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Tacoma superintendent proposes tuition option for some Transitional Kindergarten seats after state funding cuts
Summary
Superintendent Josh Garcia told the board Tacoma lost more than 40% of its state TTK funding and that the district will offer a tuition‑based option of $1,450 per month with local subsidies while preserving more than 900 free slots; staff will refine placements by site and seek partnerships to preserve access.
Superintendent Josh Garcia told the Tacoma School District Board of Directors that the district’s share of state Transitional Kindergarten (TTK) funding was cut by more than 40% and outlined a district plan to preserve access to preschool by offering families a tuition‑based option.
Garcia said the district will offer families who do not qualify through special education or free‑and‑reduced‑price lunch an option to enroll in TTK on a tuition basis set at $1,450 per month, with local subsidies available in some settings. He said the district will continue core early‑learning programs — including ECAP and Head Start — and will hold more than 900 free TTK seats in the community.
"We are going to offer families an opportunity … a tuition based model. That tuition is going to be set at $1,450 a month," Garcia said, explaining the measure is a response to an unexpected reduction in the state allocation for Tacoma.
District staff described the decision as a reluctant, operational approach intended to protect as many seats as possible while the district and state leaders continue to press for funding stability. Garcia said the district is still "trying to unpack" the allocation formula that led to the deeper cut in Tacoma than the statewide projection.
District leadership said the tuition option will be phased in with multiple enrollment paths, local subsidies where available and the possibility of consolidating sites if uptake is low. Garcia urged families and providers to explore partnerships with the district: "If there are providers out there that are also going through a difficult time but would like to offer their services, you can reach out to me directly and say, 'Hey, can we think about partnerships?'" he said.
Why it matters: Research cited by the superintendent and staff shows early‑learning participation improves outcomes for kindergarten and beyond; school officials framed the tuition approach as a stopgap to preserve access while advocating for restored or restructured state funding.
What's next: The district said it will send enrollment communications describing how to apply and which TTK options are available at individual sites. Staff will continue legislative advocacy and assess take‑up and site consolidations as enrollment unfolds.
"We're committed to trying to help every family need that space," Garcia said. "We're not in a position to pay other providers to come in our sites, but we are in a place to share our resources in order to offer those services in the community."
