AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. — Parents in Airway Heights are struggling to find affordable childcare near their homes and workplaces, but the city is taking action to address a critical gap in services.
With only one licensed childcare provider serving a community of more than 11,000 residents, Airway Heights has been designated a “childcare desert.”
The shortage has created a cascading problem for working families who must piece together care from multiple providers across the region.
Sabryna Williams, a mother of four and former early education teacher, knows firsthand how critical quality childcare is—and how difficult it is to find in Airway Heights. “Two of my kids are now going to go to sunset. My other two were going to YWCA here in airway. We go to Spokane Falls for my youngest son,” Williams said.
The challenge extends beyond logistics. School-based summer programs add another layer of complexity for working parents. “The school programs that I found them in are selective because they’re out for the summer. So it’s just it’s a problem because now I can’t really work,” Williams said.
Williams is not alone. Many Airway Heights parents have reported on social media that they are driving out of their way to find care, quitting their jobs to stay home with their children, or struggling with costs they simply cannot afford.
City leaders have responded by proposing an ambitious expansion plan that would add 100 new childcare spots for children from infancy through kindergarten, along with a Boys and Girls Club offering after-school and summer programming for 125 school-aged children.
The proposed facilities would be added to the city’s current recreation center, with the Boys and Girls Club occupying one side of the building and the Early Learning Center on the other. This co-location strategy would allow the city to maximize its resources while creating a comprehensive childcare and youth services hub.
Albert Tripp, Airway Heights City Manager, outlined the city’s approach to funding the ambitious project. “Our goal for funding the projects, involves actually bringing together several different funding sources. So that’s inclusive of both state, state grants, federal grants and then nonprofit and just partnerships with those respective entities,” Tripp said.
The city is still in the early stages of implementation and must complete a feasibility study and develop detailed financial plans before moving forward. However, city officials view this proposal as a critical first step in bringing much-needed childcare services to Airway Heights families.
COPYRIGHT 2026 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
