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

Department of Education and Early Learning

Apply today! Seattle Preschool Program is accepting applications for our 2016-17 school year!

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Seattle Preschool Program 2016-17 application now available!

The preschool application period is now open for childre 3 or 4 years old who live in Seattle. Our first selection process will take place Friday, March 11.

Apply one of three ways:

  • Online at www.seattle.gov/education The application is available in English, Spanish, Somali, Amharic, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
  • In-person at Seattle libraries, Seattle Community Centers, or Seattle Preschool Program sites.
  • Over the phone by calling 206-386-1050

Visit our website for information about our preschool sites and where sites are located.

SPP1617SiteMap
Our application process is not first come, first served. Please visit our website for more information about how the selection process works.

If you have any questions about the Seattle Preschool Program or the application process, please email us at preschool@seattle.gov or call at 206-386-1050.

You may also call us at 206-386-1050 for help in languages other than English.

It’s official! Dwane Chappelle confirmed director of DEEL!

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On Tuesday, February 9th Dwane Chappelle was confirmed by Seattle City Council as the new Director of the City’s Department of Education and Early Learning.

Mayor Murray nominated Chappelle in October 2015 to lead the newly created City department. Prior to his appointment, Chappelle served as the principal of Rainier Beach High School. He has long been a champion for students, and for ensuring that all kids have access to high quality learning. Under his leadership, Chappelle adopted a wide-spread International Baccalaureate program at Rainier Beach High School, offering these rigorous course to all students. Additionally, Rainier Beach saw a dramatic rise in graduation rates during this time, and ultimately was named as a Washington State School of Distinction.

Chappelle is now bringing his passion for educational equity to the City’s Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL). Currently DEEL is tasked with implementing the Families and Education Levy, the Seattle Preschool Program, the Child Care Assistance Program, and the Washington State Early Childhood Education Assistance Program. Chappelle would like to use his time at DEEL to strengthen the City’s partnerships with Seattle Public Schools, along with community partners, philathropy and business–bringing various efforts together to do the best for our students.

In the spring Chappelle will be co-chairing, along with former King County executive Ron Sims, an Education Summit. This Summit will bring the City together to build partnerships and strengthen our efforts in closing the achievement gap.

 

Seattle Preschool Program adds second group of preschool providers

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The City’s Department of Education and Early Learning is excited to announce that it has selected a new group of preschools to join the Seattle Preschool Program this fall.

The Seattle Preschool Program is a tax-payer supported pilot program to create universal preschool for Seattle’s youngest learners. During the 2015-16 school year, its first year of operations, the program partnered with community preschools and Seattle Public Schools to provide high-quality, affordable preschool at 15 classrooms across the city. This September, four additional preschools will add another nine classrooms for children.

The new providers were selected by a panel of City staff and community members through a request for investment process. The chosen programs are Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWa), Primm ABC Child Care Center, Seed of Life Center, and Children’s Home Society. These programs join Sound Child Care Solutions, Community Day School Association, Creative Kids, Seattle Public Schools, and Causey’s Learning Center.

Monica Liang-Aguirre, Director of Early Learning for the City of Seattle, commented, “We are so lucky to have such dedicated, incredible preschool partners. Their commitment to bringing culturally competent, high-quality preschool to Seattle’s children has been many years in the making, and we are thrilled to join our efforts and extend these opportunities to children who need them.”

The addition of these new providers will increase the number of Seattle Preschool Program classrooms open this fall to 24. Additional classrooms may also be added through other community partners and/or the Seattle Public Schools. Each classroom serves 18 to 20 children. The teachers in these classrooms receive special training in one of two curriculums approved for the program and ongoing coaching provided by the City.

The Seattle Preschool Program’s next step in preparation for its second year is to enroll students. The program will be accepting applications starting February 5, and the selection of students will begin on March 11.

Families can find the application at schools, community centers, libraries, and on the City’s website (www.seattle.gov/education).

Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning invests funds in schools and community-based education organizations in order to ensure that all children in Seattle are able to start school ready to learn, and graduate on time, prepared for college or career. 

SPS Principal of the Year–Invited to the White House!

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Special congratulations to Mia Williams, principal of Aki Kurose Middle School in the Rainier Valley, for being an invited panelist and guest at the White House’s summit on the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative.

Principal Williams won the Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence in 2013 as an outstanding secondary principal in the district, and is strong leader in closing the achievement gap for Seattle’s middle schoolers.

Families and Education Levy Schools Honored as Schools of Distinction

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We are thrilled to share the news that several of the Department of Education and Early Learning’s school partners have been recognized by the State of Washington for their amazing work in improving student achievement rates. The designation as a School of Distinction signifies that the recipient ranks in the top five percent of schools in the state for raising academic achievement over five years in reading and math; high schools are recognized for their graduation rates.

Rainier Beach High School has raised its graduation rate by 25 percentage points since 2011 and graduated 79 percent of its seniors last year–up from only 54 percent in 2011. The Families and Education Levy funds the school’s health clinic.

Cleveland High School is a repeat winner and has continued to make strong improvements in student graduation rates. The Families and Education Levy funds the school’s health clinic and a portfolio of student interventions. 

Additionally, Hazel Wolf and Broadview Thompson K-8 Schools were recognized for the first time as Schools of Distinction. Both of these schools receive funding from the Families and Education Levy to implement interventions for struggling students.

Congratulations! And keep up the hard work!

Please click here for the full story in the Seattle Times. 

