To build a great future for kids and families, we need public policies that provide all children with the opportunities they need to succeed. Our public policies – the laws, budgets, rules, and other decisions of elected representatives and engaged Washingtonians – can either advance those opportunities or place obstacles in front of kids. 

Racial equity assessment tools can shape our public choices so that they enhance every child’s access to opportunity. KIDS COUNT in WA, a partnership between the Budget & Policy Center and Children’s Alliance, has produced an online assessment tool that allows policymakers and members of the public to ask questions about the effect of a proposed policy on closing the opportunity gap.

The new Racial Equity Policy Tool is a questionnaire designed to help users consider issues like:

• How will the proposal address the opportunity gap that exists for children of color and children in low-income households?
• Has the proposal been developed in consultation with members of our state’s diverse communities?
• Once enacted, how will we measure the proposal’s effects?

The tool builds off of previous, similar assessment guides and tools issued by other organizations and government entities, from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to King County. (Links to these guides can be found on the Racial Equity Policy Tool webpage.) It is intended to help refine the ability of engaged Washingtonians to create equal opportunities for kids. 

All babies born into this world will one day dream of what they want their future to be like. It is the job of all adults – parents, teachers, coaches, faith leaders, and lawmakers – to provide children with the opportunities they need to realize a future of unleashed potential. 

We ask that you use and share the tool. Access it here.