Invest in Kids, Invest in Communities:
A Win for Access and Advocacy in Early Learning
We’re celebrating a big win for families and early learners across Seattle!
This fall, Seattle voters overwhelmingly approved the renewal and expansion of the Family, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy , also known as Proposal 1, with a remarkable 77% support rate.
That means thousands more children will have access to high-quality, affordable early learning through the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP), a key initiative funded through the FEPP Levy and program offered at BrightSpark. Over the next seven years, this investment will provide preschool access to 3,000 children from low-income families and continue to support the providers who make it all possible through child care subsidies and staff retention payments.
This victory didn’t happen on its own. It’s the result of tireless advocacy and community partnership. From families sharing their stories to early educators showing up for policy conversations, these collective voices helped shape public understanding of why access to child care and preschool matters for everyone.
“As a provider and teacher, my experience with the SPP program has been extremely enriching. This support has allowed me to offer families in my community a high-quality preschool program that is accessible to all, regardless of their economic situation. It is very important to me to be able to guarantee an educational environment that fosters meaningful learning, creativity, and the social and emotional development of children. Thanks to the SPP grant, I am able to maintain a trained staff, quality materials, and an environment that inspires curiosity and a love of learning. Being able to provide these opportunities to families is one of the reasons I love what I do.” -Fabiola, Early Learning Provider
When you donate to BrightSpark, you fund this kind of advocacy work AND your support helps parents and providers raise their voices, influence local policy, and protect programs like SPP that make high-quality child care possible for working families.
Because when we invest in kids, we invest in communities and that’s how change takes root. Help us keep up the momentum! Your gift today sustains advocacy, partnerships, and programs that expand access to child care and strengthen our communities.
“As a mom, my experience having my daughter Simone in the SPP program has been incredibly positive. I have seen her curiosity, creativity, and ability to express herself grow so much since she started preschool. It makes me so happy to see her excited every morning to go to school, spend time with her classmates, and learn new things. Thanks to the SPP subsidy, I have been able to provide her with a high-quality program that would have been difficult to access otherwise. It means so much to me to know that Simone is in a place where she feels safe, supported, and motivated to grow.”-Elisabeth, SPP Parent
Together, we can make sure every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive, starting with access to early learning.
Thank you for standing with us,
The BrightSpark Team
Sneak Peek!
Later this month, we’ll share how one BrightSpark parent, Alexis Cortes, turned her personal journey into powerful advocacy at the local and national level.
Follow Along on Social Media For Updates!
BrightSpark accepts donations in many forms: cash, credit cards, fund transfers, checks, money orders, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, donor-advised funds, and more! If you have any questions or would like more information on ways to give, please get in touch with our fund development department at getinvolved@childcare.org.
All photos on this email are credited to ©LisaBontjePhotography