OLYMPIA — It was a big year in state politics for programs that serve students and children. Especially the youngest ones.
The child care sector, which has struggled to recover from the financial impact of the pandemic, won a long-term financial boost through a new capital gains tax passed this Legislative session, which concluded Sunday. Funded at more than $400 million over the next two years, a new law, the Fair Start Act, will require the state to expand access to early learning and child-care programs. The act will almost double the current number of state-funded preschool slots by 2026, advocates say.
After years of pointing to a lack of affordable early learning and child care options for families in Washington state, this session brought “transformative” change, said Ryan Pricco, director of Policy and Advocacy for Child Care Aware WA.
“The pandemic happened, and child care centers closed, and that had big implications for economic growth,” said Pricco.