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OLYMPIA—June 25, 2025—Before a child reaches kindergarten, parents, guardians, and families pave the way for their child’s early learning and their success in school. Dolly Parton founded the Imagination Library, in tribute to her father who was unable to read and write, to help families around the world access free reading materials and share the love of reading and the power of books with their children. |
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In 2022, the state Legislature, in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), expanded access to the Imagination Library to all children in Washington aged birth to 5. This allowed for each of these children, regardless of their zip code or their families’ income, to receive a high quality and age-appropriate book each month at no cost to their family.
The Imagination Library program is affordable and scalable. Each book costs $2.60—50% paid through local partners, and the other 50% typically funded through the state budget. The program currently serves 120,000 children and operates in each of Washington’s 39 counties.
This past legislative session, legislators faced a $12 billion budget shortfall. Although they protected basic K–12 education to the fullest extent they could, they had to make tough choices in other areas of the budget. Funding for early learning programs such as Transition to Kindergarten and the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program were reduced, and the entirety of funding previously allocated for the Imagination Library was removed from the state budget.
"Washington’s youngest children cannot afford to have their opportunities for early learning cut to this extent," said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal. “While I plan to advocate for renewed funding in the supplemental session next year, the Imagination Library of Washington risks losing their effective, statewide infrastructure if funding generated from the statewide match is halted for even one year. Through limited discretionary funds, my agency will keep this program funded for one more year with the goal being to obtain permanent funding from the Legislature next session.”
To enroll your child in the Imagination Library program, follow the link at the bottom of this release. It’s easy, and free, to sign up. Additionally, families can choose to participate in the program’s bilingual option, which provides books in both English and Spanish.
“We are grateful to Superintendent Reykdal and OSPI for their investment in and continued support for the Imagination Library,” said Brooke Fisher-Clark, Executive Director of the Imagination Library of Washington. “This program has the potential to be absolutely life changing for Washington students, and we already see through rising kindergarten readiness scores that our efforts, along with other early learning investments, are making a difference in our children's learning. As Dolly Parton often says, ‘you can never get enough books into the hands of enough children.’”
For More Information
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ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.
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