I am pleased to invite you to the formal announcement of the Mayor’s proposal for the 2004 Families and Education Levy. The announcement will take place tomorrow, Thursday, April 8, at 10 a.m. at Tiny Tots, 8302 ½ Renton Avenue S, Seattle.

We all understand that there is a growing need to prepare children more thoroughly for academic success. Today in Seattle, only two out of three students graduate from high school. Children of color from low-income families fare even worse compared to the rest of Seattle’s youth: fewer than half of them graduate.

The Mayor’s proposal brings the change we need for Seattle’s children and families; it focuses on closing the achievement gap by making sure that every child has an opportunity to succeed in school.

Seattle Parks and Recreation has been an enthusiastic provider of services funded by the levy since voters first approved it in 1990. They include the After School Activities Program (ASAP), a partnership with Seattle Public Schools that provides fun, healthy, and safe activities for every middle school student, and the Community Learning Centers that position middle schools as the focal points of their communities, where people can find a rich array of community-driven learning resources for students, families, and the broader community.

The Mayor’s proposal will fund:

• Early learning
• Out of school time
• Support for high-risk middle and high school age youth
• Student health services
• Family involvement and family support

To learn more about the 2004 Families and Education Levy, please visit www.seattle.gov/familiesedlevy

I will be in touch soon.