OLYMPIA, Wash. — State Superintendent Chris Reykdal announced Wednesday he will use discretionary funds to keep Washington’s Imagination Library program operating for another year after legislators eliminated all state funding.
The program provides free monthly books to 120,000 children from birth to age five across all 39 counties in Washington. Each book costs $2.60, with local partners covering 50% and the state typically funding the remainder.
“Washington’s youngest children cannot afford to have their opportunities for early learning cut to this extent,” Reykdal said. “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 is halted for even one year.”
The program, founded by Dolly Parton, expanded statewide in 2022. Legislators faced a $12 billion budget shortfall and cut several early learning programs while protecting basic K-12 education funding.
“We are grateful to Superintendent Reykdal and OSPI for their continued support,” 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 are making a difference.”
Parents can enroll their children online at no cost, with bilingual options available.
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COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
