Office for Education

Families and Education Levy

In November 1990, Seattle voters approved a groundbreaking initiative for the future of the city's children. The Families and Education Levy, which provided support to children and their families both in and out of school, was designed to help all Seattle's children become school ready, succeed academically, and graduate from high school.

The Families and Education Levy programs proved so effective, in schools and communities throughout Seattle, that voters renewed the levy in 1997. The $69 million, seven-year levy supported programs in five areas, contributing to the success of children around the city.

2004 Levy

Voters approved an expanded Families and Education Levy Proposition (Adobe PDF) in 2004. While the Levy continues to fund many of the programs instituted in past levies, there is a sharper focus on preparing children to be ready for school, improving academic achievement and reducing disproportionality, and helping students complete school. Emphasis is placed on serving students and schools that have traditionally underperformed.

What is the Levy Providing?

Early Childhood Development

Scientific research confirms what parents have known forever: that the earliest years of a child's life are filled with learning and wonder and carry the capacity for astounding growth. Helping children, particularly children from low-income families, master the early challenges of language and numbers, and helping them translate these skills into a love of learning that leads to superior academic performance are key goals for Seattle's Families and Education Levy. Learn More

School-Based Student and Family Services

Students do better in school when they and their families are doing well at home. The Families and Education Levy helps make this possible by providing special support for students in need and by helping parents get more involved in school. Learn More

Out-of-School Activities and Middle School Support

Middle School is a critical transition time for students. The Levy supports these youth by providing school-based intervention and treatment programs that provide mental health services, social/emotional counseling and truancy/dropout prevention to middle school students during school hours. In addition, the Families and Education Levy, in collaboration with community centers, neighborhood organizations and schools, has stepped in to fund fun and creative out-of-school time programming that supports academic achievement for elementary school students and teens from 11-18 years old. Learn More

Student Health Services

Students must be healthy in both mind and body to thrive in the classroom. The Families and Education Levy helps by funding school nurses and teen health centers in middle and high schools to improve students' health and promote healthy lifestyles. Learn More

High Risk Youth

Some older youth face significant barriers to their academic success, including violence at home, extreme poverty, cultural adjustments as a consequence of being an immigrant or refugee, gang involvement or other outstanding juvenile justice issues, chemical dependency, and history of truancy. The Levy supports intensive case management services to keep high risk youth in school or return them to school. The program provides youth with an opportunity for educational success. Learn More

Evaluation

Accountability for success is a centerpiece of the 2004 Levy. Targets for results in school readiness, academic achievement, and dropout reduction have been established for all Levy programs. An annual report to citizens will identify annual progress towards these results. Along with targeting academic results for students in all programs, interim indicators will be tracked. Trends in attendance, grade retention, disciplinary actions, discipline disproportionality and other measures correlate with improved academic performance and can give important mid-course information to program providers. Learn More

A Levy Oversight Committee directs the use of levy funds.

There is a Partnership Agreement (Adobe PDF) with the Seattle Public Schools that identifies their role in supporting Levy funded programs.

What has the Families and Education Levy achieved? Click here to learn more!

Read about the Families and Education Levy Renewal.