New special report: Has the State Finally Closed the Book on McCleary?
In a new special report, we dig in to EHB 2242, the education funding bill passed by the Legislature this session. Briefly: The Legislature has enacted EHB 2242 to continue its response to the McCleary decision. From 2011–13 to 2017–19, state funding for public schools has increased by $8.419 billion (62.1 percent). In 2019–21, the […]
August 01 , 2017 - Emily Makings
Legislature, AG to Court: McCleary response is complete
Yesterday the Legislature submitted what could be its final report to the state Supreme Court on its progress in responding to the McCleary decision. The Attorney General (AG) also submitted the state’s memorandum outlining why the state believes “the Court should dissolve its order of contempt against the State, relinquish jurisdiction, and terminate this appeal.” […]
May 24 , 2017 - Emily Makings
As the Legislature begins its second special session, OSPI offers a new K–12 plan
Yesterday the Legislature began the second special session of the year, because the Legislature has not come to an agreement on an operating budget or an education plan to comply with the state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision. As the Seattle Times reports, Gov. Inslee said yesterday that neither the property tax levy swap in the […]
April 20 , 2017 - Mary Strow
School-siting bill clears state House, heads to governor's desk
Legislation long sought by overcrowded school districts to grant flexibility for building new schools cleared its final legislative hurdle this week. The state House Tuesday approved changes made by the Senate last week to House Bill (or as it’s now known as, Engrossed Substitute House Bill) 1017, which allows school districts – in some circumstances – to build […]
April 07 , 2017 - Emily Makings
Our education funding comparison table has been updated
Yesterday we posted a policy brief comparing the various education funding proposals. After publication, we received additional information from the Office of Financial Management that allowed us to fill in some of the holes regarding Gov. Inslee’s proposal. Also, we changed the first row of the table to show the full NGFS+ policy change for […]
April 06 , 2017 - Emily Makings
New brief: Comparing the Education Funding Proposals, Second Edition
In a new policy brief, we provide a side-by-side comparison of the education funding plans that have been proposed by the governor and Legislature. This is an update of the comparison we published last month. The update reflects changes made to the House- and Senate-passed plans, as funded in the operating budgets passed by each chamber. […]
April 04 , 2017 - Mary Strow
April 03 , 2017 - Emily Makings
House budget would strike levy accountability provisions enacted earlier this year
Earlier this year, the House passed an education funding plan (HB 1843). The House-passed 2017–19 operating budget would not fund that bill; instead, it would fund HB 2185. HB 2185 has not been heard by committee. It is largely the same as HB 1843, but there are a few noteworthy changes. First, as we’ve noted […]
March 29 , 2017 - Mary Strow
Relief may be in sight for school districts with school-siting bill
This year’s contender for the Little Legislation That Could, House Bill 1017, appears to finally be on its way to passage in the state Legislature. The bill, allowing schools to be sited outside of the state Growth Management Act’s officially-designated “urban growth areas,” has been on legislators’ plates for awhile. During executive session of the […]
March 13 , 2017 - Mary Strow
State school funding system ruled unconstitutional…in Kansas
Washington isn’t the only state grappling with K-12 education funding issues. On March 2, the Kansas state Supreme Court ruled that the State of Kansas was violating the state constitution by not adequately funding public schools. Sound familiar? The Kansas City Star reports: The court determined that the state is failing to provide roughly one-fourth of its […]