Providers say ECAP slot rates, startup and facilities costs threaten expansion

Joel Ryan, executive director of the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECAP, told the board "the cost per child is insufficient. It just is." He described conversations with ECAP contractors who reported that very few programs received enough funding to operate ECAP as a stand‑alone program and said many "pieced it together" with other dollars.

Providers gave concrete estimates and examples. One provider recounted building four classrooms and being able to open only two because "it costs them a $100,000 a classroom to operate ECAP"; others cited start-up furnishing costs around $20,000 per classroom and three-to-six months to get a new room ready. Joel urged lawmakers and the board to consider targeted start-up funding and facility grants so contractors will accept slots and not leave philanthropy money on the table.

Why it matters: Even with large philanthropic pledges to expand slots, providers said the reimbursement structure and operational costs could prevent new classrooms from opening or force existing programs to cut services, especially transportation and workforce compensation.