This year, state legislators made major cuts to many critical early learning programs, leaving many children and families without access to high-quality care and many early learning professionals without the resources they need to thrive. However, Seattle voters still have the opportunity to protect and expand on early learning opportunities within the city by renewing the Family, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) levy in November.
This year, the renewal and expansion of the existing voter-approved FEPP levy will be on Seattle voters’ ballots. The renewal of this levy will raise an additional $1.3 billion to be invested over the course of 7 years. Of this money, $658.2M – 54% – will go towards increasing families’ access to high-quality early learning.
Get the facts about this levy here, or continue reading for a breakdown of the levy’s past, present, and future impact.Â
About the FEPP Levy
The FEPP levy will fund various efforts throughout the city, including improving the accessibility and quality of child care; elevating K-12 health and safety throughout the Seattle Public School District; and supporting students with post-secondary education and career-training opportunities.
Seattle has historically been extremely supportive of levies that fund educational investments. Since 1990, Seattle voters have consistently approved the implementation and renewal of levies for both early learning and K-12 educational initiatives. In 2018, this levy was approved by 68% of the city’s voting population.
If this levy is not renewed, many vital education programs will be discontinued entirely. In terms of early learning programs alone, this means that:
- 1,400 children will lose access to affordable early learning opportunities
- 3,100 students will lose access to the Seattle Preschool Program
- 5,000 early learning professionals will no longer receive support payments, which are critical for staff retainment
BrightSpark’s Partner Programs
The initiatives funded include three of BrightSpark’s collaborative programs:
The Seattle Child Care Subsidy Program
- What it is: This program supports families facing housing instability that covers the full costs of a child’s care as well as basic needs for the family.
- Who it serves: The program serves unhoused Seattle families who are ineligible for other statewide subsidy programs.
- Impact: Last year, nearly $18,500 was distributed to support 30 children experiencing housing instability.
The Seattle Preschool Program
- What it is: SPP is an evidence-based, nationally-acclaimed preschool program for children ages 3-4 with a focus on school readiness.
- Who it serves: The program serves low-income families living in Seattle. 75% of those enrolled are children of color.
- Impact: With the renewal of this levy, the program would support over 3,000 children.
Seattle Child Care Staff Retention Payments
- What it is: These payments are sent directly to early learning staff to acknowledge their hard work and curb staff turnover.
- Who it serves: The program serves child care professionals working at licensed child care centers across the city of Seattle.
- Impact: Last year, $2.7 million was distributed to nearly 5,000 early learning professionals.
A Worthy Investment
This levy will be funded through a city-wide property tax equaling 61 cents per $1,000 value. This will cost the average Seattle homeowner roughly $350 more per year in property taxes.
While the cost may seem high to some voters, the investment in children and families will make a difference for the future of our communities as a whole. Not only does every family deserve access to high-quality child care for their children, but it ultimately benefits everyone: high-quality child care sets the next generation up for success, contributes to a healthy economy, and lays a foundation for advancing social justice causes.
High-quality early learning makes a difference because:
- Studies show over 90% of the human brain’s neural connections are formed by age 5. This means children’s early learning experiences will impact their emotional, social, behavioral, and physical development for the rest of their lives.
- High-quality child care sets children up for success throughout their K-12 education and disrupts the school-to-prison pipeline (meaning children are less likely to be face incarceration later in life due to academic challenges).
- Access to child care means parents can secure and retain more employment opportunities, which can lead to financial security and a higher quality of life as well as a healthier economy for all of us.
Get Involved and Share Your Story!
Are you a caregiver or child care provider who has benefitted from one of these programs? Or a Seattle voter in support of this levy? Get in touch to share your experiences! Email our Advocacy Team today to get started.