OLYMPIA—In a move to preserve early literacy opportunities, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has committed discretionary funds to maintain Washington’s Imagination Library program for the 2025–26 fiscal year. This decision follows the state Legislature’s elimination of the program’s funding in the recent session due to a $12 billion budget shortfall, highlighting OSPI’s critical role in ensuring young children continue to receive free books.
“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.”
The recent legislative session prioritized K–12 education but reduced funding for early learning programs, including Transition to Kindergarten, the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, and the Imagination Library.
The Imagination Library, inspired by Dolly Parton to honor her father’s inability to read and write, delivers a free, age-appropriate book monthly to children from birth to age 5. Since 2022, Washington has expanded the program statewide through a partnership between the Legislature, OSPI, and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), reaching 120,000 children across all 39 counties. Each book costs $2.60, with local partners covering 50% and the state typically funding the other half. Families can opt for a bilingual option, receiving books in English and Spanish.
Brooke Fisher-Clark, Executive Director of the Imagination Library of Washington, praised OSPI’s support, noting the program’s impact on kindergarten readiness scores.
“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.’”
Families can enroll children at no cost via the Imagination Library’s website. OSPI’s funding ensures the program’s continuity while advocacy for long-term state support continues.
Author: Mario Lotmore
