 2025-26.

“To help close the opportunity gap, we must do all we can to make sure all children in Seattle come to kindergarten ready to learn. Access to high-quality preschool is one the best way to address inequity in education and in every community in Seattle,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “Thanks to Seattle’s support for our Families, Education, Preschool and Promise plan, more three and four-year-olds will have access to high-quality preschool. We must work together to put more young people on a path to good-paying jobs and create a more affordable future for our children.”

“As the beneficiary of programs like the Seattle Preschool Program, I know the transformative power that quality early learning plays in a child’s life,” said Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez (Position 9, Citywide). Parents who enroll their three and four-year old children in the City’s quality preschool program means their children will be ready for kindergarten.  I am thrilled to lead the Seattle City Council’s ongoing commitment to early learning by expanding the Seattle Preschool Program to reach more of our City’s underserved children to close the opportunity gap before it even starts.”

“Thank you to Seattle voters for continuing and expanding the Seattle Preschool Program. As the daughter of a professor and once a Head Start teacher, education was always an important pillar in my household. All kiddos should have a quality education beginning in preschool where children learn about community and the basic learning blocks for the years ahead,” said Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (Position 8, Citywide). “Access and opportunity to early learning means that working parents have the ability to be in the workforce, know their kiddos are learning and growing, and promotes equity.”

“High-quality preschool gets children ready to start school and has long-lasting positive effects in their lives,” said Department of Education and Early Learning Director Dwane Chappelle. “Thank you to Seattle votes for supporting Seattle’s commitment to affordable, high-quality preschool throughout the City”

In 2014, Seattle voters approved Proposition 1B (Ordinance 124509) to fund a four-year pilot of the Seattle Preschool Program, currently serving 1500 children. In 2018, Seattle Voters approved Proposition 1 (Ordinance 125604)  to continue funding for an additional seven years of the program, along with investments in K-12, Health and post-secondary.  The Seattle Preschool Program helps prepare children to enter kindergarten with the skills they need to succeed. Research shows that children who attend high-quality preschool programs have better academic and life outcomes; they’re more likely to have better grades, graduate, attend college, get a job, have higher lifetime wages, and better mental and physical health.

Applications are now open for all Seattle 3 and 4-year-olds whose birthday is on or before August 31, 2019. Programs are offered through our community-based providers, Seattle Public Schools and family child care. Specialized programs for dual language and special education inclusion are also available. Visit seattle.gov/applyspp to check out our new sites and apply to the Seattle Preschool Program.