# Washington State Expands Early Education Sites

Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) have announced the expansion of the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) for the 2026-27 school year. This initiative adds 42 new early education sites, increasing capacity by approximately 2,400 slots for low-income 3- and 4-year-old children. The expansion is supported by a public-private partnership with the Ballmer Group, which has committed up to $1 billion over 10 years to fund up to 10,000 new ECEAP seats statewide. For the upcoming school year, over $251 million has been allocated to support this growth, representing a significant procurement opportunity for early learning providers across Washington State.

- **Why this matters:** The substantial funding and site expansion create new contracting opportunities for early childhood education providers, especially those serving low-income populations.
- Providers should evaluate participation in state-funded preschool services as the program scales to 147 total sites (42 new and 105 existing).
- The public-private partnership model highlights potential for collaboration between government and philanthropic organizations in education procurement.
- Organizations operating in Washington State should consider geographic coverage, including cities like Battle Ground, Benton City, Blaine, and Burlington, to align service delivery with program expansion.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Education
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** September 22, 2026

### Government Entities
- Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
- Office of the Governor of Washington State

### Key Quotes
> As we’re facing budget challenges, our public-private partnership is expanding access to high-quality early education for thousands of kids across our state.
> — Bob Ferguson, Governor of Washington State

### Sources
- [Governor Ferguson, DCYF announce 42 new early education sites, serving 2,400 additional children this school year | Governor Bob Ferguson](https://governor.wa.gov/news/2026/governor-ferguson-dcyf-announce-42-new-early-education-sites-serving-2400-additional-children-school) - WA