Early childhood education is increasingly being accepted as a public responsibility, rather than viewed as solely the responsibility of families. Changes in the workforce and demands from parents for high-quality child care, federal and state education reform efforts, and local initiatives are focusing attention on high-quality early childhood education as a critical component of school readiness and educational equity.
School districts in Washington state understand the importance of early education as a key strategy for closing the student achievement gap. In the absence of strong leadership from the state, the districts themselves are finding ways to provide pre-kindergarten programs and full-day kindergarten classes to a growing number of students.
The Economic Opportunity Institute (EOI) undertook the first survey of the state’s 296 districts in order to document the extent of school district involvement in early education, identify promising models, and help shape policy decisions about moving toward universal preschool and full-day kindergarten. This report presents an overview of the survey’s findings.
More To Read
September 6, 2024
Tax Loopholes for Big Tech Are Costing Washington Families
Subsidies for big corporations in our tax code come at a cost for college students and their families
July 31, 2024
News from the Road: EOI’s summer policy road trip continues
We're working to understand the issues that matter to Washingtonians
July 31, 2024
New poll in Washington finds people struggling with health care costs at an alarming rate
More than half (57%) of respondents have avoided seeking medical treatment or modified their use of prescriptions in the last year due to the cost