CHIMACUM — The Transition to Kindergarten program has increased preparedness for kindergarten for Chimacum Creek Primary School’s youngest students in recent years, school leaders said. Gov. Bob Ferguson’s supplemental budget suggests reducing the fund by 25 percent.
That cut could mean some students would be turned away from the program next year, Principal Sarah Walker said.
The state mandates caps on the program, and Chimacum Creek’s current cap is at 29 students, Walker said.
Of the 29 slots, 25 are filled currently.
Walker estimated the reductions would mean capping the program at 21 slots.
“That has a huge impact on families and their access to early learning,” she said.
Ferguson’s proposed budget shows a suggested removal of 1,816 slots statewide for the Transition to Kindergarten (TK) program starting in the 2026-27 school year. Total slots would go down from 7,266 to 5,450.
A budget and policy highlights document notes that the program has grown from 510 slots in 2020. Reducing the slots would save $19.5 million.
“No one, and I mean no one, wants to cut early learning or any other important program for that matter, but unlike the federal government, we are required to balance our state budget and with that comes difficult choices,” state Sen. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, wrote in an email. “Our (state) constitution is clear that there are only a handful of programs we are allowed to reduce under the law, and early learning is one of them.”
While the current budget will be debated in the coming weeks in the Legislature, doing the important work to prevent these programs from facing recurring cuts is necessary, Chapman wrote.
He attributed the constrained funding to a broken tax structure. One step toward preventing future cuts is to implement a millionaires tax, he wrote.
“Until we have a tax code that meets the needs of Washington families, we’re going to be left with bad and worse choices,” Chapman wrote. “Remember, only Florida’s tax code favors the wealthy more than Washington’s.”
State Rep. Adam Bernbaum, D-Port Angeles, wrote that TK programs are an important resource for rural communities. He opposes the reductions.
“I am actively pushing for TK funding, but given the budgetary challenge our state is facing this year, I can’t make any promises,” he wrote.
The TK program was initiated halfway into the 2022-23 school year at Chimacum Creek, Walker said. The program serves 4- and 5-year-olds who are in the year before they enter kindergarten.
Unlike the district’s half-day preschool program, TK students attend a full school day and are introduced to school routines such as cafeteria procedures, social-emotional skill building, early literacy and math instruction, letter formation, early writing and numeracy — all embedded within play-based learning.
Going into the 2023-24 school year, students showed 12 percent readiness for kindergarten on the WaKIDS readiness inventory. The next year, the number jumped to 77 percent. At the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, that number rose to more than 83 percent, according to Chimacum School District data.
“Our early learning programs prioritize joyful, play-based experiences that build confidence and curiosity,” Walker said. “This 83 percent readiness rate is a testament to the hard work of our teachers and staff and the value of investing in high-quality early childhood education.”
The newness of the program in Chimacum means the district has yet to see the long-term impacts of the program, Walker said. But for districts that piloted the program years ago, the long-term benefits are apparent, she added.
The WaKIDS inventory takes six domains of development into consideration: social-emotional, physical, language, cognitive, literacy and mathematics skills.
“Teachers are trained on the assessment tool and assess the children when they arrive in kindergarten,” Walker said.
The value of early learning is particularly important in rural contexts like Jefferson County, where alternatives are not readily available, Walker said.
Beyond advocating for the ongoing funding of the TK program, Walker said the district places a high value on supporting accessible early education opportunities.
While pre-K has historically been state-funded for students with disabilities, a fee would be required for the majority of students who access the program.
“Dr. (Scott) Mauk, our superintendent, worked really hard with our community partners to make sure that our preschool is free,” Walker said. “So any student who is 3 years old or 4 years old can access our preschool program for free.”
Those partners included the AAUW, East Jefferson Rotary, Friends of Chimacum Schools and private donors, a news release said.
Walker encouraged community members to contact their elected representatives to voice their support for the TK program.
“We see tremendous gain for our students,” she said. “Starting off school on a really strong foot with social-emotional strength and readiness means they’re ready to learn all the way through.”
Enrollment for pre-K, TK, kindergarten and first grade is now open, Walker said.
Parents and guardians can engage the process in person at 313 Ness Corner Road, online at ccp.csd49.org/enrollment-forms, or by phone at 360-302-5820.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.
