Funding for public schools and higher education in third federal aid bill
The third federal aid bill includes $30.75 billion for an education stabilization fund that will be split among states, elementary and secondary schools, and higher education institutions. This includes: $3.0 billion for emergency education relief grants to states. Governors will award funds to local educational agencies and higher education institutions that “have been most significantly […]
November 26 , 2019 - Emily Makings
House Appropriations Committee preview of 2020, plus school district accounting news
In a House Appropriations Committee work session last week, Office of Program Research staffer Dave Johnson gave the committee a budget preview. He noted that with the recent revenue forecast, legislators have $1.096 billion more to work with over the four-year window than they did when they adopted the 2019–21 budget in April. The figure […]
November 25 , 2019 - Emily Makings
A shortfall in the new workforce education investment account
The Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee’s work session on Thursday included presentations on the workforce education investment act (E2SHB 2158) that was enacted earlier this year. As I wrote last week, a staff presentation at the Senate Ways & Means Committee’s work session included a concern about a reduced 2021–23 revenue estimate for […]
May 31 , 2019 - Emily Makings
State and local funding for school districts expected to increase by $455.1 million in SY 2019–20
For the 2019–21 biennium, the Legislature appropriated $27.307 billion for public schools (a 20.3 percent increase over 2017–19). The Legislature also increased local levy authority for districts beginning in calendar year (CY) 2020. (As part of the response to McCleary, the Legislature had previously reduced local levy authority for CY 2019.) There have been many […]
May 24 , 2019 - Emily Makings
NYT: Washington universities have better graduation rates than would be expected given their student bodies
In the New York Times, David Leonhardt and Sahil Chinoy write about college graduation rates, noting that in the U.S., “About one in three students who enroll in college never earn a degree.” Interestingly, “Schools with similar students often have very different graduation rates. This suggests that the problem isn’t the students — it’s the […]
May 06 , 2019 - Emily Makings
School district levy limits increased, and more property tax collections diverted from the rainy day fund
On the last day of the legislative session, the Legislature passed two bills that make changes to school district funding: ESSB 5313 and ESHB 2140. (Gov. Inslee has not yet signed either bill.) The Legislature has long limited the amount that school districts can raise through local levies. In calendar year 2018, school districts were […]
April 03 , 2019 - Emily Makings
Will the Legislature increase local levy limits for school districts?
The Legislature may act this year to increase local levy limits for school districts. The state is responsible for paying for basic education, but school districts may ask local voters to approve enrichment (formerly maintenance and operations) levies to pay for non-basic education programs. The amount that districts can levy has been limited since the […]
March 18 , 2019 - Emily Makings
WSIPP finds that Washington appropriates a smaller share of the general fund for higher education than comparison states
In a new report, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) compares higher education funding in Washington to 11 other states. (The Legislature requested the report in the 2018 supplemental budget.) It looks at how higher education is funded in these states. (WSIPP chose Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, […]
January 09 , 2019 - Emily Makings
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 […]