Approximately 2,500 more children across Washington could be eligible for free preschool in the 2026-27 school year, according to a press release on Wednesday.
The Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) is run by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and, according to the program, currently provides state-funded PreK programs to more than 14,000 children across Washington.
In a press release on Wednesday, the program said that over 2,000 new slots are expected to expand capacity at the over 460 existing locations across the state, as well as open 54 new preschools.
The expansion comes on the heels of an approximately $1 billion donation in November from Ballmer Group Philanthropy, which the program says will fund up to 10,000 additional students to attend preschool over the next decade.
“Every child deserves a strong start, and expanding ECEAP brings that within reach for thousands more families,” Andi Smith, Executive Director for Ballmer, said in the press release.
The first $40 million of those funds, according to the press release, will be used in the coming school year. In the statement, ECEAP said it would take time to fill all the spots they could offer to students with the donated money. According to the group, it expects to enroll 2,000 additional students into its PreK programs in the 2026-27 school year.
More information about the program and free preschool locations can be found on the program website.