 

 

 

 

Understanding the School Budget

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Pocket Calculator. 2015. Photo: Anka Albrecht 

Have you ever wondered how school funding, staffing and budgets are determined, but never knew who to ask?

The Seattle Public Schools finance team is excited to present an evening dedicated to understanding the school budget process on January 25, 2016.

Mark your calendar now for this fun and informative evening event!

Understanding the School Budget
Auditorium of the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence
January 25, 2016, from 6 until 8 p.m.

They’ll share helpful information such as:

  • When the 2016-17 school planning dates occur
  • An overview of the budgeting process
  • How funding is determined and schools are staffed, including understanding information around class sizes and the process for parent involvement

Individuals who may need an auxiliary aid or service for this event should contact Patricia Stambor by phone at 206-252-0204 email accessibility@seattleschools.org by Wednesday, January 20.

Watch How the Fam & Ed Levy Supports Students in Tackling Their Math Phobias

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Our City, Our Schools: Empowerment Math Project

 

Some people just aren’t good at math. It’s a message you may have heard in school, but educators in Seattle say it’s a myth that’s hurting kids’ ability to learn. Sixteen teachers are working hard to change the math mindset of hundreds of students across Seattle with the help of a Families and Education Levy-funded program called EMP, the Empowerment Math Project. EMP teaches students to be creative and collaborative in their approach to even the toughest math problems. Host Brian Callanan talks with students, parents and teachers to see how the results from this program, now in its second year, are starting to add up.

Join the SPP Movement!

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We are looking for more
Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) classrooms – Apply now!

The City of Seattle is adding more than 20 new SPP classrooms for the 2016-17 school year. Join the Seattle Preschool Program to:

  • Receive funds to raise the quality of your preschool program
  • Serve diverse families, regardless of income level
  • Support your teachers through competitive wages, financial support for higher education degrees, coaching, curriculum training
  • Offer free or affordable tuition rates for families

Have questions? Need more information?

Tuesday, Nov 17, 1:30pm-3pm

Northgate Library
10548 5th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125

Friday, Nov 20, 10:30am-12pm
Beacon Hill Library
2821 Beacon Ave S.
Seattle, WA 98144

Deadline to Apply: December 14, 2015, 4:30 p.m.

 

Mayor Murray Names Dwane Chappelle Director of the Department of Education and Early Learning

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Today Mayor Ed Murray nominated Dwane Chappelle to be the first director for the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL). Chappelle has been the principal at Rainier Beach High School since 2011.

“Dwane has done a remarkable job at Rainier Beach High School, a model of success that we want to benefit all Seattle students,” said Murray. “His students leave high school better prepared for college and the 21st century workplace. Dwane’s vision and experience will be instrumental as we work together to address the opportunity gap, ensuring our education system serves all our students, regardless of their background or family income.”

Under Chappelle’s leadership and with the support of students, parents, teachers and the community, the graduation rate at Rainier Beach has increased 25 percentage points. By 2014, the graduation rate at the school reached 79 percent, exceeding the district average. The school’s International Baccalaureate program has generated widespread acclaim, challenging students to high achievement and winning praise from parents.

“I am looking forward to this incredible opportunity to serve the kids and families of Seattle,” said Chappelle. “Throughout my career as an educator, I have seen students rise to new challenges again and again. As a community, we must always send the message that every student can achieve.”

Statewide studies have shown that readiness to learn in Kindergarten varies widely and that for many students of color, those from lower-income families, and immigrant and refugee students, an opportunity gap is evident in the first few weeks of school. That opportunity gap persists through elementary and secondary schools, leading to disparities in educational attainment between students of color and their peers.

Mayor Murray announced the creation of DEEL in September of 2014. DEEL’s mission is to foster opportunities for Seattle children to succeed in school and graduate from high school prepared for continuing education and success in the workplace.

Chappelle will seek to form stronger strategic partnerships with Seattle Public Schools, institutions of higher learning and other education stakeholders throughout the region, with an eye to improving outcomes for all Seattle children.

DEEL oversees the Seattle Preschool Program that seeks to provide high-quality preschool services for young children to help improve their readiness for school, regardless of family income.

Since 1990, the City’s Families and Education Levy has grown to fund community and school-based family supports, preschool programs, academic supports, summer learning opportunities, school-based health programs and other services for students. In 2015, DEEL will administer $32 million in grants and services funded by the levy.

Prior to joining Seattle Public Schools, Chappelle was an assistant principal in Arlington, Texas and Plano, Texas. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Grambling State University and his Masters of Secondary and Higher Education at Texas A&M University.

Chappelle will start with the City on Jan. 1, 2016 with an annual salary at the level of the current interim Director: $158,688.

In the meantime, interim Director Holly Miller will stay on with DEEL.

“My thanks to Holly for her incredible work to help stand up this new department,” said Murray. “Throughout her long career with the City, Holly has provided strong leadership and deep devotion to public service.”

Chappelle’s nomination requires review and approval by the Seattle City Council.

– See more at: http://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-names-rainier-beachs-dwane-chappelle-director-of-education-and-early-learning/#sthash.XzCACvTS.dpuf

Here is a link to the Press Release:  http://www.seattle.gov/news/detail.asp?ID=15319&Dept=56

 

 

SPP Classrooms Are Open!!

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On Monday, September 14, ten SPP classrooms at nine sites opened to children and their families. Including grandfathered-in children, 196 children began their pioneering journey in this demonstration phase of the SPP. We are committed to providing them with a fun-filled, enriching experience that will prepare them to enter kindergarten or a second year of preschool next year.