The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) is a state-funded preschool program. It is currently scheduled to become an entitlement in SY 2026–27. However, Gov. Inslee’s budget would delay the entitlement until SY 2030–31, which is beyond the budget outlook window. If the Legislature enacts this delay, it would be the fourth time it has done so:

• In 2010, the Legislature made ECEAP an entitlement, effective SY 2018–19.
• In 2015, the Legislature delayed the entitlement until SY 2020–21.
• In 2017, the Legislature delayed the entitlement until SY 2022–23.
• In 2021, the Legislature delayed the entitlement until SY 2026–27.

Each of these delays implied that the cost of the program was too high given competing priorities for funds.

However, Gov. Inslee is proposing delaying the entitlement even after the state enacted a capital gains tax (to support public schools, early learning, and child care) and even though he is proposing a wealth tax (which he says is needed “to invest in essential services like education, housing, and child care”).

For reference, the governor’s budget assumes it would save $145.9 million in 2025–27 by delaying the entitlement. The governor assumes that the wealth tax would increase revenues by $3.380 billion in 2025–27. It is unlikely a wealth tax would actually collect that much, but it is telling that even though the governor assumes so much new revenue, he still doesn’t prioritize the entitlement.

At this point, if legislators again decide that the ECEAP entitlement is not a priority, they should just take it off the books instead of delaying it yet again.