Seattle Preschool Family Child Care Program
Overview
The Seattle Preschool Family Child Care Program component brings licensed childcare providers into Seattle’s city-wide preschool program. What began as a two-year pilot in 2017 has evolved into an established part of the Seattle Preschool Program — increasing preschool options for 3- and 4-year-old children by including home-based programs, which better meet the needs of some families. Costs are based on family income to make high-quality preschool accessible to families across economic circumstances.
Why It Matters
Many families prefer home-based preschool programs where their children's cultural practices are respected, and their native language is spoken.
The Seattle Preschool Program addresses this by incorporating family childcare providers in the city-wide preschool program framework, expanding from the original pilot of 9 providers to 22 providers in the 2024-2025 school year. The approach keeps the small, personal nature of family childcare while improving program quality through targeted supports and professional development.
The program gives families an alternative to center-based programs, which is important to those families who prefer the smaller, more familiar setting of a home-based provider. By using a sliding fee scale based on family income, the program removes financial barriers that might otherwise prevent families from accessing high-quality preschool.
Quick Facts
Core Model: Home-based preschool through licensed family childcare providers
Notable Feature: First city preschool program to include family childcare providers
Launch Date: Fall 2017 as a pilot; became permanent program component in 2019
Eligibility: Seattle children ages 3-4; live within Seattle city limits
Current Funding: $2.5 million annually from the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy
Participation Rates:
Providers: 22 participating providers (2024-2025); Expanded from 9 family childcare providers in 2021
Program Coverage: City of Seattle
Background
The Family Child Care component of the Seattle Preschool Program launched in fall 2017 as a two-year pilot. It was developed as part of the city-wide preschool program, which voters approved in November 2014 through Proposition 1B, authorizing a $58 million property tax levy.
The initial pilot was planned by a Family Child Care (FCC) Advisory Committee formed by the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning, including FCC owners, center directors, parent educators, and representatives from community organizations serving immigrant and refugee populations. A key design principle was making the program affordable through income-based fees.
Following the success of the pilot, the Family Child Care component became a permanent part of the Seattle Preschool Program, funded through the 2018 Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy.
How it Works
The program operates through a hub network model:
Family child care providers run preschool in their licensed home programs
Hub organizations recruit and contract providers, manage program finances and Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) subsidy payments, and give providers hands-on support and training
Seattle’s Department of Education & Early Learning (DEEL) oversees the program, sets the standards, and runs the SPP sliding-fee subsidy; it works with Hubs to make sure providers meet the standards
This partnership keeps roles clear—DEEL oversees, Hubs manage finances and provide support, and providers teach—so the program runs smoothly.
Key Features
Administrative Support: Hub organizations handle paperwork, allowing providers to focus on education
Parent Choice: Respects parent preferences for the kind of program they want their young children to be in
Affordability: Program costs are determined on a sliding scale based on family income, making high-quality preschool accessible to families across different economic backgrounds
Quality Standards: Integration with Washington State Early Achievers Program ensures consistent quality
Policy Levers
Funding: Municipal tax levy funds support program operations and provider payments
Quality Standards: Same quality requirements across different provider types ensure educational quality
Support Structure: Hub organizations provide necessary "back office" support for home-based providers
Sliding Fee Scale: Tuition based on family income ensures program accessibility for diverse families
Results
The Preschool Program’s Family Child Care component has grown from a small pilot to an established part of the city's preschool system:
Provider Growth: Expanded from 9 to 22 family childcare providers between 2021 and 2024
Program Access: Now part of the broader Seattle Preschool Program which serves nearly 2,500 children annually in neighborhoods throughout Seattle
Economic Diversity: The sliding fee scale has enabled families across income levels to access quality preschool
Innovation: Program recognized as unique for including home-based providers in a city preschool program and has become a model for other municipalities
Learn More
-
Program Website: Seattle Preschool Program
-
Managing Agency: Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning
Email: preschool@seattle.gov
Phone: 206-386-1050 -
Partner Organizations:
Tiny Tots Early Learning Collaborative (TTELC) — a partnership between Tiny Tots Development Center and Voices of Tomorrow
Back to Solutions in Action ⟶
