Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and members of the City Council are promoting universal access to preschool education and child care. In 2027, the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) will begin a study to determine how to create such a system amid rising costs for child care and preschool.
The study will examine whether preschool and child care services could be made free for everyone, which families should be served first and how the program could be funded. According to Wilson, every Seattle resident should have access to high-quality, affordable child care regardless of income or neighborhood.
Currently, the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) provides free or subsidized slots primarily for children ages 3 to 4. The program is funded at the city level and complements Washington state initiatives, including Working Connections Child Care, as well as federal assistance such as Head Start and tax credits for families with children. However, combined support generally does not cover all costs: the amount depends on family income, the child’s age, eligibility and the availability of slots.
Just over $1 million has been allocated for the first year of the study from the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy (FEPP), which voters approved last November. The $1.3 billion local tax package already funds free meals for public-school students and the expansion of SPP. Later this year, DEEL will select a contractor and provide $200,000 for the study.
Creating a universal system is complicated by significant differences among the city’s neighborhoods. In less affluent communities, demand for child care is often higher while the choice of available slots is more limited. The industry also faces a worker shortage: the work requires significant skills but is relatively poorly paid and highly demanding. In addition, expensive housing and rent increase providers’ costs and make it difficult to hire employees who could live near their workplaces.
Researchers will survey families, examine the state of the industry and study the challenges faced by parents, guardians and child care workers. The study is intended to help identify a sustainable funding model involving the city budget, private-sector partnerships and state and local programs. Officials acknowledge, however, that financial support alone will not be enough: universal access will require expanding provider capacity, increasing wages and accounting for differences among neighborhoods. According to council members, it could still be several years before such a system is implemented.
Based on: Seattle to conduct study on universal preschool and childcare - The Seattle Times