Blog

Public schools make up 44.0% of NGFO budget in 2023–25; the cost of new K–12 policies is estimated to double in 2025–27

As passed by the Legislature, the 2023–25 operating budget increases appropriations for public schools from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $2.908 billion (compared to the enacted 2022 supplemental). Of the increase, $2.563 billion is the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for inflation and enrollment (the maintenance level). Just $345.6 million is due […]

Legislature passes bill that would modify the outline of the yet-to-be-implemented Washington student loan program and remove sustainability requirements

The Legislature has passed EHB 1823, which would make changes to the Washington student loan program statute. (Gov. Inslee has not yet signed the bill.) I wrote about an earlier version of the bill here. The student loan program was enacted last year (RCW 28B.93) and the 2022 supplemental operating budget appropriated a total of […]

Public schools funding in the capital budgets and a proposed new grant program for school construction

The Senate-passed capital budget would appropriate $876.4 million from all funds for public schools in 2023–25, and it assumes that the appropriations for the funded projects would total $6.868 billion over 10 years. The capital budget approved by the House Committee on Capital Budget would appropriate $844.1 million from all funds for public schools in […]

Major K–12 policy proposals in the Senate- and House-passed budgets

The Senate- and House-passed 2023–25 operating budgets would change funding for school employee salaries, special education, and transitional kindergarten. The two houses have also passed policy bills on these topics. School Employee Salary Inflation Both houses have now passed, and the governor has signed, ESB 5650. The bill specifies that the inflationary adjustment for school […]

House operating budget would shift federal relief money previously appropriated for learning loss to special education

The enacted 2021–23 operating budget appropriated $553.1 million from the federal elementary and secondary school emergency relief (ESSER) fund to address pandemic learning loss. This money is mostly from the third ESSER round, which must be spent by Sept. 2024. Washington’s school districts received $1.668 billion from the third round and the Office of Superintendent […]

House chair’s 2023 supplemental operating budget would reduce 2021–23 appropriations by $804 million (and what’s happening with K–3 class size compliance?)

The House Appropriations Committee chair’s 2023 supplemental operating budget proposal would reduce 2021–23 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by a net of $804.0 million. Maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for enrollment and inflation) changes would increase appropriations by $423.9 million and new policies would reduce appropriations by $1.228 […]

The mystery of the higher education funding swap

The Senate operating budget proposal includes a mostly hidden swap of higher education funding for the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) that would result in more spending from the workforce education investment account (WEIA). First, some background on the WEIA: The account may be used for higher education purposes, and it “must be used to […]

Report on state student loan program raises questions about its sustainability

Last week I wrote about HB 1823, which would remove sustainability requirements from the yet-to-be-implemented Washington student loan program. (See that post for details about the 2022 legislation and how HB 1823 would change it.) Instead of specifying program details, the 2022 legislation required the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) to “design a student loan […]

HB 1823 would remove actuarial, sustainability requirements from the yet-to-be-implemented Washington student loan program

HB 1823, which will be heard by the House Appropriations Committee tomorrow, would remove actuarial and sustainability requirements from the not-yet-implemented Washington student loan program. Last year, the Legislature enacted E2SHB 1736, establishing the Washington student loan program. (The program is codified as RCW 28B.93.) The bill left the details of the program to be […]

Should school salary inflationary adjustments be based on estimates of future or past inflation?

HB 1732 and SB 5650 would both specify an inflationary adjustment for school employees for school year (SY) 2023–24 of 3.8%. Additionally, under current law, the inflationary adjustment is the implicit price deflator (IPD) for the fiscal year (FY). Under the bills, beginning in SY 2024–25, the adjustment would be based on IPD for the […]