The Strategies that Work series highlights impactful programming that has supported Southeast Seattle students and beyond. As the November election gets closer, the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy will be up for renewal. One of the programs supported by this levy is Seattle Promise, which SESEC is amplifying as a part of this monthly series.
Seattle Promise provides all Seattle Public High School graduating seniors with free tuition coverage for up to two years or 90 college credits at North, Central, or South Seattle Colleges. Not only is free tuition given by the program, but also Equity Scholarships, which provide students with funds to buy books and transportation.
The program has its roots in Southeast Seattle and was initially called the 13th Year Promise Scholarship. In 2008, it began with funding from private donors through the South Seattle College Foundation and provided graduating seniors from Cleveland High School with one year of free tuition at South Seattle College. In 2011, the program expanded to include Chief Sealth International High School and Rainier Beach High School in 2014.
After the passage of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy in 2018, the Seattle Promise program was created. The first iteration of the program had 230 applications enrolled for the fall of 2018.
Six years later, in the fall of 2024, 1,590 students were enrolled, and over 70% of Seattle graduating seniors applied to Seattle Promise. Out of these seniors who apply to the program, 25% ultimately enroll.
One of the programs offered by Seattle Promise is Path to UW, which provides students with individualized admissions support when applying to the university. In addition, transition courses are held in the summer to help students prepare for enrollment and become familiar with the campus.
According to the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) fact sheet, the program targets Seattle Promise students furthest from educational justice, which includes BIPOC, first-generation, and low-income students, and has operated since 2022.
“Even in that short period of time, we’re already seeing really significant return on investment for students having access to the University of Washington-Seattle,” says Melody McMillan, the Senior Executive Director of Seattle Promise, “Students who participate in the Path to UW programming at any amount are 20% more likely to be admitted and enroll at University of Washington compared to any other transfer student who didn’t engage with a Path to UW support.”
This November, the FEPP levy is once again on the ballot for Seattle voters to decide. The levy would generate $1.3 billion over six years, from 2026 to 2032, and is pivotal to the continuation of Seattle Promise, according to McMillan.
“Without the FEPP Levy, Seattle Promise would not exist and certainly would not exist in the way that it does right now,” says McMillan, “where we’re able to support nearly 4,000 students every year to complete their FAFSA and WASFA in high school, and we are about to have our largest incoming college class of 1,700 students this fall.”
According to the Department of Education and Early Learning, the proposed levy includes $66.2 million to sustain Seattle Promise, but also includes $14 million in new funding for a pilot Path to Trades program that would increase access to apprenticeships. The Path to UW program would also have $2.2 million in new funding added through the levy, which would support more Seattle Promise students transferring to UW Seattle.
Learn more about Seattle Promise and how to apply here.
Hong Ta is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition. Have a suggestion for our Strategies that Work series? Email her at [email protected]