By Aaron Allen, The Seattle medium
Seattle voters overwhelmingly approved the renewal of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy, a six-year, $1.3 billion education investment led by the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning, Mayor Bruce Harrell, and Councilmember Maritza Rivera, securing more than 76% of the vote during the recent general election. According to King County Elections, the margin reflects robust community support for expanding childcare, preschool, K-12 wellness and safety services, and tuition-free access to college.
“I should officially just start by thanking the community of Seattle and also by saying how truly grateful and excited I am that Seattle showed up for our young people like we always do,” said Dwane Chappelle, Director of DEEL. “The community, I would say the educators, families, partners, we all collaborated and for me, I look at it as being a shared victory.”
“The FEPP levy is an amazing resource to our community. We are incredibly grateful to the public for believing in this work and the promise of a bright future for all Seattle scholars,” added Chappelle.
The measure drew praise from city officials and education leaders across King County, who underscored its significance in advancing educational outcomes, strengthening family services, and expanding workforce opportunities.
“Seattle voters have once again stepped up to boldly invest in our children, families, and shared future,” said Seattle Mayor Harrell. “By renewing the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise levy, our city is ensuring that every child regardless of their zip code, income, or background, can reach their full potential and thrive in school and beyond.”
Harrell said the renewed investment will help improve academic outcomes, address the well-being of students in schools, support affordable childcare, and expand access to higher education and careers.
Councilmember Rivera, chair of the City Council’s FEPP Levy Committee, said the levy has a consistent track record of success.
“Seattle voters have supported this levy since 1990 because it has positive, meaningful outcomes,” said Rivera. “And they have supported our kids and working families again last night. I want to thank them for that.”
Rivera also said the levy is especially important in the current moment.
“This levy will fund critical investments in childcare and preschool, school-based health centers, mental health care, and universal access to Seattle Promise including expanded pathways to the skilled trades,” she said. “We are living in challenging and uncertain times, and this levy will help provide support and stability for our kids.”
Earlier this year, Harrell introduced the Every Child Ready Initiative, which included the FEPP levy renewal as a cornerstone. The initiative aims to more than double access to affordable childcare and early learning services while expanding mental health support and college and career pathways.
The renewed levy will allocate $658.2 million for high-quality early learning and childcare, including:
• Doubling access to affordable childcare slots to 1,400 per year
• Providing direct payments to retain 5,000 childcare workers across Seattle
• Expanding the Seattle Preschool Program to 3,100 seats to ensure kindergarten readiness
Another $510.7 million will support K-12 academic and enrichment programs focused on wellness and safety, including:
• Establishing five new school-based health centers
• Increasing staffing and telehealth options for student mental health services
• Strengthening school safety through partnerships with Seattle Public Schools and community-based organizations
A total of $82.4 million will be dedicated to post-secondary education and workforce development, including:
• Seattle Promise, which offers up to two years of free tuition and expenses at Seattle Colleges for all Seattle public high school graduates, serving an estimated 1,475 students annually
• Expansion of the Path to Trades program to help students enter skilled trades careers
With voter approval secured, the Mayor’s Office and DEEL will now begin developing plans to evaluate and implement the renewed levy. A full proposal is expected to be submitted to the City Council in early 2026.
“I want to thank Seattle voters, educators, community partners, and the City Council for supporting this historic, transformative investment in our young people and families,” said Harrell. “Together, we are nurturing the next generation of leaders and building a stronger, brighter future for our entire city.”
