Council adopts FEPP levy implementation plan and agrees to fund school meals and meal programs

The Seattle City Council passed CB121240, the implementation and evaluation plan for the Families Education Preschool & Promise (FEPP) levy, after the council approved a proposed substitute and technical amendments and reached agreement with the mayor’s office to fund both universal school meals and six years of out‑of‑school meals for children in need.

Council Member Teresa Rivera, who chaired the select committee on the levy, presented the substitute and said the changes correct staff errors and add clarifications. Council Member Saka moved an amendment (A) to require that DEAL consider geographic prioritization for preschool capacity expansion; the amendment passed.

Budget Chair Strauss and Council Member Foster described a unified strategy negotiated with the mayor’s office that preserves universal school meals while funding weekend and break meals for students in need. "Feeding every student in Seattle is a goal of the city council and the mayor," Strauss said; Foster said the package closes gaps and supports both universal and out‑of‑school access. The council adopted the substitute and amendments and voted to pass the bill as amended. Council member roll calls recorded unanimous or near‑unanimous support for the implementation plan.

The bill’s adoption sends the implementation plan to relevant departments for execution and requires follow‑up reporting and monitoring to ensure investments reach students furthest from opportunity. Council members emphasized that the levy supports preschool expansion, K‑12 tutoring and mentorship, and the "Promise" program offering two years of college or a trades pathway for Seattle public high school graduates.