🏫 Pre-K just got more unaffordable

Early Learning Programs Face Multiple Cuts

The cost of childcare and early learning programs is prohibitive for many parents and families throughout Washington. Now, families are facing multiple budget cuts at the preschool level, leaving parents and school districts scrambling to raise funds independently or figure out alternatives. Hear the details on today’s podcast where Jane interviews a parent educator 🎧 [City Cast Seattle]

• 🎒State budget cuts: Gov. Ferguson cut the Transition to Kindergarten program’s budget by 25% in his newly signed budget. The program serves around 7,000 students with a focus on low-income families. The cuts reduce the program by almost 2,000 student spots. [Washington State Standard]
• 🫱🏽‍🫲🏼 Cooperative reclassification: Co-op preschool programs have been teaching kids and parents in Washington’s community college system since 1947, but now most of them could close by the end of June. The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges adopted a new funding allocation model prioritizing programs that lead to industry-defined workforce credentials, which makes the co-op preschools ineligible for state funding. The policy change affects 4,500 families across 17 cooperative preschools. College administrators are asking parents to raise $2 million by mid-May. [KING 5]
• 🎒 Filling education gaps: The Transition to Kindergarten program’s data showed it vastly improved students' kindergarten readiness scores. In fact, state Superintendent Chris Reykdal told the Washington State Standard, “I have never seen a more ill-advised and damaging cut to education funding.” And the cooperative preschool programs are significantly cheaper than traditional daycare, with the state previously covering most of the cost through enrollment-based funding. [Washington State Standard]

🌱 Black Earth Day: King County Executive Zahilay proclaimed April 18 as a county-wide Black Earth Day. Starting in 2022, Black Earth Day is a partnership between the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Black Farmers Collective, and Nurturing Roots Farm. It aims to address the erasure of Black people in the environmental justice movement. Join this Saturday’s celebration at Genesee Park in Columbia City. [South Seattle Emerald]

🎫 Live Nation declared monopoly: In a victory for concert-goers, artists, and venues, Washington AG Nick Brown and more than 30 other states won an antitrust case against Live Nation. The jury found Live Nation maintained an illegal monopoly in concert and ticketing markets. (Ticket prices feeling astronomical wasn’t just you.) There will be a separate case to decide what to do about the monopoly. [AG Brown]

🚦 Weekend traffic ahead: Drives beware, a major closure on I-405 in Bellevue will coincide with ongoing Revive I-5 work in Seattle this weekend. The Washington State Department of Transportation says northbound I-405 will be fully closed between Renton and Bellevue from 11:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, through 4 a.m. Monday, April 20. [KING 5]