What’s behind the expense of the new school employee health care system?
Funding school employee health benefits is a significant part of Gov. Inslee’s 2019–21 budget proposal. The state is currently spending $2 billion on school health benefits. From funds subject to the outlook, the governor would increase that spending by $941 million, including about $646 million at the policy level, to fund a benefits consolidation. (And […]
October 25 , 2018 - Emily Makings
Washington’s charter school act is constitutional—mostly
The state Supreme Court has held that Washington’s charter school system is constitutional, aside from one provision that is severable. (The charter school act was approved by voters as I-1240 in 2012, ruled unconstitutional by the Court in 2015, re-worked by the Legislature in 2016, and then challenged again.) The lead opinion was written by […]
October 09 , 2018 - Emily Makings
OSPI’s 2019-21 budget request includes capital gains tax, change to maximum local levy
Today the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Chris Reykdal, held a press conference to announce his 2019–21 budget request. So far only an overview of the request is available, but it includes several fiscal policy proposals. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) writes, a “key aspect of Reykdal’s budget priorities involves addressing inequities created […]
June 13 , 2018 - Emily Makings
New special report: Manufacturing Jobs Part II: Education and Workforce Development Strategies to Close the Skills Gap
In a new special report, we continue our series on manufacturing jobs with a look at education and workforce development strategies. The executive summary follows, and you can read the full report here. Manufacturers in Washington state face ongoing workforce challenges. The strong economy and growing retirements from the Baby Boom generation have created substantial […]
June 07 , 2018 - Emily Makings
McCleary school funding case is over; K-12 spending has increased dramatically since 2012
Happy news for state budget writers today: The state Supreme Court has terminated its jurisdiction in the McCleary case on school funding. Today’s order concludes, “the State has complied with the court’s orders to fully implement its statutory program of basic education by September 1, 2018, and has purged its contempt.” The $100,000 per day fine […]
May 01 , 2018 - Emily Makings
Plaintiffs in McCleary case: Allow program to operate, but it’s probably not enough
Yesterday the plaintiffs in the McCleary case submitted their response to the state’s 2018 post-budget filing. They acknowledge that the case is over. In the Court’s Nov. 2017 order, the Court said it “is willing to allow the State’s program to operate and let experience be the judge of whether it proves adequate.” Plaintiffs accept […]
April 10 , 2018 - Emily Makings
AG, once again: State has achieved full compliance with McCleary
Yesterday the attorney general submitted the state’s post-budget report on school funding to the state Supreme Court. He argues: The state is fully compliant with the McCleary decision, The court should lift the contempt order and stop the daily penalties as of March 27, The court should allow the state to spend the funds in […]
February 02 , 2018 - Emily Makings
How will school funding change this session?
In November, the state Supreme Court said that the state’s school funding fix, EHB 2242, will bring the state into compliance with the McCleary decision—if the salary component is fully implemented in SY 2018–19 instead of SY 2019–20. Beyond that, “At this point, the court is willing to allow the State’s program to operate and […]
November 28 , 2017 - Emily Makings
A few points on the Seattle Times editorial on education reforms
On Friday, the Seattle Times editorial board wrote about six education reforms it believes are needed: improve graduation rates, close the achievement gap, build classrooms, “fully embrace early learning,” maintain college funding, and “fix unintended consequences.” While recommending reforms, the editorial board also acknowledges the recent Supreme Court order in the McCleary case: “In the […]
November 20 , 2017 - Emily Makings
Regionalization and equity in the new education funding bill
The League of Education Voters (LEV) ran an interesting item last month looking at the spending numbers in the education funding bill the Legislature passed this session (EHB 2242). It notes, . . . it appears we are widening the financial gap between some local districts that historically have received more funding and those that […]