Proposed City Budget Continues to Fund Education Support Programs

In Seattle we take pride in making sure that every child has access to a good education. In that spirit, the proposed budget includes nearly $20.5 million in funding for programs that support education and learning. These funds will be used in addition to those provided by the Families and Education Levy, and mark a significant investment in our city’s youth.

Early Learning, Reading, and Attendance

We understand that for a student to succeed in school and life, they need to start with a good foundation. In next year’s budget, we’re allocating almost $2.5 million for early learning, preschool, and K-Transition programs. We’re also continuing to support a constellation of other programs to help students succeed at an early age. Northgate READS, for example, is a program aimed at getting third grade students at Northgate Elementary to read at grade level. By uniting schools with city departments and volunteers, we’re able to give students the support they need to tackle one of the biggest building blocks of their educational career.

Even at an early age, school attendance is a huge indicator of a student’s chances of academic success. That’s why we’re continuing the “Be Here Get There” Attendance Campaign; an incentive-based public awareness campaign focused on getting the message to students and parents that every day in school matters.

Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative

The Budget also puts aside almost $1.5 million in funding for the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, which provides services ranging from youth mentoring to employment placement programs. In addition to other youth services, these programs provide an important structure to help otherwise disadvantaged youth find success in their community. Educators, outreach workers, and other community members mentor repeat juvenile offenders, help truants get back in school, and otherwise provide positive alternatives and assistance for at-risk youth.

Safe Routes to School

In comparison to previous years, this budget provides a greater investment in Seattle’s Safe Routes to School and Neighborhood Greenways programs. Over $1.2 million will be dedicated to these programs, which have already made a large impact by helping provide safe and reliable ways for kids to get to school. Part of this funding will help some schools complete larger and more focused projects in their area, including funds to help increasing staffing for their own Safe Routes to School programs.

Arts Education

The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs will continue to administer the City’s partnership with Seattle Public Schools in support of the Seattle K-12 Arts Learning Collaborative, which supports capacity building in arts education for all students. 2012 marked the last year of a $500,000 5-year contact ($100,000 per year). The proposed 2013-2014 budget includes funds to continue this partnership from OACA’s Admissions Tax funding source.

The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs will continue to administer the Youth Arts Grant program, which provides arts education beyond the regular school day in neighborhoods throughout the city. In 2012 the grant provided $160,000 to 48 artists, cultural organizations and community organizations from OACA’s Admissions Tax funding source, and 2013 is expected to support at a similar level.

Complete list of City funding for educational programs

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Posted by: Nathaniel Merrill