Mayor Wilson announced expansions to the city’s preschool program, free school meals for students and free mental health care for Seattle teens Tuesday.
SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson on Tuesday announced a sweeping package of investments aimed at lowering costs for families and expanding access to education, child care and health services across the city.
The six-year plan would implement the voter-approved Families, Education, Preschool and Promise levy and fund programs ranging from early learning to job training.
“Seattle is only going to be a great place to raise a family if it’s a more affordable place to raise a family,” Wilson said. “The investments I’m announcing today take a big step in that direction by expanding the Seattle Preschool Program, providing free school meals to all students, offering free mental health care to all teens and young adults, and more.”
The plan includes expanding the Seattle Preschool Program to offer more full-day, year-round options, including summer programming, to better accommodate working families. It also calls for providing free meals to all students, beginning this fall.
City leaders say the proposal would also make mental health care available at no cost to teens and young adults, while increasing access to school-based health centers that provide primary and dental care.
In addition, the plan aims to expand mentorship opportunities and create more pathways to jobs through apprenticeships and partnerships with local colleges and institutions.
Councilmember Maritza Rivera, who chairs the council’s Libraries, Education and Neighborhoods Committee, said the levy builds on decades of investment in Seattle’s youth.
“For 35 years, the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise levy has been making meaningful, long-lasting, positive differences in the lives of Seattle’s kids,” Rivera said.
Rivera added that evaluating the effectiveness of those investments will be key as the city moves forward.
Dr. Dwane Chappelle, director of the city’s Department of Education and Early Learning, said community input shaped the spending plan.
“We engaged hundreds of Seattleites about their priorities for spending these funds,” Chappelle said. “It is imperative that all Seattle children receive the supports they need to be ready for school and career opportunities.”
Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner called the levy “one of the greatest assets this city has,” saying it reflects strong local support for public education.
“The FEPP Levy is how this community says we want more for our K-12 students: more support, more opportunity, and more of what it actually takes to help kids succeed in school,” Shuldiner said.
The proposal comes as many families face rising costs for housing, food and child care. KING 5 political analyst and former state senator Reuven Carlyle told KING 5 April 12 that prices have climbed across basic necessities, with childcare costs and housing “skyrocketing,” including an estimated 15% increase in Seattle in just one year.
Wilson said the investments are intended to ease those pressures while improving long-term opportunities for young people.
“The affordability crisis has hit Seattle families hard,” she said. “Today’s investments take a big step in that direction.”
The proposal now heads to the Seattle City Council, with a vote expected in late June.
KING 5’s Adel Toay contributed to this report.
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