1. Originally posted on Stand for Children's Blog on 5/24/2014 at: http://stand.org/washington/blog/2014/05/21/seattle-s-
ambitious-plan-universal-pre-kindergarten
Seattle’s Ambitious Plan for Universal Pre-Kindergarten
Last week Mayor Ed Murray revealed his plan for Universal Pre-Kindergarten in Seattle. The
Action Plan gave Seattleites their first view of what this program could look like for the city.
The plan also documented the city’s need: as many as 30% of Seattle’s three and four year olds
come from families who do not have the financial means to pay for a preschool program and
even more may be enrolled in programs whose quality is questionable.
Research has shown that high quality preschool can have benefits which last a lifetime,
including higher graduation rates and lower chances of a child growing up to be involved in
crime. The program is also expected to have a return on investment between $3 and $7 for
every $1 the city invests.
OK, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA. BUT I WANT TO KNOW DETAILS.
 Voluntary: No student or care provider will be forced to participate. They can opt into the
program if they meet the qualifications.
 Monitored for Success: All providers in the program will be monitored carefully to ensure that
they are meeting the quality standards to make a significant positive improvement for kids.
 Professional Development: The program will provide tuition assistance for care providers to
continue their education.
 Community Partnership: The program will utilize both existing preschools as well as contracts
with the Seattle Public Schools to meet the demand for high quality pre-k.
 Engaging Families: A universal family engagement approach that will help parents learn more
about how to support their children's learning at home.
AFFORDABLE: NOW THAT SOUNDS EVEN BETTER.
Costs for the program will be based on a sliding scale. Families making less than 200% of the
federal poverty line will pay nothing while families making fewer than 300% of the federal
poverty line will pay less than 40% of costs.
BUT HOW WILL IT BE FUNDED?
The program will be funded by a ballot initiative to add a small property tax increase for
property owners in Seattle. The program is expected to cost Seattle homeowners less than $50
per year to implement—about the cost of a Starbucks latte per month—a small price to pay for
such huge benefits for Seattle’s children.
SOUNDS PRETTY GREAT, RIGHT? WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
If you would like to give your input on the Mayor’s Action Plan or learn more about Seattle’s
Universal Preschool Initiative, you can attend the hearing on May 29th and tell your own story
about the benefits of preschool. Tell your neighbors, family, friends, and PTA members about
the importance of this plan.
Read more about Mayor Murray’s Seattle Preschool Plan proposal here.
Ren Gooch is a Policy Intern at Stand for Children and a Master's Candidate in Education Policy
at the University of Washington College of Education.