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Early Learning

Seattle Public Schools Early Learning

Why is Early Learning Important?

kindergarten students and teacher

Research has firmly established that investing in early learning yields powerful benefits for children, both in early elementary and as a cornerstone to their overall educational success with life long benefits.

High-quality preschool programs have the potential to close opportunity gaps, provide substantial learning gains, and prepare children for success in the kindergarten classroom and beyond.

At Seattle Public Schools our Early Learning Vision is that all families and children have access to high-quality, culturally responsive, and inclusive learning experiences from preschool through fifth grade.

Every child deserves high-quality instruction that meets their individual needs. Early childhood education promotes the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing. 

Important Dates

Early Learning Special Education Services

Seattle Public Schools offers special education services for children age 3-5 determined eligible with a disability that impacts educational progress and who are in need of specially designed instruction. Learn more about SPS services and programs.

Child Find: Special Education Referrals

Child Find is a district process to identify children birth-21 suspected of having a disability to evaluate and identify need for Special Education and Related Services. Learn more about Child Find.

Contact Seattle Public Schools Child Find: 206-252-0805, childfind@seattleschools.org 

Experimental Education Unit (EEU)

Seattle Public Schools contracts with the Experimental Education Unit (EEU) at University of Washington for a limited number of special education seats to provide SPP Plus Preschool and Kindergarten Special Education Services.  

Who is eligible to apply for EEU?

  • Kindergarten: Students who turn five years old and who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) by August 31
  • Preschool: Seattle Public Schools preschool students who are at least 3 years old and who have or will have a completed Individualized Education Program (IEP) by May 31.

Learn more about EEU preschool and kindergarten.

Preschool

Seattle Preschool Program and Head Start Applications open for the 2024-25 school year March 15.

Seattle Public Schools offers three different preschool options for children ages 3 – 5 years old. SPS Preschool Locations Map 2023-24

Kindergarten

2024-25 Kindergarten Enrollment: Will your child be 5 years old by August 31, 2024? If YES, your child is eligible to enroll in kindergarten. Register today for the 2024-25 school year. 

Find more information and resources on our kindergarten webpage.

Family Connection Conferences

Preschool and Kindergarten Family Connection Conferences

These one-on-one meetings, held during the first short week of school, are intended to welcome Preschool and Kindergarten families to school and provide a safe environment for families to speak freely with the teacher, share information about their child, and ask questions. Learn more about Family Connections.

Child Care Options

Finding a quality child care arrangement for your child is a big decision for families. We have collected a list of child care providers who provide before and after school child care as well as preschool programs at schools in the district.

Please contact the provider directly to learn more about enrollment and their programs. Read more about school-based Child Care Providers.