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School finance is not an issue only in Washington

An article from Kansas in today’s Stateline has a familiar ring to it: With no decision yet from the Kansas Supreme Court on a mammoth school-finance lawsuit, state legislators will begin their annual session amid deep uncertainty over the dominant issue of the year. Depending on what the court decides, the outcome could be anything […]

Justice Johnson files dissent in Supremes' education funding order – Court's impact on short session unclear

Last week I posted on the state Supreme Court majority opinion finding lawmakers failed to make adequate progress toward full funding of basic education as specified in the Court’s McCleary decision. I concluded: Substantial new funding in the short session is unlikely. Key legislators already question the need for any supplemental budget. After last year’s lengthy […]

State Supreme Court says that, despite progress, Legislature still not meeting education funding targets

The state Supreme Court, in an order released today, faulted lawmakers for failing to make adequate progress on meeting the Court’s school funding mandate. (Justice Johnson is filing a dissent from the majority opinion.) The accompanying press release acknowledge legislative progress. The majority Order, signed by eight of the nine justices, acknowledges that “meaningful steps were […]

Governor's supplemental budget looks like a yawner … that's a good thing

Gov. Jay Inslee released his supplemental budget proposal yesterday. The details are available here. Inslee calls it “a hold-steady budget in a get-ready year.” That’s a pretty good description. The budget proposes a few modest new program increases and provides funding for increases in caseloads and school enrollment. That’s holding steady. He also warns of […]

Charter schools will move forward, but what about levy money?

Education funding is in the news yet again: Yesterday, a Superior Court judge ruled in the case a number of groups had brought against charter schools. Approved by voters in 2012, Initiative 1240 allowed a limited number of public charter schools to be opened in Washington. (None have opened yet.) It defined them as common […]

Special legislative session signals good news for machinists, for Boeing and for the state economy

Gov. Jay Inslee called lawmakers back to Olympia for a special session today designed to secure the Boeing 777X and its carbon fiber wing for Washington state. The proposed legislation complements the agreement reached by Boeing and the Machinists union for an eight-year contract extension assuring continued labor peace and changes benefiting the company and […]

More on state Supreme Court pension case and its budget implications

In my column Wednesday, I take a deeper look at the pension lawsuit before the state Supreme Court. Emily wrote about the hearings, which involve union challenges to the Legislature’s repeal of gain-sharing and the Uniform Cost of Living Adjustment. The implications are serious. If the court rules for the public employee groups contesting the legislation, the increased burden to taxpayers […]

"I'm bad at math" versus "I can succeed if I study hard"

Partnership for Learning writes, The office of Superintendent of Public Instruction released results last week for the 2013 Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) that showed little to no progress — and even some regression — for Washington state’s schools. The AMOs are part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver that was reissued to […]

Time to take another look at "property tax swap" to boost school spending?

In my column today, I suggest lawmakers take another look at the property tax swap proposed last year. A couple of issues prompted the suggestion. A report by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities finding that most states have not returned to inflation-adjusted pre-recession per pupil spending. Comparatively, Washington looks pretty good. The legislature’s […]

Washington gets high marks for quality of education finance reporting

The Cata Institute gives Washington a ‘B’ in its new “Cracking the Books” study. They’re not grading on the curve, because that B ranks Washington third among the 50 states, just behind New Mexico and South Dakota. Cato says inadequate financial reporting leads most members of the public to significantly underestimate the “true cost of […]