How Washington’s Transition to Kindergarten program addresses childcare deserts: Current state funding caps and proposed funding cuts exacerbate gaps in access to early learning and disproportionally harm higher-poverty communities

Knight, David SMou, MerinaHines, Elizabeth2026-03-022026-03-022026-02-27https://hdl.handle.net/1773/55325Early childhood care and education (ECE) plays a critical role in supporting childhood development, providing children with fundamental rights that are outlined in the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. Moreover, research shows investments in ECE provide long-term benefits for the individual and for society that far outweigh societal costs. Effective ECE systems provide caregivers with the opportunity to join the workforce if they choose, providing additional economic benefits to society. Washington state operates two state-funded ECE programs, the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program and Transition to Kindergarten, or TK. Governor Ferguson’s proposed 2026 budget cuts funding for TK, a move that would have devastating effects on the state’s ECE system, especially within the most under-resourced areas of the state. This brief explains the important role that TK fills in addressing childcare deserts within Washington’s ECE system. We demonstrate that districts located in childcare deserts rely more heavily on TK. The brief offers policy recommendations for local and state policymakers.CC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/How Washington’s Transition to Kindergarten program addresses childcare deserts: Current state funding caps and proposed funding cuts exacerbate gaps in access to early learning and disproportionally harm higher-poverty communitiesArticle