Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program.  The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) is a voluntary preschool and family support program administered by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Children are eligible for ECEAP when they are between the ages of three and five, and are from families with incomes at or below 36 percent of the state median income (SMI).

DCYF is authorized to enroll additional children in ECEAP who do not meet standard eligibility criteria, as space is available, if their family income level is above 36 percent of the SMI, but at or below 50 percent of the SMI, and the child meets at least one specified risk factor.

In the 2025-27 biennium, ECEAP is funded to serve 14,278 children in fiscal year (FY) 2026 and 14,528 children in FY 2027.

In the 2030-31 school year, ECEAP will become an entitlement and income eligibility will increase to 50 percent of SMI.

The PreK Promise Account is created for receiving any gifts, grants, or donations made for ECEAP. All expenditures may be used solely to support ECEAP.

DCYF must track receipts separately for each organization or entity that deposits funds into the account.

The account does not require an appropriation, while expenditures must follow allotment procedures. Only the DCYF secretary may authorize expenditures.