City of Seattle Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor

NEWS ADVISORY
SUBJECT:   Mayor Proposes $103 Million Renewal of Families and Education Levy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    4/8/2004  9:55:00 AM	FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Alex Fryer  (206) 684-8358

SEATTLE – Mayor Greg Nickels today proposed a $103 million Families and Education Levy that sets a new direction for Seattle’s children and their families.

“There is a crisis in our city that we must confront. Only two out of every three students in Seattle Public Schools graduate and only half of students of color graduate,” Nickels said. “The purpose of this levy is to rescue these kids. Today we set a new direction for Seattle’s children. We cannot let the status quo continue to fail our kids. With this proposal, we will provide an opportunity for success in school for every child and every family.”

The mayor made his announcement at Seattle’s Tiny Tots Development Center, which has provided child-care and educational programs for more than 20 years. Expanded support for early learning is a key element in the mayor’s proposed levy.

The mayor’s proposal represents a new focus for the levy, which began in 1990 under former Mayor Norm Rice, and which was renewed in 1997.

The new approach focuses on programs and services that specifically address kids who are not performing at grade level or who are at risk of not graduating. It also establishes strong accountability standards so that progress on goals for children are met. An outgrowth of the city’s youth strategy, the proposed levy targets money where needs are greatest, funding both school- and community-based programs.

Nickels’ proposal builds on months of community input and recommendations, responding to calls from parents and community leaders to close the academic achievement gap. This new approach was endorsed by Rice.

“This levy proposal sets a bold new direction for kids and families in Seattle,” Rice said. “Every element brings positive change for children.” In 1990, Rice called an education summit, where community and business leaders, educators and parents came together to talk about how to do more for kids. The first $69-million Families and Education Levy grew from that community effort. Nickels’ proposed levy would be its second renewal.

Councilmember David Della, chair of the Council’s Parks, Neighborhoods and Education Committee, observed, “The proposal is a step in the right direction. The ability of children to succeed academically, and for their families to be able to help children succeed is a huge priority for the City Council. We want to thank the numerous parents, community and business leaders, and educators who devoted countless hours identifying the needs of our children and their families, and then thinking through the strategies to help them. We will keep all that input in mind as the City Council conducts its review of the mayor’s proposed levy.”

Nickels emphasized the levy’s new focus this way: “Our goal is to close the academic achievement gap. This proposed levy helps Seattle’s families and children by targeting investments where needs are greatest, providing extra help for kids not performing at grade level. With this levy, we will keep kids actively engaged, out of trouble, and focused on academics. We will directly assist families so they can help their children learn and succeed.”

Many students in Seattle are not meeting standards needed to graduate. The problem is especially severe among children of color and children from low-income families:

• 55 percent of Latino children do not pass the first grade reading assessment;
• 93 percent of African American 10th graders failed to meet the 2002-03 math WASL standard; and
• 56.6 percent of Native students in the class of 2002 in Seattle Public Schools did not complete high school.

James Kelly, president, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, said it’s time to bring change. The status quo is not working for Seattle’s children. “As a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), I represent the conscience for children, particularly those under the age of 5,” he said. “We must give these children a voice and hope. The mayor’s proposed levy is the direction that we need to take for these children and families.”

Community input helped shape the levy’s focus. “The Levy Oversight Committee (LOC) used community input to develop levy policy goals that comprehensively support our kids: helping young children be ready for school, ensuring children succeed academically, and keeping children healthy,” said Pramila Jayapal, founder and director of the Seattle-based Hate Free Zone Campaign of Washington and a LCO member. “Every element of the mayor’s levy proposal supports these goals. Every element is focused on helping children who need help the most.”

The levy proposal focuses on five major areas:

• Early learning – $4 million annually
  Includes money for sending 400 4-year-olds to preschool so they’ll enter kindergarten ready to learn
• Student health – $3.3 million annually
  Keeps kids healthy by supporting school-based health centers and providing school nurses
• Out-of-school time – $3.1 million annually
  Offers after-school academic activities for elementary and middle schoolers to keep them focused on learning and out of trouble
• Family support and family involvement – $2.6 million annually
  Provide support services to families experiencing difficulties so they can better meet their kids’ developmental needs
• High-risk middle- and high-school youth – $1.3 million annually
  Take a coordinated case management approach for high-risk middle- and high-school youth to reduce delinquency and help them develop positive goals

Representatives of a broad array of community groups have called for this new direction. “The levy oversight and citizens advisory committee members agree — if so many of our children are failing school, that means we, as a society, are failing our children,” said Holly Miller, executive director, The New School Foundation, and CAC Chair. “The downstream social and economic consequences of these trends are unfathomable.”

The community was heavily involved in developing the levy proposal. The seven-member LOC adopted a policy framework for renewal of the levy, which was developed with expert and community input. The policy framework outlines the goals of the levy, the role of the city of Seattle and the potential strategic areas of investment. It also lists the desired outcomes from levy investments and expectations for accountability. (The LOC is charged with reviewing and advising upon expenditures, proposing allocations for the following year, and making recommendations on the implementation of particular programs and on any reallocations.)

To assist the LOC, a 42-member CAC was established to recommend services areas under the strategic areas of investment in the policy framework recommended by the LOC.

Experts know the value of the levy’s approach. “I understand the importance of giving kids a good foundation,” said Angie Hicks-Maxie, executive director of Seattle’s Tiny Tots Learning Center, site of today’s announcement. “Improving school readiness is an important factor in closing the achievement gap. At our center we focus on giving kids an opportunity to succeed – which is exactly what this levy will do for the children of Seattle. It’s critical for the success of children who live in low-income neighborhoods to have access to quality child-care programs.” Hicks is a CAC member.

Next week the proposal will be sent to the City Council for review and consideration of placement on the fall ballot. If the Council decides to put the levy on the fall ballot, it would mark the levy’s second renewal; voters first approved a $69-million levy in 1990, and renewed it at the same amount seven years later.

The mayor urged parents, educators, community leaders and citizens to learn more about the levy and how it helps children. Information can be found at seattle.gov/mayor.

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Office of the Mayor

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