Wellspring ELC has spots open for children between 3-5 years old.

The following are the eligibility requirements for families:  

• • Must currently be experiencing or have recently experienced homelessness in the past three years, and
  • Belong to a family with up to 36% of the state median income (about $43,344 for a family of 4), or
  • Are from a tribal family up to 100% state median income (about $100,000 for a family of 4), or
  • Qualify for school district special education services; or
  • Participated in ESIT, ELICPSE, Early Head Start, or Early ECEAP; or
  • Have qualifying factors including:
    • Invovlement in state or tribal welfare services
    • Chronic physical or mental health conditions

Other requirements: 

• • 90% attendance to stay in the program
  • Families must apply for DSHS childcare subsidy (if you don’t qualify, this does not impact your enrollment eligibility)

• Families who meet the criteria for enrolling in the ELC will need to complete and submit an application form (available in several languages), and submit it to our Family Support Specialists. If you have any questions, you can contact them as well:
  • Ty Lewis | tlewis@wellspringfs.org | 206-826-3033
  • Valentina Salazar | vsalazar@wellspringfs.org | 206-902-4253
• Once your application is received, you will be contacted by the ELC for further information or to let you know the result of your application.
• The application review process take about a week.
• Once your application is approved, the ELC will reach out to you to schedule an in-person appointment to complete the enrollment process.
• Once the enrollment is complete, a start date for your child/children is determined, often within a few days following enrollment.   

• • The ELC is open Monday-Friday from 7:00am – 5:00pm
  • Student drop-off and pick-up times may vary depending on other criteria
  • The ELC may close one day a month for in-service/training
  • Transportation to and from the school on school days is the family’s responsibility
  • Bus tickets are occassionally provided
  • The ELC is part of the Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) and Early ECEAP
  • Parents of children in the ECEAP and Early ECEAP program are eligible for Mobility Mentoring: Goal setting for financial independence
  • There are no application fees or costs to apply, enroll, or attend school at the ELC

Every child deserves a successful start in school and life. Wellspring ELC provides:

• A safe, nurturing, and culturally responsive environment
• Nutritious meals
• Daily breakfast, lunch, and snacks
• Access to Wellspring Family Support Specialists
• On-site health services through a partnership with Seattle Children’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic
• Low teacher-child ratio: one teacher for every five children
• Learning and play activities tailored to meet the developmental and behavioral needs of each child
• Activities that promote creativity, problem solving, social interaction and a sense of accomplishment
• Activities include movement and music, art projects, story reading, neighborhood walks, and field trips
• Trauma-informed care
• No expulsion for behavior; instead Wellspring ELC teachers work alongside caregivers, therapists, medical professionals, and family support specialists to help students make sense of their experiences and learn healthy ways to express their feelings and emotions

• Close to Downtown Seattle, Beacon Hill, Columbia City, Ranier Valley, Leschi, Hillman City, and the Central District
• Just 3 blocks from I-90
• 5 to 10 minutes from I-5
• Close to the Mount Baker Metro Transit Center & the Mount Baker Light Rail Station
• Along Rainier Avenue and 23rd Avenue South bus routes