Families looking for free preschool will have more options across the Greater Seattle area this school year, with 16 new sites opening in Seattle, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Tukwila, Lynnwood and Des Moines.
The new locations are part of a statewide expansion of Washington’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), expected to add about 2,400 preschool slots for the 2026-27 school year. ECEAP provides free preschool and family support primarily to eligible low-income 3- and 4-year-olds.
Seattle will get three new sites: Refugee Women’s Alliance – Nook, Refugee Women’s Alliance – Othello and Rise and Shine. Four are opening in Federal Way, three in Renton, two each in Kent and Tukwila, and one each in Lynnwood and Des Moines.
Statewide, 42 new ECEAP sites are opening, while 105 existing sites are adding slots. More than $251 million in state and private grant funding will go to early learning providers this school year.
The expansion comes after Washington reduced ECEAP funding amid last year’s budget crunch. A state Office of Financial Management budget-reduction document called for eliminating 1,800 ECEAP slots, or roughly 2,000 spots statewide.
Soon after the cuts, Washington and Ballmer Group Philanthropy announced a public-private partnership to dramatically expand ECEAP. Ballmer Group committed funding for as many as 10,000 additional seats over 10 years, an investment expected to total roughly $1 billion. Washington initially set a goal of adding 2,000 students in the partnership’s first year; the approximately 2,400 new slots announced this week exceed that target.
Who qualifies and how to apply
Families may qualify for ECEAP based on income or other circumstances, including homelessness, foster care, developmental delays and some disabilities. For a family of four, the current income threshold listed by the state is $50,152 per year.
Families interested in a spot can find a local ECEAP provider and apply through DCYF. Applicants contact a local provider, which determines eligibility; eligible children are then prioritized for enrollment based on available space.
Seattle families can also contact the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning for information about ECEAP and other preschool options.
The state Department of Youth and Families Services did not say exactly when spots would be available at specific facilities or sites, only that all would open during the 2026-27 school year.
